Utilisation, efficiency, health, and environmental performance assessment of Ethiopian Agro‐Processors

• Published in: International journal of food science & technology 2024-02, Vol.59 (2), p.1027-1036
• Main Authors: Kassahun, Estifanos, Tibebu, Solomon, Chaka, Seblewongel, Seifu, Yoktan, Wubetu, Meseret
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agro‐food processing industry; Biscuits; Blistering; cereal and oil processors; Cereals; Corn; Data collection; Developing countries; Development strategies; Edible oils; Efficiency; Environmental management; Environmental performance; Flour; Food industry; Food processing; Food processing industry; Industrial development; LDCs; Manufacturing; Manufacturing industry; Open Data Kit; Pasta; Peanut oil; Performance assessment; Processing industry; Processors; Quality control; Solid waste disposal; Solid wastes; Sunflower oil; utilisation; Waste disposal; Wheat
• ISSN: 0950-5423; 1365-2621
• DOI: 10.1111/ijfs.16868

Summary The manufacturing sector is vital to the blistering economic transformation of developing countries such as Ethiopia. According to Ethiopia's industrial development strategy, one of the priority sub‐sectors of the manufacturing sector is the agricultural processing industry. This study focuses on the utilisation prospects, health, and environmental performance of afro‐food processing industries. The data were collected from 71 industry‐level respondents. The data collectors used Open Data Kit (ODK) packages as a data collection mechanism. The average utilisation of the cereal processors in Ethiopia was calculated to be 50.84%, 57.39%, 72.18%, 58.44%, and 42.81% for biscuits, macaroni, maize flour, spaghetti, and wheat flour, respectively. The average efficiency was determined to be 68.27%, 73.72%, 90.49%, 83.38%, and 64.76% for biscuits, macaroni, maize flour, spaghetti, and wheat flour, respectively. It is also noted that among the edible oil processors, peanut oil has the highest average efficiency (90.49%) and utilisation (72.18%). The lowest average efficiency and utilisation were determined to be 64.76% and 42.81% respectively for sunflower oil. From a health and environmental performance perspective, it is noted that 70.83% of oil processors and 59.57% of cereals processors have quality control laboratories. Moreover, 91.48% of cereal processors and 87.5% of oil processors have solid waste disposal systems. The manufacturing sector is vital to the blistering economic transformation of developing countries such as Ethiopia. According to Ethiopia's industrial development strategy, one of the priority sub‐sectors of the manufacturing sector is the agricultural processing industry. This study focuses on the utilisation prospects, health, and environmental performance of Afro‐food processing industries. The data were collected from 71 industry‐level respondents. The data collectors used Open Data Kit (ODK) packages as a data collection mechanism. The average utilisation of the cereal processors in Ethiopia was calculated to be 50.84%, 57.39%, 72.18%, 58.44%, and 42.81% for biscuits, macaroni, maize flour, spaghetti, and wheat flour, respectively. The average efficiency was determined to be 68.27%, 73.72%, 90.49%, 83.38%, and 64.76% for biscuits, macaroni, maize flour, spaghetti, and wheat flour, respectively. It is also noted that among the edible oil processors, Peanut oil has the highest average efficiency (90.49%) and utilisation (72.18%). The