From the lush green rainforest jungles on the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea, stands the multi-purpose galip nut (Canarium Indicum) tree.
The galip is an indigenous rainforest tree found throughout the Pacific Islands and parts of Indonesia. They grow to over 20 metres in height.
Its edible nuts are a local delicacy, and are only now being shared with the rest of the world. Its stump is a useful lumber for building houses and furniture.
Fallen galip nuts are gathered mainly by women and children, cracked open using stones and eaten directly as a nutritious food or wrapped in wild zingiber leaves and sold on the roadside markets.
It is now making inroads as a sustainable commercial confectionery product with assistance from research at the Papua New Guinea National Agricultural Research Institute partnering with the Griffith University in Australia, and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.
Click here for an introduction to the collaborative work and benefits from this exciting new product.