The Other Side of Kenya’s Avocado Boom: Waste, Pollution and Opportunity

The government has stepped up efforts to tackle improper disposal of avocado processing waste in Murang’a County while promoting its conversion into useful agricultural and industrial products.

Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Dr Deborah Barasa led an assessment in Kandara and Maragua sub-counties on Thursday following complaints from residents over the dumping and poor management of untreated avocado waste.

The concerns had also reached the Senate, where Senator Joe Nyutu raised the issue in June, citing the disposal of large quantities of sludge and other waste near homes, schools, farms and water sources. The Senate statement specifically identified sites at Bloom’s Wempa near Peter Kariuki Primary and Secondary Schools and a former quarry near AAA Growers in Maragua.

Barasa said the assessment showed the need for stronger controls where avocado waste handling threatens communities, learners, water resources and land.

Murang’a is a major avocado-producing county, making waste management an increasingly important issue as processing and value addition expand. Parliamentary records have previously cited Kenya’s avocado production at 848,100 tonnes in 2024, with Murang’a accounting for about 200,991 tonnes.

The government is now pushing for a shift from waste disposal towards recovery and value addition. Barasa said the Ministry of Environment and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) had identified licensed waste transporters and facilities where avocado waste can be processed through composting, organic fertiliser production, bio-mulch, briquettes and Black Soldier Fly farming.

Several enterprises visited during the assessment are already demonstrating how the waste stream can generate new products and businesses.

At Bio Logical Carbon Limited, avocado waste is processed into organic fertiliser and biochar. Biochar can be incorporated into soils as part of soil improvement and carbon management practices.

At Duduscope Limited, avocado pulp is converted into livestock feed for pigs and chickens, providing an alternative use for material that would otherwise require disposal.

The assessment also included Avo Africa Oil Industries, where avocado processing is used to produce avocado oil, demonstrating the potential for higher-value products from the crop beyond fresh fruit markets.

The government’s position comes amid growing pressure for a more structured approach to avocado waste management. A proposed parliamentary framework has previously called for research, technology transfer, investment incentives and technical support for waste-to-value initiatives in avocado-producing regions.

Barasa said enforcement would continue against facilities that fail to meet environmental requirements. NEMA has been directed to take compliance measures where necessary, including improvement orders, requirements for adequate effluent treatment systems, cessation of certain activities and removal of improperly dumped waste.

The Cabinet Secretary urged avocado processors to invest in proper waste treatment and resource recovery systems rather than allowing waste to accumulate around communities.

For farmers and processors, the push could create another layer of value in Kenya’s avocado industry. Instead of treating peels, pulp, seeds and other processing residues as a disposal problem, the government wants businesses to develop markets for fertiliser, animal feed, biochar, energy and other products.

The move is expected to place greater emphasis on compliance while encouraging investment in technologies that can turn avocado waste into an additional source of income, employment and agricultural inputs.