MAKONI - Crops for the Future

Global 

Facilitation 

Unit 

for Underutilized 

Species 

MAKONI 

(Fadogia ancylantha) 

enabling deployment of underutilized species

What is Makoni and where does it come from? 

Also known as marange, makoni is a herb that grows widely in 

Zimbabwe but mainly in the Eastern Highlands in clumps on 

open woodland or grassland. The plant grows to a height of 

around 1 metre. In the past, the tea made from makoni has been 

regarded as a tea for poor people who were unable to afford the 

commercial brands. However, in recent years herbal teas have 

become popular with high-income earners in Zimbabwe and 

consumers from all over the world.

PROPERTIES 

Makoni tea is caffeine free and is rich in zinc. 

> Health 

Zinc is vital for the healthy working of many of the body’s 

systems. It is particularly important for growth, healthy sex 

organs, reproduction, insulin production and healthy skin. 

It is essential for a healthy immune system and resistance to 

infection. Makoni herbal tea can assist in boosting the immune 

system and can be used to complement modern medicines in 

chronically ill people including those suffering from AIDS and 

HIV related illnesses. 

> Other Uses 

Makoni has an extensive range of traditional uses. Traditional 

healers use it to treat a variety of ailments including: boosting 

the immune system, abdominal pain - including menstrual 

pain, backache and chest pains, strengthening bones, building 

stamina, antidote for poisoning - including snakebite, coughs 

and flu - including whooping cough, muscular toning, oedema, 

constipation, tropical ulcers, asthma, loss of appetite, 

hypertension. It is also thought to have aphrodisiac properties. 

The makoni herb is also used to treat diarrhoea in chickens, and 

stomach disorders in animals (turkeys, goats and cows).


GROWING 

Most of the areas where the herb grows have low agricultural 

output. The herb is a perennial plant, which lies dormant between 

July and October. New leaves and branches appear when the rains 

begin around October-November. 

HARVESTING 

The tea is said to be mature and ready when the leaves and the 

stem turn yellow between April and July. The branches are then 

cut and the leaves fermented by sprinkling some water onto 

the leaves and putting them into a plastic bag until the leaves 

turn brown. They are then left to dry. Once dry the tea is ready 

for consumption. Sometimes only the leaves are picked and the 

branches are left to die. Also, the roots, stems and leaves have 

been harvested for processing into traditional medicines. 

PROCESSING 

The tea is processed by local producers in partnership with 

the Indigenous Tea Producers Association. The Indigenous Tea 

Producers Association undertakes crushing and testing of the tea 

on the producers’s behalf which enables them to add value and 

increase their earnings from the tea.

Contribution to rural and social development 

Purchases of this tea help support rural communities earn 

a living while conserving their indigenous habitat. The 

international interest aroused by makoni tea was such that a 

local Non-Governmental Organisation, Southern Alliance for 

Indigenous Resources (SAFIRE), decided to commercialise it. 

Thus producers and SAFIRE work closely with the Indigenous 

Tea Producers Association to ensure that the makoni bush is 

managed sustainably and that the growers receive a fair price 

for their tea. A special committee is also responsible for ensuring 

that the tea is harvested sustainably and that the quality is of 

the highest standard. They are also responsible for crushing and 

sorting the tea which is then sold on for processing into teabags.


The exhibits on show are just few 

of many commercial products made from the Makoni: 

Makoni herbal tea 

SOME PRODUCERS / RETAILERS / DISTRIBUTORS 

> Speciality Foods of Africa Pvt Ltd - www.tulimara.co.zw 

> Indigenous Tea Producers Association - www.safireweb.org 

Photographs by: Tulimara, PhytoTrade Africa and B. Wursten (www.zimbabweflora.co.zw)

Global 

Facilitation 

Unit 

for Underutilized 

Species 

For further information, contact: 

GFU for Underutilized Species 

Via dei Tre Denari, 472/a 

00057 Maccarese, Rome, Italy 

Tel: +39-06-6118-292/302 

e-mail: underutilized-species@cgiar.org 

w e b s i t e : w w w. u n d e r u t i l i z e d - s p e c i e s . o r g

MAKONI - Crops for the Future

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