Kamogelo Thumankwe is using indigenous, climate-resilient crops to shake up global food systems. From Berlin to Botswana, her start-up Tsarona blends science, tradition, and sustainability for food justice.
By DOUGLAS RASBASH
For Kamogelo Thumankwe, a Botswana-born scientist and founder of Tsarona, food is more than just sustenance—it’s a connection to the land, to tradition, and to the future of sustainable agriculture. What started as a personal quest to champion indigenous, climate-resilient crops has now taken her from Botswana to Berlin, where she’s building a food movement that challenges the norms of who gets to innovate in global markets.
A New Name, A Bigger Mission
Next week, Kamo’s start-up Bio Wild will officially rebrand as Tsarona, a name that embodies renewal, growth, and a bold vision for food justice. The journey has never been just about launching a product—it’s about restoring ecosystems, uplifting farmers, and proving that Africa’s crops belong on the world stage.
The Power of Indigenous Crops
Tsarona’s first product—a plant-based milk made from Tiger nuts and Ditloo nuts—is more than just a dairy alternative. These crops, long cultivated by African farmers, thrive in dry conditions without depleting resources, making them a powerful answer to the climate crisis. For Kamo, this isn’t just a business—it’s a statement: the future of food can be both sustainable and deeply rooted in indigenous knowledge.
From Founder to Movement Builder
What started as a solo mission is now a growing team, each member bringing skills to drive product development and expand Tsarona’s reach. As Kamo says, “Tsarona is not just a science project or policy success, but a mission rooted in food justice, tradition, and sustainability.” Last week’s consumer testing event in Berlin was a major milestone, with enthusiastic feedback fuelling final refinements before the official launch.
Building a System, Not Just a Product
But beyond product development, the real challenge—and opportunity—is bridging the gap between farmers and international markets. “I want farmers to see the market I’m trying to build for our crops,” Kamo explains. “This isn’t just about selling a product; it’s about changing a system that overlooks what we’ve had all along.”
Taking the Stage: From the Farm to Global Conversations
Kamo’s voice is already reaching global platforms. She has been invited by TMG Research gGmbH, a Berlin-based think tank dedicated to sustainable development, to speak at the Hard Talk Adaptation dialogues—an international, multi-stakeholder series co-hosted with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The series explores critical themes in climate adaptation while fostering global collaboration to address climate risks.
Pitching to Europe’s Food Giants
At the same time, Tsarona is gearing up for a high-stakes pitch on June 23rd at the Food Innovation Campus, where European retail giants Rewe and Bio Company will be watching closely.
A Vision Beyond Berlin: Bringing Production Back to Botswana
While Berlin is the launchpad, Europe and Africa are the destinations. “The support I’m receiving right now, especially from Avant Now, the EU, and the Berlin startup community, is based on the strength of Tsarona as a bridge between continents,” Kamo says. While Berlin serves as the base, Tsarona’s impact spans both Africa and Europe.
From Underutilized to Unstoppable
Kamo envisions a future where food systems are built through collaborative, cross-continental partnerships that value both indigenous knowledge and scientific innovation. This is about more than launching a product—it’s about creating an ecosystem where climate-smart crops like Tiger nuts and Ditloo (Bambara nuts) move from underutilized to unstoppable.
Jobs, Innovation and National Policy
In the long run, Tsarona aims to refine raw materials and establish local production in Botswana—bringing added value back to the source, creating jobs, and empowering smallholder farmers. While it is passion that drives this mission, government policy in the agriculture and food sector is also aligned—particularly the focus on adding value to local produce, like converting citrus fruit to juice.
Support from Government Leaders
This new project started by this young Motswana entrepreneur not only encapsulates this policy but the spirit of innovation that the country intends to cultivate. Such intensity and commitment are what Botswana needs. The Acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Hon. Dr. Edwin Dikoloti, had this to say:
“This is a highly welcome development that mirrors the vision we have as a ministry. We exist to add value not just to land, but also to that which is produced from our lands. As we move from agriculture to agri-food systems, Botswana and its people must play big in the space.”
Hon. Minister Dikoloti added, “Our food and nutrition security needs all hands on deck, and they can count on us to help take this to greater heights. Our UDC government has committed to the creation of mega companies, and the food systems space creates a good platform for such.”
With science, sustainability, and an unstoppable drive, Tsarona is proving that African innovation has a place on the global stage—and the future of food may just come from the ground beneath our feet.
Watch this space. Tsarona is just getting started.
More information: https://www.f6s.com/company/bio-wild#jobs