The report summarises the results of CABI’s pilot project on the introduction of improved coffee washing technology (Central Processing Units – CPU) in Cameroon, financed by the European Union (EU) under the All African, Caribbean and Pacific Agricultural Commodities Programme (AAACP) and the World Bank through the Projet d’Appui a la Compétitivité Agricole (PACA).
CABI, Centre for Agriculture and Bio-Sciences International, is a not-for-profit inter-governmental organisation based in the United Kingdom.
The project was implemented between June 2010 and March 2012 in four sites in Cameroon, namely, Angossas under the parent Producer Organisation (PO) Groupement d’Intérêt Commun (GIC)’s Fegicosol at Baditoum, Bandjoun (parent PO, CAPLAMI), Belo (parent PO – Aren Co-op Union, North West Cooperative Association), and Muambong (parent PO, Chede Cooperative Union Ltd.).
The objectives of the pilot project were:
- Identify, purchase and install appropriate ecological Central Pulping Unit (CPU) equipment.
- Set up and provide support to the Project Steering Committee.
- Undertake preliminary studies in the four pilot sites.
- Train the technical staff in the pilot sites on how to operate the CPUs.
- Set up management committees to oversee the operations of the CPUs.
- Document and disseminate project results and lessons learnt with a view to encourage scaling up of the technology in Cameroun.
The tender process for the identification of appropriate CPU equipment was initiated in June 2010 and concluded in October of the same year when the identified equipment were delivered in the four sites.
Two models of Ecoline ecological pulping machines manufactured by PENAGOS of Colombia were identified. For the Arabica sites (Bandjoun and Belo), the Ecoline 400 model was acquired.
The model is designed to pulp up to 400kg of fresh cherries per hour and powered by a diesel engine. For the Robusta zones (Angossas and Chede), the Ecoline 800 model was procured. The technical capacity of the model is given by the manufacturer as 800kg of fresh cherry per hour.
The full report is available at this URL: http://chede.org/chede/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/CABI-final-report-on-Cameroon-pilot-project-on-washed-coffee.pdf
