Untapped agribusiness potential beyond farm gate

DAR ES SALAAM: THE next business opportunity in agricultural sector may lie beyond the farm gate, where crop residues and agro-processing by-products are increasingly being viewed not as waste, but as feedstock for new businesses and industries.

Millions of tonnes of materials from cassava peels and rice husks to maize cobs, sugarcane bagasse and coffee-processing waste are being explored for use in fertiliser, animal feed, energy, biochar and other industrial products.

That shift is opening a new commercial frontier, with biotechnology and innovation offering ways to convert agricultural leftovers into marketable products while creating additional revenue streams for farmers, processors and entrepreneurs.

Tanzania generates an estimated 14.4 to 20.7 million tonnes of solid waste annually, with organic and agricultural waste accounting for more than 63 per cent. Much of this material is burned, dumped or left to decompose.

Yet experts say residues from crops such as cashew, coconut, coffee, rice, maize, sugarcane, banana, sisal and sunflower could provide feedstock for new businesses if appropriate technologies, markets and collection systems are developed.

From waste to business Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) Director General, Dr Amos Nungu, says research and innovation can transform agricultural waste from an environmental burden into an economic resource.

The opportunity is built around a circular bioeconomy, where materials remain in productive use rather than becoming waste.

Crop residues can be processed into fertiliser, animal feed, biogas, biochar, fibres, construction materials and other products, creating additional value from the same agricultural output.

Dr Nungu says research should establish what residues are available, where they are produced, in what quantities and during which seasons.

Such information can help investors identify viable value chains and suitable technologies.

Agricultural Growth Corridors of Tanzania (AGCOT) Chief Executive Officer, Mr Geoffrey Kirenga, says residues should be directed to their highest sustainable value, depending on their characteristics, availability and farming needs.

Some could be used for animal feed, others returned to the soil, while suitable residues could be converted into biochar, energy or industrial products.

This could allow a single crop to generate several economic products instead of losing value once the main harvest has been sold.

Biochar and soil value One promising opportunity is biochar, a carbon-rich material produced by heating biomass under limited oxygen. Studies in Tanzania have found that, under specific conditions, biochar can improve soil properties and support crop productivity.

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Research in the Southern Highlands, for example, examined maize-cob biochar in coffee farms and reported improvements in soil properties and coffee and maize yields.

However, experts caution against treating biochar as a universal solution.

Its effectiveness depends on the material used, soil conditions, application rates and farming practices. Mr Kirenga stresses the importance of field trials and soil-specific recommendations before farmers adopt such technologies widely.

Fertiliser, energy and animal feed Agricultural and organic waste can also be processed into compost, soil conditioners and biofertilisers, creating markets around locally available materials.

Tanzania already has companies operating in the fertiliser sector, including Guavay, Minjingu, ITRACOM and Yara Tanzania, while research initiatives are exploring locally produced organic fertilisers. Agricultural residues also offer opportunities in the energy business

. Dry materials can be processed into briquettes and pellets, while suitable organic waste can be converted into biogas.

Another emerging opportunity is converting agricultural waste into animal feed. Researchers and businesses are exploring residues as sources of nutrients and protein for livestock, poultry and aquaculture.

Dr Nungu cites Waste-Protein Tech Ltd and NovFeed (T) Ltd as examples of efforts to develop commercial value from waste.

The possibilities extend beyond agriculture, with initiatives exploring products such as leather boards from leather waste and materials made from sugarcane bagasse for treating polluted water.

The logistics challenge Before agricultural waste becomes wealth, however, someone has to collect it.

Residues from processing facilities, including rice husks, sugarcane bagasse, coffee waste, sisal residues and livestock manure, are generally easier to collect because they are concentrated in particular locations.

By contrast, maize stalks and rice straw can be widely scattered, making collection, storage and transportation costly.