| Challenge Owner(s) |
PNG AgriCo, Paradise Foods, Outspan (Olam)
|
|---|---|
| Organiser(s) | Beanstalk AgTech |
| Industry Type(s) |
Agri-tech, Circular Economy & Sustainability, Sustainable Energy
|
| Opportunities and Support | Opportunities to co-develop and testbed solutions with scaled impact across Papua New Guinea and the Pacific region |
| Application Start Date | 5 December 2022 |
| Application End Date | 27 January 2023 |
| Website | Click here to learn more |
About Challenge
GRAFT will help to identify and fast-track high-potential solutions to tackle the challenge of smoke taint across the supply chain, including deployment of 3+ technical trials by Q1 2023.
As chocolate makers around the world continue to promote and elevate standards of quality and sustainability, many critical trade partners for PNG's cocoa market have signaled their intention to procure entirely 'smoke taint free' in years to come.
To maintain and expand access to markets, PNG farmers and value chains will need to accelerate the identification and adoption of new technologies & practices to eliminate - or better manage - smoke taint in cocoa. Alternative sources of heat present one opportunity, but have yet to fit the unique operating environment and challenges of PNG's smallholder value chains to date.
Your solution should solve one of three following industry challenges:
Challenge 1: Improve the viability of wood-fire alternative heat generation to power community-scale driers.
Challenge 2: Reduce the cost of repair & maintenance for kiln & flue pipes in conventional small-scale cocoa.
Challenge 3: Preserve cocoa quality by reducing wet beans’ exposure to ‘indirect’ smoke contamination.
| Challenge Owner(s) | PNG AgriCo |
|---|
Improve the viability of wood-fire alternative heat generation to power community-scale driers.
Reliance on wood-fired driers (>99%) leaves cocoa exposed to a high risk of 'smoke taint' - a major market issue for PNG cocoa.
Existing infrastructure and lack of liquidity limit the ability of fermenteries to invest in alternatives.
Environmental factors make sun & solar dry – widely used in the world's major cocoa growing regions – oft ill-suited and ineffective in PNG.
Rural access to reliable energy for productive use is very limited – the current electricity grid extends to only ~13% of PNG's population
What We Are Looking For
Sufficient power & capability to consistently dry cocoa to spec in 1-2 days, rain or shine.
Cost-competitive at ‘community-scale’ (typically 200-500 farmers).
Appropriately durable and low maintenance.
| Challenge Owner(s) | Paradise Foods |
|---|---|
| Industry Types(s) | Agri-tech |
Reduce the cost of repair & maintenance for kiln & flue pipes in conventional small-scale cocoa
Leakage from corroded pipes is the most direct pathway to smoke contamination – a major market issue for PNG cocoa.
Traditional pipes last only 1-2 years before corroding and requiring replacement.
Repair costs are a major pain point for small fermenteries, and the cost-return ratio of high-cost alternatives (i.e., stainless steel) is questionable.
What We Are Looking For
A solution that can be taken up by small-scale, community-level fermentery owners themselves.
Direct reduction in frequency and/or cost of pipe repairs, with minimal added inputs & complexity.
Ability to leverage local materials, capabilities, and supply chains.
| Challenge Owner(s) | Outspan (Olam) |
|---|---|
| Industry Types(s) | Agri-tech |
Preserve cocoa quality by reducing wet beans’ exposure to ‘indirect’ smoke contamination
Smoke taint (contamination) during storage, fermentation, and drying is a major market access and reputation issue for PNG cocoa.
While a key driver of exposure is the density of poorly-maintained wood-fired driers, at least as pernicious is the ‘indirect’ smoke – from home cooking, rubbish burning, etc. – that spills over wet beans across stages of processing.
As such, even ‘sun dried’ beans risk smoke taint
What We Are Looking For
Full and consistent protection for wet beans against smoke contamination, across the processing.
Cost-competitive to deploy for as little as ~1MT dry beans at a time.
Appropriately durable and low maintenance
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