Herman Muli is the founder of Tosheka, a startup which makes flour, fertilizer and biomass briquettes from mango seeds.
In an interview, he explained that once he receives the mango seeds, the mango kernel is usually blended and dried in a shaded environment.
The kernel is crushed in a conventional posho mill to produce a flour which is then mixed with maize and wheat flour at home.
Other than doing mango seeds value addition, Muli is also the creator of Weather Guard, a product that prevents dust, pollen and cold from entering buildings and vehicles.
Additionally, he is also working on producing organic pesticides from neem and aloe vera plants.
Muli’s venture has not yet achieved broad recognition within the region, despite Makueni County being the foremost producer of mangoes in Kenya.
When he initially sought to engage the community in gathering mango seeds, numerous residents expressed doubt, regarding his concept as unfeasible.
Mirriam Mutheu, a local resident who works at the factory said, “At first, we thought he was crazy, especially when he claimed that mango seeds are edible. We’ve been growing mangoes for decades, and it never occurred to us that the seeds could be used for anything other than planting seedlings. But we now realise that mango seeds can be turned into fertiliser, food, and even fuel.”
Muli has collaborated with the Makueni Fruit Processors Cooperative Society, the foremost collective of mango producers in the area, to advance integrated pest management strategies.
This initiative encompasses the intercropping of mangoes with castor beans, which serve to combat specific pests.
Furthermore, even seeds that are damaged or aged are utilized rather than discarded.
“We compost seeds that have been affected by pests to create a specialised organic fertiliser. We also combine them with croton seeds, clay, lime, and cassava juice to produce heavy-duty biomass briquettes using a unique formula,” he said.
Since its inception two years ago, Tosheka has successfully transformed 40 tonnes of mango seeds into various products including fertiliser, flour and briquettes.
Muli is optimistic that this venture will ultimately enhance the financial well-being of local mango farmers while simultaneously mitigating environmental harm.
Tosheka aims to partner with the Makueni Fruits Processing Plant, a Ksh 180 million facility established by the county government to address post-harvest losses.
The plant has the capacity to process 100 tonnes of mangoes each season; however, it frequently receives complaints from the local community regarding waste pollution.
