Enhancing benefits from biomass wastes within small-medium scale coffee processing factories in Kiambu County, Kenya

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.