Coconut: “The Tree of Life”History (in theory)HistoryPowerPoint PresentationIndiaCoconut ManagementTechnologySlide 8ConsumptionSlide 10Health Concern?!?!Powerful against - Antibacterial - Antiviral - Antifungal agents - HIV are sensitive to coconut oil •Excellent moisturizer for dry skin •Coconut oil is absorbed quickly and give energy like carbohydrateSocioculturalCase Study~ Coir Women WorkersResultSustainabilityThe endSlide 18Coconut: “The Tree of Life”Mai Kao Yang•Theory-80 million years ago-Southern Hemisphere, GondwanaHistory (in theory)•4th-century B.C., Sanskrit’s writing •1st –century to 4th century A.D, Tamil literature •India-2-3 thousands years ago, making it the oldest traditional crop grown•Marco Polo-Expedition to India, recognize it as the “Pharaoh's nut”HistoryGlobal Economy•19961. Indonesia~ 3,745 hectares 6. Malaysia~ 2082. Philippines~ 3,093 7. Papua New Guinea~ 2603. India~ 1, 7964. Sri Lanka~ 4195. Thailand~ 377•Kerala state is the lead of production in India-Located at the south tip, bordering water and closest to equator India•Highly sensitive to soil moistureRainfall total of 1800 mm evenly throughout the yearAs little as 1000 mm will prove to be optimumTakes up to a year for coconuts to matureoBloom up to thirteen times a yearoContinuous harvest year-roundoAverage harvest of 60 coconuts/ treeoSome trees yielding at three times that amountCoconut ManagementTechnology•A number of devices have been developed to assist in the processes of harvesting and dehusk coconut operation•Devices are electrical and/or solar generatedTraditional MethodModern MethodOil Milling•Coconut crab aka robber crabType of hermit crab1 meter in length3 kilogram in weightCan actually drown•CattleBy-product (oil cake) of coconut after extraction for oil fuelConsumption•Most well- known-Coconut oil•Recently start appearing and is on high demand-Nata-de-coco; meat of mature coconut-Desiccated coconut; dried and - shredded coconut flakes-Spray dried coconut cream powder-Skim milk•1930, misconception that coconut and coconut oil are health hazard-Thought to cause heart disease-Is pretty “fatty”, little over 50% of coconut contain medium chain fatty acid, Lauric acid-Once in the human body it changes to monlaurins , which is found in mother’s breast milk•Coconut is the next best option to breast milkHealth Concern?!?!•Powerful against- Antibacterial - Antiviral- Antifungal agents- HIV are sensitive to coconut oil•Excellent moisturizer for dry skin•Coconut oil is absorbed quickly and give energy like carbohydrateAddition Health Benefits•Epic, classic Hindu stories: Ramayana•Coconut hold a high place in the Indian culture, no ritual or ceremony is performed without it-Used in both social and religious ceremonies: worshipping, marriages, festivals, decorations, etc. •Small farmers are the backbone to the coconut culture•Coconut provide sole income but, the price of coconut is determined by coconut oil which is influence by supplies and demandSocioculturalCase Study~ Coir Women WorkersVaikom Taluk•Small village factory•13% are without electricity •Employ regular 8-10 women each day•Normal shift: 8 to 6 p.m.•High demand: two shift period -6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. -2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. •Lunch hours 1.5 hours•Don’t interact with the middlemanKadakkarappally Panchaysat•Home-based cottage industry •50% are without electricity•Majority of the women in the village work in the factory •Work every day, except Sunday,•Shift from 8 to 5:30 p.m. •Work outside in all types of weather•Interact with the middlemanResult•Doesn’t matter if working in a small village factory or a home-based cottage industry -Both wages and conditions remains the same for women coir workers in Kerala •Stakeholder: lack of technology is hurting, however, the women fear that with it, they will be put out of work•Mix-cropping system-Australia: coconut, cocoa, coffee along with cattle grazing-Ceylon/ Sri Lanka: coconut, tea, and rubber •Coir products: husk from the coconut are bio-degradability•India-Biomass fuel supply average size family, 30-40 palm tree•Coconut oil fuel -By- products: “oil cake” is fed to cattle“The day of coconut as mainly or solely a monoculture appears to be almost over.”SustainabilityThe