Nyangorora Banana Processors

Banana 
farming 
in 
central 
and 
western 
Kenya 
is 
an important 
source
 of 
income 
for 
small‐scale
 farmers. However, the banana processing 
industry 
suffers from 
high 
food 
loss and 
waste
.
  

Nyangorora Banana Processors (NBP) re-purposes banana waste to 
boost 
incomes, 
nourish 
communities, 
and 
cultivate 
sustainable 
livelihoods. Founded in 2013, it uses 
banana 
waste,
 such 
as 
stems, 
peels 
and
 leaves
discarded 
during 
banana 
processing to make banana crisps, bread, cakes, juice, and flour.  

“To 
streamline 
our 
processes 
and 
minimise 
banana 
waste,
we 
re-purposed 
the 
leftovers 
into flour 
and 
launched
 a 
new 
product 
line 
of 
doughnuts 
and 
porridge 
flour, 
now 
a 
popular and 
healthier 
breakfast 
alternative 
for 
babies 
and 
young 
children,” 
notes 
Askah 
Nyakwara, the founder 
of 
Nyangorora
 Banana 
Processors.  

NBP 
purchases 
bananas 
from
 over 
40 
collection 
centres
, located
 in the 
Kisii
 and 
Nyamira regions, and  representing 5,000 small-scale farmers. The company also works with rural farmers and youth groups to improve their knowledge in banana processing, health and safety, quality assurance, and the retail of processed products. 

Joining the Zero Hunger Pledge 

Nyangorora 
Banana 
Processors joined the Zero Hunger Private Sector Pledge in September 2021. Working with GAIN as its implementing partner, NBP offers training and skill development through vocational programmes for rural youth. Students 
have
 gained
 skills 
in 
reducing 
food 
waste 
by 
extending 
the 
shelf-
life of 
fruits 
such 
as 
mangoes, 
tomatoes 
and 
traditional 
vegetables 
through
 drying
 and 
packaging.  


NBP also trains 
women 
and 
youth
on how to create
 banana 
fibre 
from 
the 
banana 
stems. This work has also created 
awareness 
in 
the
community 
on 
the 
importance 
of 
reducing 
banana
 waste. 

As Askah notes, “We 
buy 
the 
fibre 
and 
finished 
products 
from
 our 
trainees 
and, 
as 
a 
result of 
the
 guaranteed 
sale 
of 
their 
products, 
motivate 
them 
to 
continue 
up-scaling 
the 
waste 
stems 
readily 
available 
in 
their 
farms. 
This 
has 
contributed 
to 
a 
cleaner 
environment 
and
 also 
created
 employment 
opportunities 
for 
the 
many 
women
and
 youth 
in 
our 
network.”