Abstract
Coffee processing is associated with various sustainability challenges largely due to high water and energy demand, biomass waste generation and lately low returns to farmers. The number of farmers actively involved in coffee production in Kenya is declining. Despite this trend, this paper reports on the potential of maximising benefits to coffee farmers by using coffee processing wastes (pulp and husks) in energy and agricultural services. A survey research design targeting six small to medium scale factories selected based on common criteria and 252 respondents was used. Results showed that about 210 tons of unprocessed coffee was received cumulatively in all the six factories surveyed per year. Processing generated approximately 51% biomass waste from the total input. Direct disposal of this waste to land contributes to direct environmental pollution. Accumulation of coffee husks and pulp was attributed to low awareness of the various uses these wastes have been successfully put elsewhere in the world. Opportunities for increasing benefits to farmers and reduced environmental loads exist in the conversion of coffee husks into branded briquettes for domestic energy supply, and pulp into fortified organic fertilizer for increased land productivity. Kiambu County government needs to invest in these two options through technological innovations and commodity specific extension service that is aligned to global sustainable production and consumption patterns. Key words: Coffee processing biomass wastes, sustainability benefits.
Highlights
IntroductionIn Kenya, more production is being witnessed in smallholder systems as large plantations, especially those in proximity to the city Nairobi, give way to real estate development
Coffee production in Kenya has been on the decline since 2009, a trend attributed to among others factors erratic weather, conversion of coffee land to real estates and high costs of inputs (Republic of Kenya, 2013a)
Coffee husks can be used for mass production of branded briquettes in-situ or elsewhere and marketed as an alternative source of clean domestic energy
Summary
In Kenya, more production is being witnessed in smallholder systems as large plantations, especially those in proximity to the city Nairobi, give way to real estate development. Despite this trend, projections indicate that Kenya’s coffee production in 2016/2017 will increase to 700,000 bags up from 600,000 bags in 2015/2016 (USDA-FAS, 2016). Organic waste generated from coffee processing and other crop specific postharvest processes are challenges that need to be addressed in-line with environmental sustainability concerns (Republic of Kenya, 2013b), the gist of this paper
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
