THE rising awareness of eating healthy should not only be celebrated by consumers but also local merchants, namely farmers.
With the recent price hike of raw ingredients, the time is ripe for local farmers and business owners to step in and ease Malaysians into consuming healthier and affordable food products such as superfoods and organic locally grown livestock and fishery.
Sacha inchi is one of those superfoods that is economically and socially sustainable. This perennial plant, native to the Amazon, receives high demand abroad for its nutritional value, growing alongside the superfood consumption trend.
It has an Omega content 20 times higher than conventional fish oil and is a great source of Omega 3, 6, 9, and alpha linolenic acid (ALA). These Omegas and ALA are important as they form a vital part of cell membranes which reduces inflammation, supports the improvement of mental wellbeing and weight management, as well as promotes healthy brain development for infants.
The oil extracted from the edible seeds of sacha inchi are used in cooking, food products and skincare products. Its uses are varied and it can be consumed as a condiment in meals, a functional beverage, cooking oil, and even salad dressing. Consumers can also eat sacha inchi as a standalone superfood source.
Moreover, external uses include sacha inchi being used as a hair oil and moisturising oil for the skin.
Consuming sacha inchi oil on its own can also be beneficial for health.
More than health benefits, farming sacha inchi locally would bring plenty of promising returns for Malaysia moving forward.
Malaysia has mineral-rich soil suitable for the production of a variety of crops which will become a key component of farm diversification strategies.
As sacha inchi is a year-long fruiting crop, this will provide farmers a promising opportunity to grow crops all year long, increasing their revenue as well as aiding Malaysia's food supply chain.
With proper plantation practices guided by elements of a Smart Organic Farming blueprint, its production leaves a low carbon footprint - a plus for the environment.
The sustainable farming of sacha inchi will result in soil rejuvenation via closed loop organic compost and crop rotation, thus improving soil structure through the different roots of the crops and assisting in the give and take of minerals between crops and the soil.
In the next five years, we will likely witness a massive boom in sacha inchi consumers and increased research and development efforts into the benefits of this superfood.
Other superfoods such as kale and organic prawns should also capture Malaysia's attention. Kale and sacha inchi are very good crops that could be coupled together as they compensate and complement each other. Opting for sustainable crops and practices will give hope for economic recovery and growth for Malaysia.
*The writer is executive director of Nutribah, a start-up that adopts a farm-to-table model for its organic produce.