Tanzanian Scientist Turns Cashew Waste into Eco-Friendly Leather
A young girl’s early encounters in her village have blossomed into a breakthrough that is reshaping Tanzania’s leather industry. Dr Cecilia China, a materials scientist, has developed an eco-friendly tannin derived from cashew husks, a breakthrough that could revolutionise leather production across the country.
Growing up in western Tanzania, China was inspired by a medical doctor who rented a room in her family home. “I observed his lifestyle – wearing a white coat and always smart. That highly influenced my education, especially in the sciences,” she recalled.
Today, Dr China’s research addresses one of Tanzania’s pressing environmental and economic challenges. The country has one of Africa’s largest livestock populations, with more than 50 million cattle, sheep and goats. Yet, most raw hides are exported for processing, and local tanneries often rely on toxic chemicals such as chromium, which pose health risks to workers and consumers.
Dr China’s innovation uses the reddish-brown husks of cashew nuts – normally discarded as waste – to produce natural tannins that preserve and soften leather. “If we use cashew waste for leather processing, women can earn income by collecting and supplying that waste. We are creating a new industry that did not exist before,” she said, noting that nearly 96 per cent of people employed in cashew processing are women.
The breakthrough was made possible by a scholarship from the African Development Bank’s programme supporting advanced STEM education at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology in Arusha. More than half of the 141 students supported by the initiative are women, including Dr China.
“The Bank strongly believes in the role of science and technology education to support Africa’s social and economic growth,” said Hendrina Doroba, the Bank’s Division Manager for Education and Skills Development. “By partnering with local institutions, we are helping create a highly skilled, future-ready workforce.”
Dr China has founded AfriTech Organic Leather Company, which trains SMEs to produce luxury leather products locally, driving both job creation and economic growth. She also lectures at her alma mater and established an NGO to encourage girls to pursue science from primary school through university, addressing persistent gender disparities in STEM.
Dr China’s work exemplifies how innovative, locally-driven solutions can create economic opportunities while protecting the environment, showing the transformative potential of African research.
