Potential Economic Importance of Agave Plants in Kenya: A Special Focus on Alcohol Production
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2200/aerj.v3i2.183Keywords:
Agave Plants, Agave Spirit, Distilleries, Mexico, KenyaAbstract
Large tracts of land in Kenya are arid and semi-arid making them agriculturally unproductive. They are synonymous with endemic famines and can be considered a liability to Kenya’s economy. The succulent Agave plants, which are adapted to these zones, have several industrial purposes. To date, they have remained largely under-exploited in Kenya. Mexico is the world leading producer of Tequila; an alcoholic beverage obtained from agave plant. A detailed review was done on the production of distilled beverage from agave plants. Brief reviews were also done on other potential uses of the plant and the requirements of the agave plant cultivation. Possible bottlenecks in the production of distilled beverages from agave plants have also been highlighted. This aims to compel potential investors, especially in the beverage industries, to consider tapping into the possible fortunes of agave cultivation.
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