The winning project of the school competition Imagine 2004-2005 will support local farmers in adding value to waste-avocados by producing oil from them and transforming the peel into a biological pesticide. The major share of the global avocado harvest is produced by poor farmers in countries like Mexico, Colombia, Haiti and Dominican Republic. Avocados for American and European markets are picked unripe, while the ripe fruits are usually left behind. This project will put this "waste" to use and provide a new source of income for the farmers working on the plantations. The plan is currently being worked out in detail.

Scientists: Marian Vermue en Detmer Sipkema (Wageningen University)
Students: Anke Vogels, Lieke Spee and Linda Scheel (Jacob Roelandslyceum in Boxtel)

Download the interview with James Kariuki, project-executer in Kenia (July 2007)

Update on the avocado project (May 2007)

Download the winning report: Avocado-oil