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Africrops!, founded in 2012 by Erika Seifts and plant physiologist Dr. Heinrich Heinrichs, is an agriculture-based business which has managed to create a product from the “miracle plant” Moringa Oleifera, package and present it in international markets. Ali Shakur, U.S. marketing rep for Africops — also based in Berlin — recently sat down with AFKInsider to discuss the company’s founding. In part three of the interview, Shakur explains what most don’t know about the trade vs aid motto and building relationships with small-scale farmers.

“The company was able to establish relationships with small-scale farmers rather easily, because the founders of the company had been living in Africa for many years. They were involved on the governmental level, so they understand the people, they understand the culture and they understand business in these African nations,” he said.

“Once the word got out that they were purchasing Moringa, it kind of spread like wildfire throughout the local communities and to the local farmers.”