Adoption of Green Manufacturing Practices by Food Processing Firms in Mombasa County, Kenya

Abstract

Green manufacturing has emerged as a key approach for manufacturing firms seeking to become environmentally sustainable and globally competitive. As a developing country, Kenya has to balance both operational and environmental performance. The objective of this study was to determine the extent of Green Manufacturing Practices' adoption by food processing firms in Mombasa County, Kenya. A descriptive research design was adopted for this study. It targeted a population of food processing firms in Mombasa County listed by Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM). A sample of 66 firms was taken. The data was collected using questionnaires. The results obtained indicated that green manufacturing practices adoption was at implementation stage as most food processing had considered adoption. The study also established that the major perceived benefits of adopting green manufacturing are; reduction of waste water, reduction of frequency of environmental accidents and reduction in scrap rate. Lastly, the major factors influencing adoption of green manufacturing were found to be; organization capabilities and awareness, desire for economic benefit, government rules and legislation, and high waste generation. The study recommends that the management in food processing firms should focus and allocate more resources towards pollution prevention practices than pollution control practices, as these results in greater product innovation and thus higher firm performance. They should also strive at achieving green manufacturing through remanufacturing and substitution, this will enhance efficiency and synergy in the industry, environment performance and reduce waste to achieve cost savings. Finally, the managers should act fast and implement green manufacturing practices since there are potential benefits which will result in sales growth.