What are the economic benefits of Castor crop farming in Kenya?
Castor crop farming in Kenya offers farmers significant economic benefits: They can earn income from the sale of castor seeds, oil, and by-products. Additionally, the castor farming value chain, from cultivation to processing, provides employment opportunities for rural communities.
What is the castor-oil plant?
The castor-oil plant, also known as Ricinus communis or castor bean, is a large plant of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). It is grown commercially for the pharmaceutical and industrial uses of its oil and for landscaping (Gómez et al. 2016; Salihu et al. 2014b ).
Which country produces the most castor oil in the world?
In that period, India was responsible for 54.0% and China for 23.4% of the castor seed produced in the world. Because castor production was reduced by 12.2 thousand tons per year, China became a net importer of castor oil. Brazil ranked third in world castor production (11.9%) followed by Mozambique (4.3%), Paraguay (1.1%), and Thailand (1.0%).
Where does castor plant grow in Ethiopia?
The castor plant is native to the Ethiopian region of tropical East Africa and grows naturally and abundantly in the highlands (Alemaw et al. 2014) and some lowland rural areas of southern Ethiopia.