Ghana’s Experiences with RECP in Agro-Processing Industries in Ghana

1. Ghana’s Experiences with RECP in Agro-Processing Industries in Ghana Lambert Faabeluon Director/GNCPC

2. Introduction • Ghana has developed a roadmap; sustainable development action plan (SDAP) in 14 different sectors from which 133 projects were identified • The Ghana National Cleaner Production Centre (GNCPC) was inaugurated in 2012 with support from UNEP and also serves as the Focal Centre for Ghana on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) and implementing Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) in SMEs • The GNCPC (which is being hosted by the EPA), is also supporting the EPA with practical operational experience or inputs into its policy formulation, mainstreaming, and implementation at the national level with particular reference to the manufacturing industry sector.

3. The NCPC has since its inauguration conducted RECP pilot projects in Agro-processing, Chemical, Waste oil treatment, Textile manufacturing and breweries. • The GNCPC has, with backing from the EPA, also organized and hosted SCP roundtables: ARSCP-7 in May 2012 and Agri-Food in August 2013

4. Agri-food Sector • The agri-food sector (includes food processing, marketing, and retailing) is one of the most vulnerable business sectors that can fluctuate based on environmental changes. • Risks to businesses include changes in availability, quality, and price of agricultural products and addressing these risks were embedded in the National Food Security Policy • Application of RECP in the Agro-processing sector lead to business competitiveness and new products • The main agro-processing activities were in the Cocoa Processing, Fish Processing and beer brewery • Feasibilities for RECP were also carried out in the Rice, the nuts (palm nut, shea nut, cashew nut) processing as well as the fruits (mango, pineapple, pawpaw, orange) processing

6. Results from the Cocoa Processing There are 12 Cocoa processing plants operating in the country and the Pilot project covered 3 Plants and 2 are currently being assessed. The assessment covered Energy (LPG, steam, diesel, electrical power), water, waste (solid and effluent), and the RECP Programme has enabled the plants to make more efficient use of resources, and this has resulted in reduced cost of production. The information below are mean values • Savings made on LPG delivery by installing meters on gas receiving tanks was Gh ₵9,000.00 per delivery and payback period of 1 month • Reduction in energy per ton of cocoa beans processed by 14.67kWh/t by replacing 2 pin mills with a hammer mill with pay back period of 6 months. • A noted reduction COD load 1,600mg/l to 250mg/l on effluent resulting from using siphon pumps to transfer chemicals rather than the manual transfer that was previously being used. • There was a reduction in the volume of paper use by 45% with the introduction of double sided printing. • Promoting the use of the internal mail system to share and exchange information also reduced the need to print internal documents and paper use by a further 25%.

7. Cocoa Processing • The companies began to export cocoa shells rather than dumping at the waste disposal plant, thereby generating revenue US$54,000.00 /month • Led to a policy of biomass boiler installation to use the cocoa shells for generating steam rather than using diesel-powered boilers. • Plants procured Free Fatty Acids (FFA) analyzers which requires less butter resulting savings Gh₵ 12000/month with a payback period of 8 months. • About 2,592 hectoliters/month of boiler feed water for the soxhlet extractor in the laboratory now recycled. This saves each company Gh₵ 56,509.75 per year. • The results of the Programme has enhanced the competitiveness of the companies in the international market with reduced cost of cocoa butter production

8. Fish Processing – 2 Plants • The 2 plants implemented RECP in Waste management (solid and effluent) • Generation of essential oil from the fish heads • Production of fish meals for the aqua-culture and poultry feed (new plant). Mean investment is US$70,000 and payback of 18 months • Installation of a wastewater treatment plant with water as boiler feed and for thawing fish. Mean investment of US$500,000 with payback of 28 months.

9. Fruits Processing –Green Business • Involves pineapple, pawpaw, Mango and a completely new plant: Products are mainly exported to Sweden, Switzerland and Denmark Energy: All renewable • Solar for lighting and operating slicers • Organic waste to biogas and the biogas for firing dryers • Water all harvested and storm water dammed • Sludge used as fertilizer on out-grower farms

10. Further work • Feasibility done to replicate the project in cashew nut, pawpaw, orange at the farm gates of small farms • Feasibility also carried out to implement project in small scale artisanal palm oil processors • Enclave-type Waste-to-Energy for Cocoa and wood processing plants pooling biomass to power a boilers to generate steam to run a 50MW power plant and supply spent steam to the cocoa and wood processing plants

11. Thank You