SOIL TOIL

Tanzanian agripreneur Darpan Pindolia is trying to balance local production with global offerings. The versatile earth in East Africa is his calling card to international success in regenerative farming.

- INAARA GANGJI

THE TERM ‘REMOTE WORK’ VERY WELL APPLIES TO Darpan Pindolia. His place of work is the lush green farm he has set up outside the city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where he ponders under the African sun, about how he can continue to explore the natural bounties the East African region is bestowed with for the sustenance of farmers as well as for sustainable agriculture.

Herbal plants and superfoods are his specialties. The local farmers grow each plant using organic permaculture practices and sustainable methods of generating energy. Any waste is converted to biogas and rainwater is harvested, leading to zero-waste production up until the factory level, with all value-adding done locally.

Pindolia’s priority is creating a sustainable and profitable organic African brand called Dhow Nature Foods. He was raised surrounded by these green ideas as his family grew their own vegetables and made oils at home in Tanzania. Even when living in Australia later, Pindolia bought organic grains from farmers and milled the flour at home.

“Whether you are well off or not, ultimately, your appetite is very similar… food is your fuel and it’s really important where it comes from and how it’s grown,” he says.