Most agriculture in southern Israel relies uniquely on the date palm. Argan trees are a possible new cash crop for the region due to their ability to thrive in the dry climate and the highly profitable argan oil. Kibbutz Ketura supports Israeli argan groves by buying their fruit to produce argan oil. Argan oil production, however, is a labor-intensive and under-developed process. We analyzed the process in Kibbutz Ketura to identify immediate and future improvements such that the process can expand to support Ketura's growing argan grove and other Israeli farmers. Using the results of this analysis, we implemented changes to the process to increase throughput.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Robinson, John
• Deshusses, Elise

Subject

• Industry
• Innovation
• Sustainability
• Environment

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 48531
• E-project-022822-171751

Keyword

• Process
• Nut
• Argan

Advisor

• Tuler, Seth
• Bar-On, Isa

Year

• 2022

Center

• Israel Project Center (Eilat) - IQP

Sponsor

• Nadav Solowey

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
• 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Date created

• 2022-02-28

Resource type

• Interactive Qualifying Project

Rights statement

• In Copyright