South Sudan’s first exports to the USA include 100% natural honey

South Sudan’s first export to the USA is 100% natural Sosu Pure honey and shea butter, and both will soon be making their American debut in natural grocery stores in Texas. This landmark trade is the result of collaboration between South Sudanese beekeeping cooperatives and Texas-based Lone Star – Africa Works.

Although the Republic of South Sudan makes headlines as petroleum-rich nation facing war and famine, South Sudanese entrepreneurs and Lone Star – Africa Works are working together to invest in sustainable industries, strong communities, agricultural production and scientific innovation.

Ongoing activities include supporting farms to supply affordable healthy food to local markets, developing a network of weather stations for meteorology and climate change monitoring, as well as organising timber and gold mining cooperatives to attain socially and environmentally sustainable business models.

Lone Star – Africa Works and partners call the flagship South Sudan enterprise Sosu Pure – inspired by the country’s spirit, people, and natural diversity. The raw honey is harvested from local style, simple hives, manually strained, then carefully stored by artisan beekeepers living near the River Nile in South Sudan’s Kajo Keji region. An all-women’s cooperative creates the shea butter by cold-pressing oil shea nuts from local trees. Sosu Pure honey and shea butter are 100% natural: created without any use of artificial chemicals on the bees or the surrounding plants.

Bees for development are delighted to have been able to offer advice and support to Lone Star – Africa Works since July 2013. Our correspondence, which included guidance on honey quality, the construction of hives from naturally occuring, locally available materials, and effective honey storage was published in the March 2015 issue of Bees for development Journal.

Lone Star – Africa Works

Lone Star – Africa Works is a non-profit organisation based in Austin, Texas which works with communities in African countries to improve access to markets, investment, technology, vocational skills and humanitarian support.

For more information about Sosu Pure Honey and Lone Star – Africa Works visit www.sosupure.com and www.lonestarafrica.com

Lone Star – Africa Works Managing Director, Christopher Douglas writes:

“Despite the continuing violence in South Sudan, our partnercooperative continues to harvest and store honey. They are in negotiations with a few regional buyers. Meanwhile they have been investing the money from their first USA honey sale into a new farm, including the rental of a tractor.”