Malawi Agroforestry Extension Project Marketing & Enterprise Program Main Report

139 Pages·2002·0.46 MB·English

Publication No. 47

Malawi Agroforestry Extension Project
Marketing & Enterprise Program
Main Report

J.H. Pratt, E.M.T. Henry, H.F. Mbeza, E. Mlaka
and L.B. Satali

July 2002

"This publication was funded by the United States Agency for International
Development and produced by Washington State University. The opinions
expressed are the views of the authors and not necessarily those of USAID."
I
Companion documents:

1. MAFE Dossier on Mechanical Oil Extraction Systems - November 2001
H.F. Mbeza, M. Chawala & K. Nyirenda
University of Malawi Bunda College of Agriculture (BCA)
Agricultural Engineering Department Reports:
??Design Modifications to Sundhara Sayari Oil Expeller for Moringa Oleifera and other
Agroforestry Tree Seeds
??Oil Extraction ….. using Tinytech Expeller
??Optimization of Oil Extraction from Moringa Oleifera, Trichilia Emetica and Jatropha curcas
using Ram and Spindle Presses.

2. Qualitative/Quantitative Assessment of Potential of Plant Oils (MAFE) - July
2001. R.P. Banda. Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS).

3. Chemical Analysis and Recommended Uses of Tree Seed Oils - July 2002.
E.M.T. Henry, PhD. University of Malawi Chancellor College Chemistry
Department (CCCD).

4. Summary report for MAFE: Major Secondary Metobolites in Plant Tissues from
Malawi, Nicaragua and Senegal - July 2002. R. Bennett, Ph D. Institute of Food
Research (IFR), Norwich, UK.

5. Tree Seed Production Areas in Malawi II: The Lower Shire - June 2001.
S.F.D. Chomanika, M. Likoswe & C.Z. Chilima, PhD. Forestry Research Institute
of Malawi Seed and Tree Improvement Strategy Area.

II
a Malawi Government, USAID, Washington State University Collaborative Project
III
Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................................................XI

CORRESPONDENTS/ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS..................................................................XVI
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..........................................................................................................................XIX

1 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................1

PART I: POLICY, STRATEGY AND PARTNERSHIPS.................................................................................3

2 POLICY AND DONOR ENVIRONMENT..............................................................................................3
2.1 Government of Malawi Policy and Strategies........................................................................................3
2.2 Government of Malawi Specific Objective and Proposed Partners.........................................................3
2.3 Sector Regulation.................................................................................................................................4
2.3.1 Regulations in force affecting plant collection...............................................................................4
2.3.2 Regulations in force affecting marketing of products: quality standards.........................................4
2.3.3 Phytosanitary controls applied to imports and exports....................................................................4
2.3.4 Germplasm intellectual property and taxonomic research..............................................................4
2.4 USAID.................................................................................................................................................5

3 THE PROJECT........................................................................................................................................6

4 PROGRAM DEFINITION.......................................................................................................................7
4.1 Scope of Work, Personnel and Timetable..............................................................................................7
4.2 Aims of the Program.............................................................................................................................7

5 INFORMATION CAPTURE....................................................................................................................8
5.1 General Search.....................................................................................................................................8
5.2 USAID/USDA Collaboration................................................................................................................8

6 STRATEGY FOR MARKET INVESTIGATIONS...................................................................................9
6.1 Approach..............................................................................................................................................9
6.2 Product/Strategic Species Selection Criteria.........................................................................................10
6.2.1 Initial Selection Criteria...............................................................................................................10
6.2.2 Final Selection Criteria.................................................................................................................10

7 ORGANIZATION AND OPERATING METHODS...............................................................................11
7.1 Partners in Malawi...............................................................................................................................11
7.2 Potential Role of Other Identified Organizations..................................................................................14
7.3 Equipment maintenance frustrations....................................................................................................14
7.4 Partners abroad....................................................................................................................................14
7.4.1 Laboratories involved...................................................................................................................14
7.4.2 Deferred research.........................................................................................................................15
7.5 Overall Costs of Partners Covered by MAFE......................................................................................15
7.6 Human Resources Development and Institutional Memory..................................................................15
7.6.1 Partners........................................................................................................................................15
7.6.2 Clients.........................................................................................................................................16

PART II: PRODUCTS AND POTENTIAL MARKETS..................................................................................19
8 Product Knowledge.................................................................................................................................19
8.1 Knowledge within the sector................................................................................................................19
8.1.1 Producers.....................................................................................................................................19
8.1.2 Processors....................................................................................................................................19
8.2 Product characterization.......................................................................................................................21
IV
8.2.1 Products in international trade......................................................................................................21
8.2.2 Novel Products.............................................................................................................................21
8.2.3 Hazardous materials.....................................................................................................................21
8.3 Pharmacological and health-associated products..................................................................................23

9 PRODUCTS/STRATEGIC SPECIES IDENTIFICATION AND TARGETING......................................24
9.1 Preference for agroforestry species......................................................................................................24
9.2 Indigenous fruit species covered by SADC-ICRAF..............................................................................24
9.3 Strategic species..................................................................................................................................24
9.4 Opportunities Identified.......................................................................................................................27
9.5 The special case of Tephrosia (Tephrosia vogelii)................................................................................28
9.6 Common threads of opportunity: oleiferous species.............................................................................30
9.7 Special nutritional/pharmacological/industrial factors to seek in tree oils..............................................30
9.8 Commercial Benchmarks: Industrial/mineral oils and cooking oils.......................................................32
9.9 Oils characterization and potential applications....................................................................................33
9.10 Best Bets..........................................................................................................................................37
9.11 Trade Structure................................................................................................................................37
9.12 International Trade Contacts and Price Indicators: Cosmetic Industry...............................................38
9.13 Cosmetic Trade Motivation..............................................................................................................39
9.14 Required trade investigations...........................................................................................................39
9.15 Adulteration: Characterization Challenges........................................................................................40

10 SITUATION, USES, MARKETING AND POTENTIAL OF STRATEGIC SPECIES............................41
10.1 Food Security...................................................................................................................................41
10.2 Seasonal Complementarity and Context of Other Oilseeds...............................................................41

10.3 African Star-Chestnut (Sterculia africana).......................................................................................42
10.3.1 Distribution, habitat, taxonomy and cultivation.........................................................................42
10.3.2 Circumstances of owner-communities......................................................................................42
10.3.3 Previous work..........................................................................................................................42
10.3.4 Food/Nutritional uses...............................................................................................................42
10.3.5 Cosmetic/skincare applications.................................................................................................43
10.3.6 Pharmacological applications...................................................................................................43
10.3.7 Biocide/anti-feedant applications..............................................................................................43
10.3.8 Non-food industrial applications...............................................................................................43
10.3.9 NRM benefits...........................................................................................................................43
10.3.10 Other possible applications requiring research..........................................................................43

10.4 Jatropha (Jatropha curcas)...............................................................................................................44
10.4.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................................44
10.4.2 Distribution, habitat, taxonomy and cultivation.........................................................................44
10.4.3 Circumstances of owner-communities......................................................................................44
10.4.3.1 Malawi.................................................................................................................................44
10.4.3.2 Other countries in the region.................................................................................................45
10.4.4 Previous work..........................................................................................................................45
10.4.5 Food/Nutritional uses...............................................................................................................45
10.4.6 Cosmetic/skincare applications.................................................................................................46
10.4.7 Pharmacological applications...................................................................................................46
10.4.8 Biocide/anti-feedant applications..............................................................................................46
10.4.9 Non-food industrial applications...............................................................................................47
10.4.9.1 Non-fuel uses.......................................................................................................................47
10.4.9.2 Motor Fuel Oil.....................................................................................................................47
10.4.9.3 Domestic fuel.......................................................................................................................48
10.4.10 NRM benefits...........................................................................................................................48
10.4.11 Other possible applications requiring research..........................................................................48

V
10.5 Manketti (Schinziophyton rautanenii)...............................................................................................49
10.5.1 Distribution, habitat, taxonomy and cultivation.........................................................................49
10.5.2 Circumstances of owner-communities......................................................................................49
10.5.3 Previous work..........................................................................................................................49
10.5.4 Food/Nutritional uses...............................................................................................................50
10.5.5 Cosmetic/skincare applications.................................................................................................50
10.5.6 Pharmacological applications...................................................................................................50
10.5.7 Biocide/anti-feedant applications..............................................................................................50
10.5.8 Non-food industrial applications...............................................................................................50
10.5.9 NRM benefits...........................................................................................................................50
10.5.10 Other possible applications requiring research..........................................................................50

10.6 Marula (Sclerocarya birrea).............................................................................................................51
10.6.1 Distribution, habitat, taxonomy and cultivation.........................................................................51
10.6.2 Circumstances of owner-communities......................................................................................51
10.6.3 Previous work..........................................................................................................................51
10.6.4 Food/Nutritional uses...............................................................................................................51
10.6.5 Cosmetic/skincare applications.................................................................................................52
10.6.6 Pharmacological applications...................................................................................................52
10.6.7 Biocide/anti-feedant applications..............................................................................................52
10.6.8 Non-food industrial applications...............................................................................................52
10.6.9 NRM benefits...........................................................................................................................53
10.6.10 Other possible applications requiring research..........................................................................53

10.7 Moringa (Moringa oleifera).............................................................................................................53
10.7.1 Distribution, habitat, taxonomy and cultivation.........................................................................53
10.7.2 Circumstances of owner-communities......................................................................................55
10.7.3 Previous work..........................................................................................................................55
10.7.4 Food/Nutritional uses...............................................................................................................56
10.7.4.1 Vegetable.............................................................................................................................56
10.7.4.2 Edible oil..............................................................................................................................57
10.7.4.3 Aphrodisiac/fertility possibilities..........................................................................................57
10.7.4.4 Livestock feeding.................................................................................................................57
10.7.5 Cosmetic/skincare applications.................................................................................................57
10.7.6 Pharmacological applications...................................................................................................59
10.7.6.1 Blood pressure and diabetes disorders...................................................................................59
10.7.6.2 Cancer..................................................................................................................................59
10.7.6.3 Biocide/anti-feedant applications..........................................................................................60
10.7.7 Non-food industrial applications...............................................................................................60
10.7.7.1 Moringa oil as a lubricant.....................................................................................................60
10.7.7.2 Water treatment commercial R&D in Tanzania.....................................................................60
10.7.7.3 Constraints to water treatment commercialization in Malawi.................................................60
10.7.7.4 Village water treatment hazard.............................................................................................61
10.7.7.5 Activated carbon..................................................................................................................61
10.7.7.6 Wood...................................................................................................................................61
10.7.8 NRM benefits...........................................................................................................................61
10.7.8.1 Energy..................................................................................................................................61
10.7.8.2 Mulch/soil fertility................................................................................................................61
10.7.8.3 Other....................................................................................................................................61
10.7.9 Other possible applications requiring research..........................................................................62

10.8 Natal Mahogany (Trichilia emetica).................................................................................................64
10.8.1 Distribution, habitat, taxonomy and cultivation.........................................................................64
10.8.2 Circumstances of owner-communities......................................................................................64
10.8.3 Previous work..........................................................................................................................64
10.8.4 Food/Nutritional uses...............................................................................................................64
VI
10.8.5 Cosmetic/skincare applications.................................................................................................64
10.8.6 Pharmacological applications...................................................................................................65
10.8.7 Biocide/anti-feedant applications..............................................................................................65
10.8.8 Non-food industrial applications...............................................................................................65
10.8.9 NRM benefits...........................................................................................................................66
10.8.10 Other possible applications requiring research..........................................................................66

10.9 Neem (Azadirachta indica)..............................................................................................................66
10.9.1 Distribution, habitat, taxonomy and cultivation.........................................................................66
10.9.2 Circumstances of owner-communities......................................................................................66
10.9.3 Previous work..........................................................................................................................66
10.9.4 Food/Nutritional uses...............................................................................................................67
10.9.5 Cosmetic/skincare applications.................................................................................................67
10.9.6 Pharmacological applications...................................................................................................67
10.9.7 Biocide/anti-feedant applications..............................................................................................68
10.9.7.1 Malawi anti-feedant case study.............................................................................................68
10.9.8 Non-food industrial applications...............................................................................................69
10.9.9 NRM benefits...........................................................................................................................69
10.9.10 Other possible applications requiring research..........................................................................69

PART III: TECHNICAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION ECONOMICS............71

11 MEANS OF PRODUCTION: OIL EXTRACTION TECHNOLOGIES AND ADAPTIVE
ENGINEERING RESEARCH REQUIRED....................................................................................................71
11.1 Manual Oil Extraction Systems........................................................................................................71
11.1.1 Background..............................................................................................................................71
11.1.2 Summary of results of adaptive research...................................................................................72
11.1.2.1 Engineering..........................................................................................................................72
11.1.2.2 Economics............................................................................................................................73
11.2 Motorized Oil Extraction Systems....................................................................................................74
11.2.1 Background..............................................................................................................................74
11.2.2 Summary of results of adaptive research...................................................................................75
11.2.2.1 Engineering..........................................................................................................................75
11.2.2.2 Economics............................................................................................................................76
11.3 Overall Results of Research on Mechanical Extraction Systems.......................................................77
11.4 Conclusions Drawn..........................................................................................................................77
11.5 Professional Filtration Technical Notes............................................................................................78

12 FILLING THE OIL PRODUCTION QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA VACUUM.........79
12.1 Production Research Required.........................................................................................................79
12.2 Oil Extraction Trials And Assay Of Samples: Plant Oils Stage 1......................................................80
12.2.1 Sites and roles of partners.........................................................................................................80
12.2.2 Seed Procurement....................................................................................................................80
12.2.3 Assay of Production Samples...................................................................................................81
12.2.4 Lessons and challenges from Production Trials.........................................................................81
12.2.5 Producers Request a Motorized Expeller..................................................................................81
12.2.6 Delays in Getting Results and Deferral of Purchase Decisions..................................................81
12.3 Social Factors in MAFE Small Scale Oil Production........................................................................82
12.3.1 The family and its business associates......................................................................................82
12.3.2 Peer groups and training offered...............................................................................................82
12.3.3 Linguistic Barriers, Traditional Beliefs and Taboos..................................................................82
12.4 Methods and Labor Required...........................................................................................................83
12.4.1 Technology and production system...........................................................................................83
12.4.2 Special characteristics of KOR operations................................................................................83
12.4.3 Aqueous extraction method......................................................................................................83
12.4.4 Seed preparation.......................................................................................................................84
VII
12.4.4.1 Drying..................................................................................................................................84
12.4.4.2 Shelling................................................................................................................................84
12.4.4.3 Effects of depodding /shelling on existing domestic workload..............................................85
12.4.4.4 Pre-heating...........................................................................................................................85
12.4.5 Extraction................................................................................................................................86
12.4.6 Labor requirements for ram pressing systems...........................................................................86
12.5 Economic Analysis of Stage 1 Trials................................................................................................88
12.5.1 Production economics..............................................................................................................88
12.5.2 Kernel/seed extraction ratios....................................................................................................89
12.5.3 Seed procurement considerations..............................................................................................89
12.5.4 Summary of crude oil yields.....................................................................................................90
12.5.5 Lessons learnt..........................................................................................................................90
12.5.5.1 Processing Labor..................................................................................................................90
12.5.5.2 Equipment Costs (Capital Repayment) Over Projected Life..................................................90
12.5.5.3 Projected Operating, Capital Repayment and Seed Cost of Crude Oil....................................91
12.5.6 Overall Results of Economic Analysis......................................................................................91
12.5.7 Conclusions for Application (Moringa oil)...............................................................................93

13 CHEMISTS’ RECOMMENDATIONS: CCCD.......................................................................................94
13.1 General Remarks.............................................................................................................................94
13.2 Specific recommendations...............................................................................................................94

PART IV: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS...........................................................................96

14 VALIDATION OF EXPERIENCES AND IDENTIFIED POTENTIAL..................................................96
14.1 Main Tasks......................................................................................................................................96
14.2 Subsistence Considerations..............................................................................................................96
14.3 Infant Markets.................................................................................................................................96
14.4 Species and their uses......................................................................................................................97
14.5 Effectiveness of the MEP Partners...................................................................................................97
14.6 Overseas service providers...............................................................................................................98
14.7 Potential Identified...........................................................................................................................98
14.7.1 Commercial potential...............................................................................................................98
14.7.2 The special attributes of Moringa.............................................................................................98
14.7.3 Immediate Potential for Project Implementation.......................................................................99
14.7.4 Moringa Oil Project..................................................................................................................99
14.7.4.1 Manual system.....................................................................................................................99
14.7.4.2 Motorised system.................................................................................................................99
14.7.5 Other potential requiring research...........................................................................................100
14.7.5.1 Markets..............................................................................................................................100
14.7.5.2 Empirical bio-chemical research.........................................................................................100
14.7.5.3 Empirical engineering research...........................................................................................100
14.8 Species no Longer under MAFE Consideration for Commercial Development but Still of Interest to
MAFE’s Partners.......................................................................................................................................101
14.9 Publishing Results..........................................................................................................................101

15 KEY RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTED STRATEGY.........................................................102
15.1 Immediate Potential for Project Implementation.............................................................................102
15.1.1 Pilot Production Sites.............................................................................................................102
15.1.1.1 Salima South......................................................................................................................102
15.1.1.2 Bangula, Nsanje District.....................................................................................................103
15.1.2 Assumptions, Outputs and Costs of Implementation...............................................................103
15.1.3 The Proposed Project Support Team.......................................................................................105
15.1.4 Models for other oilseeds.......................................................................................................106
15.2 Other Potential...............................................................................................................................106
15.3 Recommendations for Further Market Research and Market Probing..............................................106
VIII
15.3.1 Recommendations for Pure and Applied Research..................................................................107
15.3.1.1 Characterization of five poorly documented species:...........................................................107
15.3.1.2 Moringa oleifera specialised research.................................................................................108
15.3.2 Detailed bio-chemical investigations (including medicinal possibilities advocated by CCCD).108
15.3.3 Further engineering research suggested for BCA....................................................................109
15.3.4 Assignment for FRIM............................................................................................................109
15.3.5 Networking............................................................................................................................109

BIBLIOGRAPHY.........................................................................................................................................111

Useful Contacts, Maps, Illustrations &Tables

PHOTO GALLERY : PARTNERS, ACTIVITIES, INNOVATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES....................XIV
Map: Recommended Locations for Future Activities & Principal Species..................................................XVIII
Table 1: MAFE Partnerships in Malawi..........................................................................................................13
Table 2 : PARTICIPANTS IN BUSINESS TRAINING PROGRAM
Prof Jerman Rose & Mr Emmanuel Mlaka.......................................................................................17
Table 3: Planted on-farm Trees' Reported Relative Importance in Subsistence and Their Uses........................20
Table 4: Moringa oleifera: Analysis of oil samples from MAFE compared with results of other research.......22
Table 5: MAFE NPP and NRM USES checklist..............................................................................................26
Table 6: Count of Products, Possible Products and NRM Benefits Notified for Targeted Species....................27
Table 7: Chemical Parameters of Tephrosia vogelii oil....................................................................................29
Table 8: MAFE Study of Saturation of Fatty Acids in Tree Seed Oils..............................................................35
Table 9: Specifications of Diesel and Jatropha Oil...........................................................................................48
Table 10: Commercial Specifications for Behen Oil........................................................................................58
Table 11: Further Work Proposed by the Moringa Conference, Dar Es Salaam, November 2002.....................63
Table 12: Comparison of Efficiency of Mechanical Oil Extraction Systems.....................................................77
Table 13: Kernel Extraction Rates (%) For Various Seeds against extraction methods.....................................89
Table 14: Crude oil yield (% of kernels) obtained from ram press....................................................................90
Table 15: Overall Comparison of Productivity of Mechanical Production Systems and Total Labor Required..92
Table 16: Outline Financial Projection for Pilot Moringa Oil Extraction Project for Export............................104

Useful E-mail Contacts (see Acknowledgements)..........................................................................................118

IX
ANNEXES (Volume 2: )
381pp

ANNEX 1: SCOPE OF WORK/TERMS OF REFERENCE &
ANNUAL WORKPLANS 2000 - 01 and 2001- 02

ANNEX 2: COLLABORATION AGREEMENTS (not included in Companion Documents)
EDETA 21/02/01 - 31/12/01
EDETA ADDENDUM 01/03/02 – 31/05/02 & WSU report on medicinal plants investigation
CHANCELLOR COLLEGE CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT

AGREEMENTS WITH BUNDA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

LEATHERHEAD FOOD RESEARCH ASSOCIATION (LFRA) OFFER OF SERVICES;
MAFE-COMMISSIONED LFRA CHEMICAL ANALYSIS;
SCHEDULE OF MATERIALS SUPPLIED;
LFRA RESULTS OF ANALYSIS

INSTITUTE OF FOOD RESEARCH (IFR) : LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING;
SCHEDULE OF MATERIALS FOR ASSAY;
IFR PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF ANALYSIS

SCOTTISH CROP RESEARCH INSTITUTE (SCRI) – LIPID ANALYSIS UNIT/
MYLNEFIELD RESEARCH SERVICES LTD: SCHEDULES OF MATERIALS SUPPLIED;
SCRI RESULTS OF ANALYSIS

Other analysis received by MAFE/contacts

Fact sheets from other organizations: SANProTA; Marula Net; Optima of Africa: Moringa;
University of Botswana: Tephrosia; Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo: Natal Mahogany

ANNEX 3: INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT AVAILABLE
Trade associations
NGOs (Formal and informal)
Government
Financial institutions
ANNEX 4: LOWER SHIRE SURVEY OF TRADITIONAL USES OF ON-FARM TREES:
Sites, Interviewees and Map
ANNEX 5: NATURAL PLANT PRODUCTS COMMERCIAL INVESTIGATIONS IN MALAWI
INFORMATION FROM PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION, COMMERCIAL TRADERS&
PROCESSORS
ANNEX 6: SUMMARIES AND MATRIX OF 140 POTENTIAL USES OF STRATEGIC SPECIES
ANNEX 7: PLANT OILS STAGE 1 NARRATIVE OF ACTIVITIES AND DIARY OF EVENTS
ANNEX 8: ECONOMIC ANALYSIS SUMMARIES;
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS SCHEDULES
ANNEX 9: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
ANNEX 10: MID-PHASE STAKEHOLDERS MEETING:
CONCLUSIONS DRAWN
Table: MAFE Marketing & Enterprise Program (MEP) SWOT session results
ANNEX11: DOSSIER ON PILOT COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION PROGRAM Nov. 2001 – April 2002
ANNEX 12: BCMMORA IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND RELATED CORRESPONDENCE
ANNEX 13: MIRTDC QUOTATION FOR BRIQUETTE PRESSES
Other: MAFE Organogram
MAFE Publications
Agroforestry Research Policy correspondence
X