Unutilized Coconut Shells Could Boost Crop Production, Pleads Agriculture Official

An agriculture official is pleading with coconut vendors not to illegally dump shells which have significant value, while a university academic has suggested that Barbados is missing out on the benefits of an entire coconut industry.

Chief Agriculture Officer Keeley Holder pleaded with the roadside vendors on Friday as she said the shells could be used as organic matter to help crop farmers boost their production.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a symposium held at the 3Ws Pavilion at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, entitled The Potential of the Coconut Industry and Sustainable Development, she said: “I think there’s a fantastic opportunity, particularly for the farming industry. We talk about the circular economy and the key to the circular economy is reusing organic matter in the soil.

“I’m aware that the Sustainable Barbados Recycling Centre (SBRC) used to receive as much as about 4 400 tonnes of coconut shells on an annual basis. That is a significant amount of organic material there. You may be aware that they would produce an organic mulch made from coconut shells from the husk of coconut in particular and it would be mixed with wood chips because of how they process it. That mulch was fantastic for increasing organic activity in the soil and improving yields for farmers. So the more organic matter that we can get, all the green waste that also goes to SBRC, having that as well as that coconut waste and being able to put it back in the soils, this is one way to help farmers improve their yields.”

Holder said this helps with drainage issues as well.

“It is fantastic for improving the water-holding capabilities of the soil,” she explained.

“With more organic matter in the soil, there’s more water-holding capability, less runoff and that also means that in periods of drought, the soil doesn’t dry as quickly…. It [the coconut shell] can be reused for the farmers to help continue improving their soil, which I call our black gold, and we need to be able to use that more effectively. So more composting and using these things to replenish the soil, I think that’s where we really need to go.”

Holder pleaded with the vendors to not dump the shells in gullies or bushy areas but to contribute to the recycling of the materials.

“We would want the coconut vendors to see the value in the shells and also play their part. [They] must recycle [the shells] in a way that helps to benefit the entire society,” she said, advising vendors to take their shells to the SBRC for processing to help improve the environment and improve the farms. “I think that it is critical that they need to play their part, not just in the selling of the water, but helping us in our circular economy.”

Holder added that it was important for regional and international agencies and the farming community to partner with the vendors to protect the coconut ecosystem. She said some level of training could be provided to help vendors as well as householders who have coconut trees on their properties, understand the true value of the shells.

During the symposium, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the university Professor Clive Landis also said there was much more to get from coconuts than just water and jelly.

“When we look around at the coconut vending on our highways . . . you would imagine this must inevitably be linked to a much larger coconut industry. Unfortunately, it is primarily coconut water which is sold, and at times coconut jelly, while much else goes to waste.

“I am sure that discarding thousands of coconut shells likely presents a challenge for our landfill management. It is certainly not what one would regard as a prime example of sustainability, let alone adherence to the mantra of reduce, reuse and recycle. But most critically, the country is losing out on a precious resource that with imagination and diversification can fuel an entire coconut industry for the benefit of sustainable development and the creation of good jobs,” he said.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Terry Bascombe, who gave an address on behalf of Minister Indar Weir who was unable to attend the event, said the coconut industry has made a mark in the development of Barbados, adding that the tree was versatile and almost every part of it could be used.

He noted that the leaves were used to make baskets, hats, brooms and arts and crafts; the husk was used to make ropes, matting, mosquito repellent, and bio-fuel; while the shell was used for utensils, charcoal and as a planting medium. The trunk, he said, was used for building material and wood, while the coconut flesh was used for beverages, cream, flours, oils and cosmetics, and the tree roots were used for dyes and medication. (SZB)