Located in Southern Africa in the nation of Zambia, Arulussa Farm is a locally-owned farm striving to produce great products, provide for the livelihood of those in their community, and grow from the earth without damaging it. Not only do they grow several crops that become the purest of essential oils, but they also grow a native bamboo crop

Nature Packaged spoke with Arulussa recently after they signed on as our newest member farm. We got to hear about how they got started, the products they grow, the work they do for their community, and how they hope to expand their operations going forward.

Building a Local Community

All Kids Can Learn International, a nonprofit dedicated to helping provide for orphans from the AIDS epidemic, founded a school and orphanage in Zambia. They expanded their operation by purchasing a farm along with Partners Worldwide in order to help provide food for the students and employees of the school. This is the same farm that went on to be known as Arulussa.

When the children grow up, they have the opportunity to work on the farm, where employment training opportunities are provided. The very first kids from the school just graduated from college this year, and the hope is that many of them will return to Arulussa to run the farm at full capacity!

When asked what drives them to keep doing this job every day, they told us, “The good Lord and the people there.” It’s not just that they want good workers, they want workers who are able to provide for their families and feel fulfilled at the same time.

Quality As an Outgrowth of Connection

“We know that quality is the cornerstone of a business and a loyal customer, so we strive to achieve the highest quality for the purest oils for you!”

Because of this holistic approach to doing business, Arulussa is very focused on providing quality products to its customers and their workers.

All of their stock is Seed Certified and they follow a continual process each year where the crops are tested for health, quality, and progress.

The Green Farm

Biodiversity is very important to them, too. They recognize the inherent value and worth of the natural world around them. Arulussa Farm is known to those in the area as “The Green Farm.” They leave many of the naturally occurring trees alone, allowing them to grow unhindered. Several areas of the farm are left uncultivated for farming, leaving nature to take its course with what grows there. They’re green in more than just color, though, because they set a very limited use of chemicals during their growing. The only kind they use is to prevent termites from damaging their crop of bamboo.

They’re green in more than just color, though, because they set a very limited use of chemicals during their growing. The only kind they use is to prevent termites from damaging their crop of bamboo.

To avoid the kind of upheaval and soil damage that conventional farming can bring, they only farm perennial crops that grow and regrow from their own seeds year after year. This helps to limit the amount of damage that the plants experience.

Providing for Their Community

But more than turning a profit, Arulussa is incredibly interested in helping those in their community. They buy whatever materials they need locally and sell their crop and plant materials to others in the area. They are majorly involved in the bamboo market, which Zambians use to aid in construction throughout the region.

They provide children of their employees with a full education at the best school for absolutely zero cost, in addition to providing the school gardening space, seeds, and fertilizer. Employees are offered excess products from the farm for free, just for being one of their employees, and also have a bonus structure in place for work that goes above and beyond. They even assist in covering medical expenses, where possible.

At present, there are about fifty employees and their families being supported by Arulussa and the farm is the economic hub of their local community.

Where They Go From Here

The goal is for Arulussa Farm to become totally independent. But the hope is for the current team to be capable of handling all aspects of the business. By that time, the same children who grew up and went to school there before going to college will hopefully come back and aid in running the business themselves.

The vision of Arulussa Farm is a multi-generational, influential hub that brings better quality of life to everyone in their community.

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