Castor Seed Planting & Processing Project (Under GSC Empowerment Program)

1. Agricultural Training & Capacity Building

• Train women, youth, and teenage mothers in modern castor seed farming techniques.

• Provide knowledge on soil preparation, pest management, and organic farming methods.

• Demonstrate climate-smart agriculture practices for higher yields.

2. Input Support & Extension Services

• Provide castor seeds, fertilizers, and simple farm tools to beneficiaries.

• Establish farmer field schools and model demonstration gardens.

• Link beneficiaries to extension workers for continuous technical guidance.

3. Value Addition & Processing

• Set up small-scale castor oil extraction units for women/youth groups.

• Train beneficiaries in seed cleaning, drying, and storage to maintain quality.

• Promote castor oil production for industrial, cosmetic, and medicinal uses.

4. Market Linkages & Cooperative Formation

• Organize farmers into savings & cooperative groups for collective marketing.

• Link farmers to national and regional buyers of castor oil and by-products.

• Explore export opportunities for castor oil in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

5. Economic Empowerment & Job Creation

• Create employment opportunities in planting, harvesting, and processing stages.

• Support youth and women entrepreneurs to start agribusiness ventures using castor by-products.

• Generate income through sales of castor oil, cake (animal feed), and industrial raw materials.

6. Environmental & Social Benefits

• Promote castor as a drought-resistant crop suitable for climate adaptation.

• Encourage afforestation by intercropping castor with other trees/crops.

• Empower marginalized women and youth to reduce poverty and dependency.

7. Research, Innovation & Sustainability

• Partner with agricultural research institutes to improve seed varieties and yields.

• Promote innovative uses of castor by-products (e.g., biofuel, organic fertilizer).

• Establish a revolving fund where part of the profits supports new beneficiaries.

8. Integration with Other Programs

• Link castor farming profits to support girls’ education (school fees, scholastic materials).

• Use project proceeds to sustain skills training programs for teenage mothers.

• Strengthen community resilience by diversifying income beyond subsistence farming.