By: Eng. Okumu Ngwalla M.F (Formerly – Process Engineer – South Nyanza Sugar Co. Ltd, Kenya.)

ABSTRACT
The art of producing sugar is a very challenging exercise. This is because it involves extensive use of sophisticated machines/management of human resource and materials into a finished product i.e. sugar.

The raw materials are sugar beet and sugar cane and other corrective materials like lime sulphur and alcohol depending on seeding process.

In Kenya sugar processing involves use of steam power generated from the boilers using bagasse, a by product of sugar cane to drive the mill turbines for crushing cane and turbo alternator to generate electricity used in the factory.
In Kenya two processes are in use to extract juice from sugar cane: diffusion and crushing. Mumias Sugar Company uses diffusion.

As can be seen none of the above processes is simple. Each presents a technological challenge ordinarily- sugar is a principal factor in the development of any country.

In this paper we shall look briefly at the principles and history of economic depression with emphasis on the American scenario. We shall try to establish whether the Kenyan economy is depressed.

Since the sugar industry operates within the economy it is reasonable to believe that the state of affairs of the economy would exert a significant influence on sugar production and consumption and this industry like other process industry is affected by economic changes in the society. For this reason a significant portion of this paper has to look at various effects and consequences of economic depression.

In this paper we shall highlight major challenges and problems involved in increasing sugar productivity in Kenya with emphasis on the history of the sector, policy framework, sugar imports and high duties, sugar development and supply factors, expansion and modernization programmes, high power bills, inefficient methods of production including maintenance and manpower resources.

We shall attempt to look at ways of mitigating some of these challenges. A specific focus will be on why Kenyan sugar is more expensive than imported one. From the Kenyan experience the paper will give practical solutions and how this knowledge can be replicated in African and global economies.