The first company to bear the Fairtrade mark in the UK for their spices, Steenbergs is now working with a women’s association in Afghanistan that is promoting saffron growing as a viable alternative to opium growing. This provides a legitimate and sustainable future for Afghan women and their families.
Negin saffron comes from the Afghanistan Women Saffron Association (AWSA) and has a deep ruby red colour from the sheer volume of stigma and a fragrant damask rose aroma (saffron spice is made up of the stigmas of the saffron crocus, each flower has just three stigmas). AWSA was set up by social entrepreneur, Ms. Sima Gharvani, in 2008 in the Herat region of Afghanistan and aims to promote fair pay, increasing quality and sustainability and has secured development aid for fertilisers, bulbs, harvest baskets and training.
Growing saffron crocuses rather than poppies gives farmers greater yields, more money per acre and takes less labour and less water, which is becoming increasingly important due to recurring droughts. Saffron is also as lucrative a crop as opium but by enjoying the delicious, fragrant pleasures of the world’s most expensive spice you can be doing the Afghan nation a favour.
Carb free saffron can be freely used in the diabetic diet.
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