GAP Processing Technology (GAPROTECH)

GAPROTECH is a technology for Fast, Easy and Efficient processing of palm yields into valuable products with a zero-waste functionality (producing biogas from processing waste), specifically designed by GAP for small scale oil palm farmers in Africa, meeting their challenges of lack of efficient but affordable post-harvest processing technology.

In Africa the oil palm belt is found from Angola to Senegal; with Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon as major producers and Sierra Leone, Liberia, Benin least producers. In these countries, over 70% average of oil palm cultivation is by small scale farmers who lack resources and technologies to capture the full potential of the crop both economically and environmentally. In Nigeria (Africa’s major producer), more than 80% of oil palm are controlled by smallholder farmers (65% women) who to-date use unimproved processing technologies resulting in lower production making Nigeria's once-thriving oil palm industry now one of the most failed economic opportunities in Africa. (IPPA, 2010). Consequently, majority of oil palm farmers in Ghana and Africa, resort to given their farm-lands for Illegal mining and logging activities, which destroys lands, stripping forestation and leaving waters polluted- a threat to climate change and food security.

Green Afro-Palms (GAP) in Ghana-Africa, has designed a solution (GAPROTECH) in response to post-harvests processing challenges of smallholder farmers.

GAPROTECH coined from GAP Processing Technology is an agric-machinery technology (40,000$ per 1.5 ton/hour set; locally manufactured in Ghana-Africa, with locally sourced materials) aiding farmers with FEE (Fast, Easy and Efficient) processing services yet affordable to increase total production of oil palm and its processed products from Africa. This technology allows farmers to utilise solar as source of energy, to process 2.5 times more oils from their oil palm yields to earn 3 times more than their initial incomes whilst producing biogas from the processing wastes as a by-product (a proprietary function) which farmers use as fuel for cooking in their homes.

GAP is presently using GAPROTECH in an integrated approach for the actors (farmers, processors and marketors) who are 70% women and hopes to extend this solution other cultivation nations across Africa. 

GAPROTECH is used to assist smallholder farmers (70% of Africa’s oil palm cultivation) manage their abandoned and undermanaged farms for improved yields and in addressing their post-harvest processing challenge, GAP installs GAPROTECH (mechanised agro-processing technology) centrally within catchments of these smallholder farms to efficiently process their yields into useful products (palm oils, palm fibre and palm kernel nuts) for consumers. The important part of GAPROTECH is its zero-waste functionality that enables farmers generate biogas through the processing operations which farmers now use as fuel in their homes thus making farm lands re-greened and more productive compared to their earlier states.

We have piloted GAPROTECH; engaging 220 processors (65% women) in one major oil palm farming region in Ghana, and from operations under 24 months it has showed positive results producing 180,000 litres of quality palm oils, farmers extracting 2.5 times more oils from their yields, and farmers through GAPs organized marketing channels (online & physical) also making 3 times more revenue than their initial sales on their own. The important part of GAPROTECH is its zero-waste functionality that enables farmers generate biogas through the processing operations which they now use as fuel for cooking in their homes.

GAPROTECH allows farmers utilise solar as source of energy, to process 2.5 times more oils from their oil palm yields to earn 3 times more than their initial incomes whilst producing biogas from the processing wastes as a by-product (a proprietary function) which farmers use as fuel for cooking in their homes. From the three actors in the oil palm value chain: farmers, processors and marketers, 70% are women hence women are the largest beneficiaries of GAPROTECH not overlooking the impact on males, the minority (30%).  We presently use data gathered from field surveys to deploy GAPROTECH to farming communities.

Through data analyses, we will compare farmer’s initial yields from their conventional methods of processing against the GAPROTECH solution of processing. The income differentials of males and females will be compared after usage. - GAPROTECH will improve the yields and revenue of oil palm actors especially women who constitute 65% of the actors thus bridging the income inequality and technology gap between men and women actors in the oil palm value chain.

The data captured for beneficiaries of the biogas, will be used to access the rate at which GAPROTECH’s operations have reduced or prevented the amount of oil palms and other trees been felled for use as firewood (fuel) - GAPROTECH shall enhance environmental sustainability: by preventing farmers from felling trees for use as firewood in cooking. As an alternative, smallholder farmers can use the biogas (the byproduct of the technology) for cooking

Through customer service, enquiries using community outreaches, we will tally the concerns of farmers to ascertain the affordability and efficiency of the use of our forward integration revenue model (i.e. pay as you use for smallholder farmers ) - Accessibility and affordability of the GAPROTEC: Smallholder actors (farmers, processors & marketers) will get their own technology tailored for their processing activities which is accessible, efficient and affordable.

The GAPROTECH manufactured in Africa is tailored for affordability and efficiency (increasing the amount of oils smallholders get from each palm fruit, reducing the amount of land farmers need to produce same output and increases farmers’ revenue), all at a scale that can be replicated for groups of smallholder farmers anywhere. Unlike large oil palm processing companies who import giant stationary technologies to focus on their processing activities giving less attention to the needs of the 80% smallholder farmers, GAPROTECH (a scaled down technology version of larger processing sets from 100,000 to 40,00usd /set) rather provides solutions to smallholder farmers. 

GAPs mission as an agro-company is to implement best farming and agro-processing technology in Africa with focus on the smallholder farmer. Based on this, the innovation of GAPROTEH is to fill in the gap existing in the smallholder farmer’s post-harvest processing to make improved technology accessible and affordable to them. GAPROTECH begins with smallholder farmers, involves them as main users and ends with them making smallholder actors, who are 70% of the oil palm industry in Africa (65% women) who mostly reside in the rural areas of Ghana and Africa, the main beneficiaries of the technology solution.

GAP, the company behind the GAPROTECH, outreaches through community information dissemination about our services i.e. Best farming assistance, Improved processing technology (GAPROTECH), Marketing assistance. To sensitized farmers about our services and give visual assessment of the performance of our GAPROTECH (using solar as source of energy to extract 2.5 times more oils and generates bio-gas and fertilizers as by-products). Presently this approach is accepted and works well making GAPROTECH accessible in the communities we have engaged in Ghana-West Africa- a case we will replicate for in other areas in and beyond Ghana as we expand our target communities.

GAP uses forward integration revenue model to generate revenue from smallholder farmer’s use of GAPROTECH- a way of making GAPROTECH affordable. GAPROTECH is scaled down from 100,000 - 40,00usd per set for small scale oil palm processing, however this price is still expensive for individual farmers to purchase, so using forward-integration revenue model, we credit the technology to farmers in groups to use for a small user fee (pay as you use). This way, GAP is also able to reach smallholder farmers with the solution and also generate revenue from the technology that is used to maintain the system. From this revenue generated, we seek to build new GAPROTECH sets with improved efficiency and cost reduced to be installed in other communities under our target, also replicating the revenue model for sustainability and further expansion of our mission in making technology affordable and accessible to smallholder farmers.

• Political Risks: political interference and instability (violence, laborious land acquisitions systems) in farming communities in Ghana makes it challenging for GAPROTECH’s operations. This challenge extends beyond Ghana to other African countries where GAPROTECH is applicable.
• Undercapitalization: financiers in Africa show less affinity to agriculture limiting us in fund raising options for efficient operations. In addressing this, we mostly apply online for social capital through social driven organisations and programs like this initiative. In 2016 GAPROTECH had capital support through an award under RUFORUM top 15 African AGRI-Innovations - South Africa, enabling GAPROTECH to be filed for patent protection. 

https://www.facebook.com/GreenAfroPalms/

http://gapworld.org/GAPROTECH-1.pdf

GAPs agenda is to resolve failures in the Africa’s smallholder farmer’s activities by assisting to revive abandoned or degraded oil palm farms, and using GAPROTECH to provide efficient post-harvest processing services, and then assisting of marketing and distribution of products from farmers to end users. All the above because, Africa once a leading producer of oil palm, currently battles sufficient production of palm products for Africa’s domestic demand, with less than 10% of Global CPO from Africa, causing a 850,00Mt demand annually, making most African countries net importers of CPO. (Master Plan Study for Oil Palm Industry -MASDAR Report, 2011)

Participatory Development Associates (PDAGhana) www.pdaghana.com

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (KNUST-Ghana). www.knust.edu.gh  

Kumasi Hive Incubator and Innovation Hub www.kumasihive.com

Acumen Capital http://acumen.org

Large Oil Palm cultivation and processing companies in Africa

Benso Oil Palm Plantation in Ghana