The rector of the University of Cyprus, Professor Konstantinos Christofidis, notes about the project: “Love for our land means love for our homeland. That is why at the University of Cyprus we try to express with deeds the love for our country and to remind, in the wider society, which sectors we have forgotten and where we must invest today, based on modern technologies and new realities. Our mission is to become better, to make our country better. For this reason, at the University of Cyprus we seek, in parallel with teaching and research, to dare something unique, to try something new with a local and international impact. We plan for today and for tomorrow, seeking continuous modernization. We want entrepreneurship to have a dominant place in the daily life of the organization, because we want our people to be able to utilize and implement, within the organization, their innovative ideas ".
The project coordinators, Professor Antonis Kakas and Mr. Andreas Christofidis, former Director of Administration and Finance, stated that: “One of the ultimate goals of the project is to help Cyprus recover and exceed the levels of carob production that existed before invasion, through a process that will allow any farmer who wishes to join this effort as an independent, equal partner. The aim is to utilize this increased production of carob, through a modern scientific approach for its processing into new products, which will be promoted in the international market ".
> Assistant the Cyprus Agricultural Research Institute and the General State Chemist - In this context, and in collaboration with the Cyprus Agricultural Research Institute and the General State Chemist, the University of Cyprus proposes the implementation of a promising new activity of harness development.
The main idea of the project is the combination of the tradition and the advantages of Cyprus with the scientific knowledge, in order to produce and process the carob into new forms of products, which will meet the needs of developing markets.
The aim of this multifaceted project is the creation of the largest natural carob forest in Cyprus, where the carob will be produced and processed and, at the same time, scientific research will be conducted, aiming at the maximum utilization of the raw material and the preparation of new products. The ultimate goal of the project is to enter into partnerships with multinational and national companies, to create high-tech production infrastructure for the production of existing and conventional products, for which the market demand is increasing, as well as for the production of new innovative products, which will be based on scientific studies.
According to Rector Mr. Christofides, the University of Cyprus has already given a sum of money to the Department of Forestry, which has already completed the planting of 40.000 seedlings, which will be ready to be transplanted, at the end of 2016, in a place where the carob forest, and will be vaccinated in the spring of 2017. The Land Registry has already proposed various plots of land, mainly in the province of Larnaca, which are being evaluated in order to proceed immediately with the necessary procedures.
The director of the Agricultural Research Institute Dora Heimonidou states about the project: “At a time when Cypriot agriculture is looking for a new development model, the Agricultural Research Institute actively supports from the very beginning the initiative of the University of Cyprus to create carob forests.
In addition to the special characteristics of the tree and the beneficial properties of its fruit in the nutrition of animals and humans, this initiative is expected to give new meaning and content to the organization, management and commercial use of a traditional crop that, for centuries, made known proud Cyprus all over the world ".
Nutritional value of locust bean, existing uses and emerging markets
Existing uses of locust bean include animal feed, food and food ingredients, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, while locust bean gum is widely used as a thickening and stabilizing agent in baby food, bread, cereals, dairy products, beverages, cosmetics, .
Carob is a multi-carat food, as its nutritional value is valuable. The flesh of the carob tree is high in sugars, mainly sucrose, glucose, fructose and maltose. In addition, it contains protein, high levels of natural antioxidants and some important trace elements, such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, etc. It is worth noting here that locusts are richer in calcium than milk, as they contain about 300 mg of calcium per 100 g of locust bean, compared to milk containing 120-130 mg of calcium per 100 g of milk. Carobs do not contain oxalic acid, like chocolate, which tends to reduce the body's ability to absorb calcium.
As they do not contain psychoactive substances, these products are mentioned as healthy alternatives to chocolate and coffee.
The sprout, which is recovered as a by-product of the processing of carob seeds, has significant nutritional value due to its high content of proteins, polyphenols, dietary fiber and micronutrients. It also does not contain the protein gluten, which can cause damage to the lining of the small intestine, preventing normal digestion and absorption of food. Therefore, locust bean flour is used in human dietary supplements or as an ingredient in cereal-based foods for patients with celiac disease (gluten intolerance).
Carob is also known for its medicinal properties, as it acts as an astringent, sedative and laxative, and is specific for the treatment of diarrhea in infants. Various reports in medical journals in the 1950s showed that locust bean flour mixed with milk could help infants digest their meals, stopping diarrhea.
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Locusts are a valuable resource for reforestation of degraded areas, where erosion and desertification are considered a threat, as well as a valuable resource for reforestation to prevent erosion processes in marginal soils. Locusts are fire resistant and their flowers are a good source of nectar to attract bees to mixed plantings. Planting carob trees protects the flora and preserves biodiversity, as plants such as carob tend to disappear from Europe.
SOCIAL BENEFITS
The general social benefits relate to the support of the local food industry (through the establishment of a food chemistry laboratory), to the utilization of scientific results by individuals in Cyprus, to the support of organic livestock (with the supply of organic feed), to the promotion of healthy eating, (theme park and educational museum, protection of the flora of Cyprus) and in revenue to the University of Cyprus and the collaborating organizations for utilization mainly in research.
With a history of four thousand years
Carob is a plant that originates from the Mediterranean region and has been cultivated in the region for almost four thousand years. Carobs must have existed in Cyprus since prehistoric times, since the island is closely associated with the promotion of carobs in culture. Carob was typically called the "black gold of Cyprus", as it was the product with the largest agricultural exports of the island and, for some villages, it was the main agricultural activity and the main source of income. For a significant number of families, this was their only income, their most precious treasure. An income that enabled many Cypriots to study abroad. It is no exaggeration to say that the first intellectual and scientific leap of the Cypriot people was based on its "black gold".
In fact, the German archaeologist Magda Ohnefalsch-Richter, who spent many years on the island during the period 1894-1912, commented at length that "without this gift of nature, the island could have long since declared bankruptcy." He pointed out that the Cypriot locusts were rated as the best in the world, due to their high sugar content.
During the period 1962-'66, the average number of locusts, in fruit condition, was 2,4 million. This, in turn, yielded an average of 48.000 tons in total, or 20 kilograms of locusts per tree. Carob production and export remained a thriving industry for most of the 20th century, reaching a maximum of 62.000 tonnes in 1968. According to official figures, revenue reached δύο 60 million. In the 3s, Cyprus ranked 1rd in the world in carob production, with Spain and Italy holding 2st and XNUMXnd respectively.
However, due to the Turkish invasion of 1974, significant areas of locusts were lost and production was reduced to an annual average of 20.000 tons during the decade 1975-1985. Today, of the 30.000 hectares of land that existed before 1974, only 1.700 hectares of carob trees remain and none can be described as an organized carob plantation.
Job creation
For the whole project it is expected to create a number of jobs related to the cultivation and harvesting of locusts, to the scientific analysis and research of locusts and to administrative and financial issues.
As the Rector mentioned, in the future, and if the talks with the multinational company for the creation of a baby food factory succeed, then the data will change, since the number of human resources expected to be employed in various sectors of the food chain will be very a large and thus large number of our young people will be able to work in his homeland.
The project team consists of academics from the Department of Informatics and the Department of Chemistry, as well as members of the administrative staff of the University of Cyprus, representatives of the Institute of Agricultural Research and the State General Chemistry, while at the beginning of the new year the team will participate. of the Department of Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, as well as an academic from the Department of Biological Sciences of the University of Cyprus.
Carob is an important product in the baby food industry
A positive indication of carob demand is that the global market for pharmaceutical / physical therapy and nutritional supplements is expected to increase by 6% to 7%. In addition, locust bean is considered to be the best substitute for cocoa, so it is considered a product that will be in high demand worldwide, as it is predicted that by 2020 there will be a shortage of cocoa of one million tons per year.
Carob is suitable for a sustainable agriculture, as it requires minimal human intervention and minimal requirements in terms of chemical interventions (pesticides), nutrients (fertilizers) and machining, and provides a variety of healthy and natural food products suitable for various uses. As the rector Konstantinos Christofidis pointed out, "a main feature of the carob tree, as well as the olive, is that it is a parablastic species. That is, it can be renewed indefinitely from its root. However, in this place it is not only the trees that are parasitic, but also the people. Because we too are renewed infinitely from our roots. We are part of the soul of our homeland. After all, as Edmund Burke wrote, human life is a contract between the generations that have passed away and the generations to come.
>> Focus on baby food - Market research conducted by a special team set up by the University of Cyprus showed that carob could be an important product, especially for the baby food industry. Already, a large multinational baby food company is in contact with the University of Cyprus to set up a high-tech carob-based baby food factory for children with reflux.
The phases and milestones of "Black Gold"
The project consists of 3 main phases and is expected to be completed in about 10 years:
Phase I: Preparation and planting of carob forest
This Phase, which is expected to last two years (1st - 2nd year), is the stages of preparation and planting of carob trees. Specifically, during this phase, it is expected to:
• Complete the procedures for securing the land from the State (in progress). The immediate and positive response of the Ministry of Interior and the Land Registry to this issue is noted.
• Complete the procedures for securing initial funding (ongoing).
• 40.000 seedlings will be produced by the Department of Forests (already planted), which will then be planted (October - November 2016) and grafted (March - April 2017) on the land to be granted by the State.
Phase II: Scientific Product Study, Market Research and Cooperation Agreements
During this Phase (1st - 6th year), the following stages of the project are expected to be completed:
• Scientific Research / Study for the preparation of new carob products (has started).
• Research of both the local and the international market for possible collaborations (has started).
• Decision making regarding the first products to be produced.
• Decision making and concluding cooperation agreements with companies.
• Making and implementing decisions for ancillary activities, such as creating a place to visit (eg theme park, nature museum, etc.).
Phase III: Full production - Product Sale - Evaluation and Possible Expansion of the Project
During this Phase (7th - 10th year), the completion of the project is expected, since from the 8th year is expected to complete production and start selling and processing the product, to the companies with which agreements have been concluded.
During the 10th year, the results of the project will be evaluated and decisions will be made for a possible extension of the project.
The following are considered as the main milestones of the project:
• 2nd Year - Completion of planting the seedlings in the area of land that will be granted by the State.
• 4th Year - Completion of decision-making process concerning:
-selection of products to be made from locust bean,
- concluding agreements with local and international companies and industries.
• 7th Year - Completion of the first processing facilities.
• 8th Year - Complete production and processing of the first products.
Project Financing
The initial investment for cultivation purposes has been estimated at € 600.000, but based on the calculations of the working group, it is estimated that it will be fully repaid in 8-9 years, when the project will start to generate revenue.
The University of Cyprus is already considering cases of concluding a cooperation agreement with both local and international companies / industries. At the same time, both the European Investment Bank and credit institutions in Cyprus, as well as individuals, have shown great interest in financing it.
It is noted that the project is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, which has already appointed its representatives as a contact point as well as the group of experts for cultivation.
The aim of the University is the cooperation with all the competent relevant bodies. For this purpose, the University intends to cooperate both with the 4 Cooperative Associations for the Sale of Locusts operating in Cyprus and with the local producers of locust species. Finally, he intends to extend an open invitation to those who have empirical knowledge and are interested in participating in the project.
The project is expected to bring various benefits to stakeholders, but also in the country in general, being a model for the modern development of agricultural and other economic activities in Cyprus, through new scientific dimensions that activate and consolidate the country's advantages.
According to the rector of the University of Cyprus, "the project will be a model for the modern development of agricultural and other activities in Cyprus, as it aims to revitalize agricultural products with added value, through new scientific dimensions.
"With the implementation of this project, the University of Cyprus can play a leading role in the production of the international traditional model of transfer of university knowledge to the local economy and society. That, after all, is the ultimate mission of science. "
Source: Liberal