This case study presentation on mango aggregation and processing centers was given at the 2nd All Africa Post-Harvest Congress & Exhibition. The lead researchers from the University of Nairobi, who prepared this presentation, are making it available via the Consortium for Innovation in Post-Harvest Loss and Food Waste Reduction slideshare account. The University of Nairobi is a member of the Consortium. The Rockefeller Foundation provides funding for the research at the University of Nairobi and also provides grant funding to the Consortium.

1. Jane Ambuko*, Emmanuel Amwoka, Isaac Nyangena,Willis Owino, Margaret
Hutchinson, Catherine Kunyanga, George Chemining’wa and John Mburu
* Department of Plant Science & Crop Protection, University of Nairobi
University of Nairobi
Exploiting the Potential of Smallholder
Horticulture through Aggregation and
Processing Centers: Case Study of Mango in
Kenya
2nd All Africa Postharvest Congress & Exhibition, 17th to 20th September, 2019,Addis Ababa

2. One of the major fruits
produced in Kenya – mainly for
domestic market

3. Mango production in Kenya is
dominated by smallholder
farmers – < 2 acres average

4. Increased production over the
years, coupled with an increase
in postharvest losses (40-50%)

5. What are the Drivers/Causes of Postharvest Losses in The
MangoValue Chain?
Poor coordination among actors in the
mango value chain
Greed from middlemen
Lack of cold storage facilities
Lack of processing capacity
Market access
Other factors
Seasonality

6. IMPACT OF THE LOSSES?
High postharvest losses reported in mango value chain – 40 to 50%
This is what is reported but sometimes the losses are so much higher
No incentive for farmers to improve their farming practices or invest
in technologies – pre and postharvest technologies
Low returns for farmers
High cost of fruits and vegetables in urban areas – traders factor in
the cost of postharvest losses…
Others

7. Farm gate
price is 3-
5/-
Roadside
Grocer
(low-
income)
20/- Nakumatt:
52/-
Chandarana
52/-
Kileleshwa
Green
Grocers:
59/-
Roadside
Grocer (up-
market)
30/-
Uchumi
45/-
Zucchini:
50/-
Greenbox
66/-
Mango fruit: Price
survey in Nairobi
(2017)
A mango fruit
costs >20 times
in the city

8. Rockefeller Foundation’s YieldWise Strategy for PHL Reduction
• Financing will generally be required to facilitate
manufacturing, distribution and acquisition and adoption of
technologies e.g. loans and leasing models.
• Investment capital is also required to fund the scale-up of
promising technologies and innovative distribution models.
TECHNOLOGIES
• Distribution and utilization of loss-reducing technologies
for improving handling, storage and processing of crops
(many of which exist today).
• In some instances, we see opportunities for supporting
targeted breakthrough innovative technologies in
specific value chains (e.g., cold storage).
MARKET DEMAND +
LINKAGES
• Linking large anchor buyers demand for fresh and
processed crops to smallholder supply and local alternative
markets to excess crops
• Linkages can include traditional market relationships or
newer procurement and sourcing arrangements.
SHFTRAINING &
AGGREGATION
• Aggregation of SHFs into farmer groups is essential to
meet the quantity, quality and consistency required by
buyers
• Capacity-building and other adoption measures are
important to ensure SHFs uptake technology and other
interventions.
FINANCING
Betty Kibaara, Rockefeller Foundation

9. Examples of Postharvest Technologies to Address PH Losses
Sanitizing
Technologies
1-MCP
Ruth/Esther/Nancy
Adapted/tested/validated and
promoted by University of
Nairobi Postharvest Research
Team

10. Smallholder Aggregation &
Processing Centers
Centers where farmers in groups
1) Access simple postharvest
technologies to reduce postharvest
losses
2) Receive training on pre and
postharvest management

11. Basic components of a smallholder aggregation & processing center
Drying (chips,
leathers, dried
vegetables…)
Receiving
and pre-
sorting
Commodity
treatments
(sanitizing,
waxing and
MAP
Precooling
and/or
temporary
storage in
Evaporative
Coolers
Wet
processing
(juice,
concentrates
…)Sorting
and
packaging
Washing
Slicing
Coolbot™ cold
room for long
term cold storage
Preharvest–TrainingonGoodAgricultural
PracticestoEnsureHighQualityFruits

12. Application of Cold
StorageTechnologies
at Smallholder
Aggregation Center –
Karurumo, Kenya
Charcoal cooler Zero energy brick cooler
Coolbot Cold Room

13. Aggregation of the small volumes from
individual farmers to achieve the
quantities, quality and consistency
demanded by traders, processors
Farmers in groups can negotiate for better
prices with buyers e.g. KSHG farmers
negotiated for 18 – 20 Ksh (1.8 – 2.0 $)
per Kg of mangoes in the 2018 season
No pressure to sell – unsold fruits can be
stored in the cold rooms or processed

14. Application of Small-scale ProcessingTechnologies
• Innovative Drying Technologies: Tunnel Solar
Dryer, Dehytray™…
• Pre-treatments to preserve quality attributes
• Innovative processed products
Dry processing of
mango fruits
• Ready to drink juices and juice blends
• Concentrates
• Other innovative wet-processed products
Wet processing of
mango fruits

15. Tunnel Solar Dryer
Examples of simple/ efficient drying technologies

16. Training farmers on small scale processing of mango fruits

18. What can the farmers do
with one ton (1,000 Kg) of
fresh mango fruits?

19. Individual Farmer Sales –
Current Scenario
 1 Kg (2 fruits – Kent) sold
for 6 Ksh (0.06 $)
 1 ton = 1,000 X 6 Ksh
 Currently farmers who sell
their fruits individually to
brokers net 6,000 Ksh (60
$) per ton of mangoes!

20. Fresh market sales of aggregated fruits
 1 Kg (2 fruits – Kent) sold for 18 – 20 Ksh
(0.18 – 20 $)
 1 ton = 1,000 X 18 Ksh
1 ton of aggregated
mango fruit will fetch
~18,000 to 20,000 Ksh
(180 – 200 $)

21. Processed Fruit – Dried Mango chips
1,000 Kg of fresh mango fruits can yield ~
50 – 100 Kg of dried chips
Dried chips – Ksh 230 (2.3 USD) per 100g
Returns from 1,000 Kg of fresh mango?
1 ton of dried mango
chips will fetch
~115,000 to 230,000
Ksh (1,150 to 2,300 $)

22. Processed Fruit – Mango fruit rolls
1,000 Kg of fresh mango fruits can yield ~ 50
– 100 Kg of mango fruit roles
Mango fruit leather/rolls – KSH 250 (2.5 USD)
per 100g
Returns from 1,000 Kg of fresh mango?
From 1 ton of mango fruits
yielding 50 -100 Kg of
mango rolls you can make
125,000 to 250,000 Ksh
1,250 to 2,500 $)

23. Processed Fruit – Mango juices
1,000 Kg can yield 400 liters of ready
to drink juice
Price: 160 – 200 Ksh (1.6 – 2.0 $) per
liter
From 1 ton of mango
fruits yielding 400 liters of
ready-to-drink juice you
can make 64,000 –
80,000 Ksh (640 – 800 $))

24. IncreasingValue from Processing
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
Fresh fruits
(individual)
Fresh fruits
(aggregation)
Mango juice Dried Chips Mango Rolls
Returnspertonofmangofruit(USD)
Produce/Processed Product

25. Challenges
Traders not willing to buy mangoes from aggregation centers – prefer
to buy directly from individual farmers
Group dynamics at aggregation centers
Low demand for processed (dried) products in the local market
Seasonality of mango fruits – affect consistent supply of products
Others

26. Opportunities
Training on good production and processing practices – market access
Quantity, Quality & Consistency can be realized
Traceability of produce and products – requirement for market access
Processors can develop unique products targeting niche markets e.g.
 Mango-carrot juice – rich in vitamin A
 Mango-orange juice – rich in vitamin C
Promote and create demand for localized
brands of processed products
Product of Embu County
Youth and women empowerment
Aggregation service providers
Small scale processing

27. Thank you
E-mail: ambuko@yahoo.com OR jane.ambuko@uonbi.ac.ke
Twitter: @ambuko