RE4 Food Processing Fact Sheet

Coordinator (s):        J. O. Akowauh, Dept. of Agricultural Engineering; akowuahjoe@yahoo.co.ukjoakowuah.coe@knust.edu.gh,

                                    Dr. Lena D. Mensah, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; ld.mensah@yahoo.com

Client:  University of Newcastle

Client Contact Person: Tony Roskilly

Email: tony.roskilly@newcastle.ac.uk

Telephone; +44 (0)191-246 4951

Project Partners: 

  1. Njala University, Sierra Leone
  2. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
  3. Stellenbosch University, South Africa
  4. Kassel University, Kassel, Germany
  5. Practical Action Consulting Limited, Bourton-on-Dunsmore, Rugby. Warwickshire
  6. Environmental Foundation for Africa, Freetown Peninsula, Sierra Leone

Name of the Project/Activity: Energy Efficient Rural Food Processing Utilising Renewable Energy to Improve Rural Livelihoods

Value of contract: € 824,069.00 (overall), € 73,720.00 (funds expected, KNUST)

Years of project duration; 36 months (June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2016)

Countries covered; Ghana, Kenya and Sierra Leone

Short project description:

The project aims to provide research which will support rural community business models for low and renewable energy input into optimised food processing which minimise loss and waste in the food value chains selected

The project has the following specific objectives:

  • Investigate the opportunities and barriers to the use of renewable energy for rural food processing as well as optimisation of the processes to a) minimise losses along the value chain while at the same time aiming for improved product quality and b) increase local value addition by SMEs and organised community groups. Assess the losses in the food value chain for the products chosen, in Kenya, Sierra Leone and Ghana, and identify low carbon and energy efficient storage and processing technologies and practices which can be de-centrally applied, reduce these losses and take advantage of renewable energy sources in a cost-effective way.
  • Deliver focussed support to stakeholders through a network facilitating engagement, dissemination and knowledge transfer to reduce postharvest losses and energy demand.
  • Explore the opportunities for rural livelihoods in reducing post-harvest losses and adding value (through initial produce preparation, storage, washing, packing and common process unit operations, such as sterilisation, pasteurization, drying, and evaporating).