Chapters 5.46

5.46 -Environmental and Economical sustainability of Tamarind Production for Small Holder Farmers

JLacey Papple, University of Guelph, Canada

Suggested citation for this chapter.

Papple,J. (2022) Environmental and Economical sustainability of Tamarind Production for Small Holder Farmers, In Farmpedia, The Encyclopedia for Small Scale Farmers. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.farmpedia.org

Tamarind and its products

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica; despite its name it is of African origin) is a fruit tree that is part of the legume family (Harmanmeet et al., 2012). It has potential to help smallholder farmers cope with a drying climate. It is an evergreen that grows up to 20-30 meters tall (Ebifa-Othieno et al., 2017). Tamarind grows in many areas of Africa and Asia (e.g. Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, and Bangladesh) as well as South America (Chandini et al., 2008). It is indigenous to tropical areas, including Uganda where it has been used to supplement community food sources during scarce times (Ebifa-Othieno et al., 2017). Tamarind is native to Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Cape Verde (El-Siddig, 2006).

Tamarind produces a few different products. Its fruit can be eaten as is, or used as a thickening agent or turned into a drink or even used as a sweet dipping sauce in South Asia. The tree can be harvested for firewood or lumber, and the bark and roots are sometimes used for medicinal purposes (Ebifa-Othieno et al., 2017). The seed can be used to plant more trees or for manufacturing tamarind seed powder, adhesive, polysaccharide and tannin (El-Siddig, 2006).

How tamarind is environmentally beneficial and sustainable

Tamarind is beneficial as it creates shade and shelter while its roots hold down the soil to decrease erosion. It is able to grow in poor soil conditions due to the ability of its roots to associate with rhizobia bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen gas into nitrogen fertilizer for the plant (Chandini et al., 2008). This also benefits the soil by add nitrogen (Chandini et al., 2008). Reportedly, the tree does not require fertilizers to grow but can still benefit from them. As a result, the tree is able to grow where other plants would not thrive, thus benefiting the environment by replacing bare soil. The tree also benefits the planet by sequestering carbon from the air, replenishing soil, and removing pollution from the air (Cernansky, 2015).

Benefits of tamarind

It is beneficial to grow tamarind as it increases shade and shelter for other crops as well as livestock and people. Many people choose to either plant tamarind near their houses or build their houses near tamarind trees. Their large root systems keep them planted firmly in the ground and its durable branches do not easily break, creating a perfect wind block (Ebifa-Othieno et al., 2017).

Tamarind is highly nutritious: has an excellent source of vitamin C which increases absorption of dietary iron, thus reducing anemia (Chimsah et al., 2020). Tamarind fruit is often used to releive stomach pain and constipation as it has laxative qualities from natural components such as tartaric acids, malic and potassium acid (Chimsah et al., 2020). It helps to stimulate bile secretion which increases the speed of digestion and decreasing the risk of liver disease (Chimsah et al., 2020).

Tamarind produces fruit year-round (El-Siddig 2006), meaning that it also produces fruit during the dry season as an important source of nutrients, which is when other food sources start to become scarce and smallholders suffer from seasonal malnutrition (Ebifa-Othieno et al., 2017). The fruit gives the farmer food or income during the season when they are far from the harvesting of their other crops. Tamarind can be intercropped, especially when it is a sapling, and can be planted in grazing areas to create shade for livestock.

The seed powder from crushed tamarind pods have shown to be effective as a coagulant-flocculation to treat detergent wastewater (Ayangunna et al., 2016). The powder is beneficial as an alternative to chemical coagulants as it is natural, a byproduct of tamarind fruit, and readily available (Ayangunna et al., 2016). The seeds are dried and then ground into a powder. The optimal mixing time is 3 minutes of rapid mixing, or 15 minutes of slow mixing. The optimal dosage was found to be 400 mg/L with an optimal pH of 7.25 (Ayangunna et al., 2016). By utilizing tamarind seed powder, subsistence farmers can have access to cleaner drinking water.

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Marketing

In India there is potential for export (Chandini et al., 2008) as it is the number one exporter of tamarind products (El-Siddig, 2006). Reportedly, in the Tororo district, about 1 kg of Tamarind is sold for about $0.50 USD and a basinful (3-8 kg) is sold for $1 USD (Ebifa-Othieno et al., 2017). Tamarind can be marketed from roadside stands, the home, and markets (Ebifa-Othieno et al., 2017).

Storage

Fresh tamarind fruit can be dried with a dehydrator or by being left in the sun. After being dried, everything but the pulp is removed, and the pulp is stored in bags. The pulp can be stored for about 3 to 6 months so long as it is kept cool and dry (El-Siddig, 2006) which is an asset in rural areas lacking sophisticated storage facilities.

Guide to growing tamarind

Tamarind seeds will germinate about 13 days after being sown into the soil but sometimes take up to 45 days (El-Siddig, 2006). Seeds should be placed 1.5 cm below the surface of the soil and at least 20-25 cm apart from each other. When seeded or transplanted into a field the trees should have an area of 13 X 13 square meters. Ideally, tamarind trees should be planted at the beginning of the rainy season. Plants may need watering during the dry months if they are not yet established (El-Siddig, 2006).

Seeds that fall from the parent tree and germinate underneath can survive well if they are protected from animals. It would then be beneficial to move them to an area with more space (El-Siddig, 2006).

Pruning should be done of young trees to allow 3-5 branches to firmly develop. Once trees are fully established, they need very little pruning, with only the occasional removal of a dead or diseased limb. Fertilization is not necessary for tamarind to produce fruit well, but it may be beneficial (El-Siddig, 2006).

Tamarind trees begin to bear fruit around 10-14 years of age. The fruit ripens at about 8-10 months after flowering at which point the fruit can remain on the tree for about six months. The fruit can be harvested at two stages, half-ripe and ripe. When half-ripe, the fruit is the consistency of an apple and yellowish green in colour. When ripe, it is a reddish brown colour and the consistency is sticky and shrunken. To harvest the half-ripe fruit, a mat is set bellow the tree and the branches are shaken. To decrease damage to trees and possible risks of injury from climbing the trees, there are low cost fruit pickers that can be purchased for under $10-$20 USD (Alibaba.com). These tools could also make it easier for women to harvest the fruit if men and children are not available for harvest. To harvest the ripe fruit each pod is carefully picked from the tree as damage to them decreases the value. (El-Siddig, 2006).

Economic analysis

There are no significant costs to growing tamarind, except for the original planting material, as there is no large machinery necessary for fruit production (Ebifa-Othieno et al., 2017). The main product that is sold from tamarind is the fruit. Due to the many different products that can be made from the fruit, juice, sauce, jam, etc. it is more likely to be sold by women which will bring income more directly to the family. In a study in Benin, tamarind fruit sales accounted for 35% of overall income during the dry season (Fandohan et al., 2010).

Growing Conditions

Tamarind grows well in areas with even distribution of rainfall. It requires at least 250 mm of rain annually and at most 4000 mm (El-Siddig, 2006). In areas with a lower amount of annual rainfall, tamarind often grows near water which it extracts using its roots. Tamarind cannot grow in areas of high rainfall that has poor drainage. Large amounts of rain can also cause flowers to die, resulting in the tree not bearing fruit. It bears fruit best in climates with a dry season, which allows flowers the optimal weather to flower in. Due to its extensive root system, tamarind trees can survive 6 months without water. Tamarind thrives best in temperatures with lows of 9.5-20 degrees Celsius and highs of 33-37 degrees Celsius, with older trees being most durable to temperature extremes (El-Siddig, 2006).

Disease and Pests

Tamarind has a high resistance to disease: 92% of tamarind trees do not have any signs of disease or pest infestations according to one study (Ebifa-Othieno et al., 2017). The majority of visible damage to tamarind trees is from animals eating the lower leaves, mostly goats; other visible damage to the trees were attributed to harvesting of bark for medicinal purposes (Ebifa-Othieno et al., 2017). Most disease that is reported in tamarind is leaf spot disease, however in India, tamarind can be affected by root rot (El-Siddig, 2006).

Other than in plantations, tamarind is not often harmed by pests. In India there more than 50 insects that can be harmful to tamarind trees, some of which include “shothole borers, toy beetles, leaf feeding caterpillars, bagworms, mealy bugs, and scale insects” (El-Siddig, 2006).

Practical resources to get started

Quick Tip On: How to Clean and Store Tamarind By Kalpana Talpade | Useful Cooking Tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPjlekaNHwc

How to grow a tamarind tree from seed – DIY Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtz9L0EdO80

Homemade Tamarind Paste | How To Make Tamarind Paste From Pods | Fresh Tamarind Paste https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLUR91u1hjs

Sampalok Candy | How to make Tamarind Candy | Food Business Recipe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0i5hsOo2IY

References

1. Ayangunna, R. R., Giwa, S. O. and Giwa, A. “Coagulation-Flocculation Treatment of Industrial Wastewater Using Tamarind Seed Powder.” International Journal of ChemTech Research 9, no. 5 (2016): 771-780

2. Bourou, S., Bowe, C., Diouf, M., & Van Damme, P. (2012). Ecological and human impacts on stand density and distribution of tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) in Senegal. African Journal of Ecology, 50(3), 253-265.

3. Cernansky, R. (2015). Africa’s indigenous fruit trees: a blessing in decline. Environmental Health Perspectives, 123(12), A291-A296. http://dx.doi.org.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/10.1289/ehp.123-A291

4. Chandini, S. Kumar, & Sila Bhattacharya. (2008). Tamarind Seed: Properties, Processing and Utilization. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 48(1), 1-20 https://doi-org.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/10.1080/10408390600948600

5. Chimsah, F. A., Nyarko, G. and Abubakari, A-H. "A Review of Explored Uses and Study of Nutritional Potential of Tamarind (Tamarindus Indica L.) in Northern Ghana." African Journal of Food Science 14, no. 9 (2020): 285-94. doi:10.5897/ajfs2018.1744.

6. Ebifa-Othieno, E., Mugisha, A., Nyeko, P., & Kabasa, J. D. (2017). Knowledge, attitudes and practices in tamarind (Tamarindus indica L) use and conservation in Eastern Uganda. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 13(1), 5. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A478556709/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=AONE&xid=a9ea30ac

7. El-Siddig, K., Gunasena, H.P.M., Prasad, B.A., Pushpakumara, D.K.N.G., Ramana, K.V.R., Vijayanand, P., & Williams, J.T. (2006). Tamarind: Tamarindus Indica L. (Fruits for the Future 1, Revised edition). Southampton Center for Underutilized Crops. 1-134.

8. Fandohan, B., Assogbadjo, A.E., Glèlè Kakaï R., Kynd, T., De Caluwé E., Codjia J.T.C., and Sinsin, B.. (2010) Women’s Traditional Knowledge, Use Value, and the Contribution of Tamarind (Tamarindus Indica L.) to Rural Households’ Cash Income in Benin. Economic Botany 64(3), 248-59. doi:10.1007/s12231-010-9123-2.

9. Harmanmeet, K., Munish, A., Sandeep, K., & Neeraj, D. (2012). Carboxymethyl tamarind kernel polysaccharide nanoparticles for ophthalmic drug delivery. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 50 (3), 833-839. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2011.11.017.

10. Alibaba.com (2020) Tamarind Fruit Picker-Tamarind Fruit Picker Manufacturers, Suppliers and Exporters on Alibaba.comOther Tools. Accessed December 2020. https://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&fsb=y&viewtype=&tab=&SearchScene=&SearchText=tamarind+fruit+picker.