Penn State professor supporting croton data collection in Kenya

In Pennsylvania, a Penn State professor was hired by World Agroforestry Centre to help a small company, Eco Fuels Kenya, or EFK, to survey subsistence farmers in five counties and dozens of villages in Kenya about their willingness to grow croton trees. He asked them such things as how many trees they have, whether they would be willing to plant more, and whether they would gather the nuts and provide them to the company at collection points and, if so, at what price. Essentially, his interviews with hundreds of farmers helped EFK assess its supply chain.

He provided the company with financial models and an overview of potential croton production in Kenya, with a focus on livelihood characteristics of collectors and a description of the business potential. This initial review set the stage for scaling up croton production in Kenya and, later, in surrounding countries in east Africa.