The potential of coconut by-products to foster food security and sustainability in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is an important crop, mainly in the tropical and subtropical regions of the globe. It is one of the top ten useful trees in the world, providing food and non-food benefits to millions of people worldwide. As coconut is the second largest crop in extent next to staple crop ‘Rice’ in Sri Lanka, it plays a vital role in the household food security. The annual production of coconuts in the country is reported to be about 2.8 billion nuts, out of which 1.8 billion is used for household consumption, and the balance of 1 billion is being available for manufacture of coconut products. In recent times, factors like climate change, fragmentation of coconut lands, and prevalence of pest and diseases pose major risk for future coconut yield in the country. Maximizing the utilization of the coconut sector’s by-products is proposed as a proactive approach to address coconut-based food insecurity in Sri Lanka. Coconut shell, coconut testa, coconut sap of the inflorescence, and mature coconut water released from factories are some of the by-products of coconut industry, showing great potential. Utilizing them for food purposes might entail various direct and indirect economic benefits and positive environmental impacts, while reducing disposal costs and increasing the value of the coconut tree.