The five plantations, Ng'ombeni, Dundani, Minaki, Chunguruma and Ras Mbizi total 2800 hectares (7000 acres) and include 200,000 coconut palms.
We grow the African Tall variety, a slow growing palm which yields an excellent grade of timber.
At 60 years of age the African Tall reaches it's economic threshold and is felled and replanted.
Ng'ombeni is a working coconut farm on the island of Mafia off the coast of Tanzania.
Mafia Island lies off the Rufiji delta, south of Zanzibar on the Tanzanian east coast of Africa. It is a particularly idyllic part of the world; its waters are protected by the Mafia Island Marine park and host an abundance of marine wildlife including turtles, dugongs and whale sharks.
Mafia is widely regarded as the poorest district in Tanzania. Income for the 40,000 inhabitants revolves around agriculture, fishing, tourism and informal trading.
using coconut
Culling of coconut palms is a routine exercise.
Coconut is a renewable source of hardwood.
A senile palm
The root boll is dying.
In an effort to stay alive the stem throws out rootlets higher up the stem
