Oiling the wheels of coconut processing |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Improving small-scale extraction of coconut oil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New knowledge is helping small, domestic coconut processors to improve their techniques. The innovations include a rotary grater, hot oil immersion drying, the use of a ram press, a technique for recovery of waste heat and use of carefully controlled moisture. While household-level processing of coconuts for milk and oil is an important women's activity in many countries, traditional extraction methods are arduous, time-consuming and inefficient. Tanzania, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India participated in the field trials. The findings, which improve efficiency and output, are summarized in a series of processing manuals. Project Ref: CPH32:
Research Programmes:
Relevant Research Projects: R6087 The project was led by Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, United Kingdom (Contact: J Orchard. Tel. 44 1634 883741. email: j.e.orchard@gre.ac.uk) Country collaborators were:
Dissemination was provided by both the African Oil Palm Development Association (AFOPDA) and the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC).
This CPHP project provided co-financing from 1994 - 1997 for a Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) project aimed at developing, field testing, and promoting improved techniques for extracting coconut oil at the small rural and domestic scale, for which traditional methods are arduous, time consuming and inefficient. Household-level processing of coconuts for milk and oil is an important women's activity in some countries. Five coconut processes were investigated, often in collaboration with SMEs and NGOs, in Tanzania, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India. Pilot-scale processes were installed under normal field conditions and validated both by in-country collaborators, NRI staff and CFC-appointed independent monitoring personnel. The validations were carried out from financial, technical and socio-economic perspectives. The research produced improved technical and economic knowledge of five coconut processing systems. The main findings were
The findings were used to produce country processing manuals (produced by each country collaborator) for each method as applied in that collaborating country. Additional processing manuals were produced amalgamating all country processing approaches for each process.
Coconut. This project used five separate methodologies for processing coconut. Two could be applicable to other oilseeds (the intermediate moisture method of oil extraction using a bridge press; oil extraction using a ram press). The third technology (harnessing waste energy for drying purposes) is applicable to other crops where energy-rich shell or other biomass is associated. The drying technology itself is applicable to drying processes generally.
The project to control coconut lethal yellowing (R8309) should be included in a cluster as this disease has the potential to damage the palm, reducing coconut yield, and even kill the palm completely. It is applicable to all coconut producer-countries. How the outputs were validated: In all cases the pilot-scale processes were validated under normal field conditions both by in-country collaborators, by NRI staff and by CFC-appointed independent monitoring personnel. The validations were carried out from financial, technical and socio-economic perspectives. Over 110 reports were published, most involving monitoring and evaluation of the separate technologies.Aqueous Processing of Coconuts (applicable to rural farmers and householders) Household-level processing of coconuts for milk and oil is an important women's activity in coastal Tanzania and Zanzibar, involving virtually all women in this area (estimated at one million) in daily grating of coconuts. Extraction efficiency of the technology was evaluated with collaborators in Tanzania, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, India, Brazil and Guyana assessing different parts of the process. Hot oil immersion drying (HOID) - SME development Hot oil immersion drying (HOID) is an indigenous method of producing coconut oil by drying the chopped meat (kernel) of the coconut in a pan of hot coconut oil producing "fry-dried" oil, known locally as kilang oil. Improvements to the process were researched by Centre de Cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement (CIRAD) and validated under operational conditions in two factories - at Gorontalo, N. Sulawesi and Padan Pariaman, West Sumatra. Further validation was undertaken in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, with the Institute for Research and Development of Agro-based Industry. Technical data as well as financial data on costs and sales were recorded for a period of four months, when the factory was running at full capacity. Waste Heat Recovery Technology - SME development Charcoal produced from coconut shell is traditionally made using the pit or drum methods which produces large volumes of noxious smoke and variable quality charcoal often contaminated with extraneous matter. The traditional systems are inefficient and pollute the surrounding areas. A coconut shell carbonization with waste heat recovery unit was developed to virtually eliminate the evolution of noxious smoke evolved during the charcoal-making operation and simultaneously enable the heat generated during the process to be used in the production of copra. The system was installed, commissioned and assessed for financial viability at a site in Palembang, Sumatera. Ram press (rural or urban: applicable to individual operators, householders, farmers or groups) Experimental programmes were undertaken by collaborators in Tanzania, Côte d'Ivoire, and Ghana to examine the performance of the ram press on copra, dried coconut gratings, and the residue from the traditional aqueous process. Financial and technical appraisals were undertaken with women's groups in Tanzania, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. Intermediate moisture content (rural or urban: applicable to individuals and groups) Experimental programmes were undertaken by collaborators with women's groups in Tanzania, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Sri Lanka to validate the basic concept that at a moisture content of 12%, between 60% and 70% of the available oil can be extracted from coconut kernel using an inexpensive manual low pressure system. Financial appraisals of the method produced a range of outcomes depending on the assumptions, but ventures were found to be viable under certain circumstances in all collaborating countries. Where the Outputs were Validated: All technologies were studied between 1994 and 1997. The production systems applicable to all the technologies were the same for each country: High Potential, Land-water interface and tropical moist forest. The farming system considered was smallholder rain-fed humid. The target groups were generally smallholder farmers of moderate poverty, particularly regarding the use of the three manual technologies being assessed: aqueous processing, ram press, and the intermediate moisture method. Hot Oil Immersion Drying System (HOID) Two factories were selected: at Gorontalo, N. Sulawesi and Padan Pariaman, West Sumatra, Indonesia. Waste-Heat Recovery system (WHU) The WHU system was installed, commissioned and monitored at a site in Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia. The Aqueous Process was assessed in several villages in the three countries taking part:
Ram Press Ghana: tested at the Technology Consultancy Centre, University of Science And Technology, Kumasi. Côte d'Ivoire: This press was tested at the Marc Delorme Research Station near Abidjan Tanzania: in Zanzibar with the Riziki Kwa Mungu Group at Mkadini village, the Kiduni Women's Group, Kwahani Youth group, Mzuri Village, Vuga Mkadini and Kajengwa, Tuaminiane Group. Intermediate Moisture Content Ghana: This bridge press was tested at the Women's Group in Duakyimase, c/o Methodist Mission, Komenda - Dominase, Central Region. Côte d'Ivoire: The assessment was made at the Marc Delorme Research Station. Tanzania: Trials were carried out at Kicheba Village and Machui Village. Who are the Users? Manuals were produced for each separate technology as well as over 110 reports. The project concluded with an international workshop in 1997 which provided details of all project outputs. Dissemination was provided by both the African Oil Palm Development Association (AFOPDA) and the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC). Copies of all reports were copied to DFID through NRIL, to the CFC and to the APCC and AFOPDA. The final project workshop provided the opportunity for each country to consider which technologies were considered suitable for them. The results of this dialogue resulted in several countries aiming to seek funds for project proposals. It is unknown to what extent these countries were successful in their searches. It is also unknown whether the APCC, CFC, DFID or AFOPDA received requests for any of the project documents produced by this project. Reports and manuals on the technologies are available on the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community website. Given the long passage of time since the end of this project, it is difficult to attribute current activities to this project. Technology adaptation is occurring all the time responding to new market opportunities, and changes in financial and trading regimes. Where the outputs have been used: This is unknown since no monitoring of whether the outputs were taken up has been carried out according to the author's knowledge. Scale of Current Use: No monitoring of the extent or scale of the use of the outputs from this project has been carried out according to the author's knowledge. Policy and Institutional Structures, and Key Components for Success: The project, in aiming to validate processing technologies, developed a partnership of research and technology innovation institutes, large-, medium- and small-scale processing companies, NGOs, and rural and urban individual operators, householders, farmers or groups. Because of the global nature of the coconut processing sector, most of the technologies and processes were assessed in more than one country, often taking out of local needs and customs to vary the process accordingly. This approach resulted in between country variation in acceptance of the technology, often based on local practices, capabilities and opportunities. An important feature in this approach was to co-ordinate outputs through the regional bodies: the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community and the African Oil Palm Development Organisation. Processing manuals, as well as individual country manuals outlining the technologies, were disseminated to coconut producer countries by both the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community and the African Oil Palm Development Organisation. Despite intentions by several interested countries to carry out projects after exposure to the outputs it is unclear whether these countries have managed to gain the funding required. This implies a gap in the research into technology-transfer process. The project outputs exist and are well-documented. The extent to which interested parties have been exposed to the outputs needs appropriate investment. A more intensive promotion of such outputs coupled with a monitoring system for evaluating interest would allow development agencies to assess the potential for further interventions. Direct and Indirect Environmental Benefits: Waste-Heat Unit Charcoal produced from coconut shell is traditionally made using the pit or drum methods produce large volumes of noxious smoke and variable quality charcoal often contaminated with extraneous matter such as earth, leaves and twigs. The traditional systems can be inefficient and in view of the nature of the operation pollute the surrounding areas. Consequently charcoal-making is banned in urban areas and near to village residences. This project provided a system of coconut shell carbonization with waste heat recovery whereby noxious smoke evolved during the charcoal- making operation was virtually eliminated. Simultaneously, the heat generated during the process - heat normally lost to the surroundings - was used to make copra. Hot oil immersion drying Copra itself is frequently made by drying coconut over open fires using husk as fuel. The system produces a large amount of smoke. The Hot oil immersion drying (HOID) is a method of producing coconut oil by drying the chopped meat (kernel) of the coconut in a pan of hot coconut oil. Such a system, if used instead of traditional copra manufacture, has the potential to reduce smoke pollution. Adverse Environmental Impacts: No adverse environmental impacts are associated with any of the technologies developed in this project. Relevant Research Projects,
with links to the
|
For relevant research projects, with links to further information Geographical regions included: Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania,  Target Audiences for this content:Crop farmers, Processors, Traders, |
