Palm kernel waste management through composting and crop production

Palm kernel wastes produced from small and medium- scale industries pose a serious environmental problem in Nigeria. A portion of these wastes is used as feed supple- ments for livestock but most are disposed off by burning in the industry for heating purposes. This practice is an environmental concern and the byproduct ash is also a problem which needs to be addressed. Alternative economic disposal methods are necessary and one potential method is to convert the wastes into compost and put them back on the farm. This paper describes a study in which palm kernel waste was converted into compost using goat manure and poultry droppings as nitrogen supplements. The compost was assessed for crop yield using green amaranth as a test crop under greenhouse conditions. The composting process was complete within 42 days and the quality was found to be good. The results indicate that the composts can be applied at 4 tonnes/Ha to obtain yields comparable to those of organo-mineral fertilizer and chemical fertilizer which are popular among Nigerian farmers. This composting process has the potential to address the environmental health concerns arising from the current way of dealing with palm kernel wastes.