Sisal

A Golden Revolution in Pakistan

Lok Sanjh Foundation

© LSF, April 2016

Sisal A Golden Revolution in Pakistan

All rights reserved. No portion may be reproduced without
permission of LSF (Lok Sanjh Foundation)

First Edition: 500 Copies

Published by
Lok Sanjh Foundation
Islamabad, Pakistan
Email:
Lok_sanjh@yahoo.com
Design & Layout By:
Inderyas Masih
 Sisal I A Golden Revolution in Pakistan

Sisal
A Golden Revolution in Paksitan

Lok Sanjh Foundation

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Table of Contents
Acronyms

Chapter 1: Introduction
Description of Sisal Plant
Sisal Promotion in Pakistan:

Chapter 2: Lok Sanjh Initiative

Sisal Cultivation
Development of Sisal Nurseries and Plantation
Plantation at Field Level
Public and Private Sector Linkages
Sisal Decortication

Chapter 3: Learning from Tanzania

Linkages with Sisal Industry – LSF team Visit to Tanzania in 2014
Sisal Development Initiative – LSF team Visit to Tanzania in 2015
Linking with Private Sector – Follow up Visit to Tanzania in 2015

Chapter 4: Research Efforts in Pakistan

Collaboration with University of Arid Agriculture for Research on

“In Vitro Propagation of Sisal Plant”
Rapid Propagation Through Tissue Culture
Research Activity at Agricultural Research Institute, Milingano
Investigations Related to Fibre Characteristics of Different Indigenously
Produced Sisal Fibres

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Acronyms
TSB Tanzania Sisal Board
NARC National Agriculture Research Centre
PMAS-AAUR Pir Mehr Ali Shah; Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi
UAF University of Agriculture Faisalabad
ARI Agricuture Research Institute
LSF Lok Sanjh Foundation
RBDC Rural Business Development Centre
PJMA Pakistan Jute Mills Association
MRI Malingano Research Institute
SRP Sisal Research Programme
RRI Range Research Institute
SRF Sisal Research Fund
UET University of Engineering and Technology
SUA Sokoine University of Agriculture

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Chapter 1: Introduction
In changing climate, there is either too little rain, no rain or too much rain. As a result periodically
many areas in Pakistan face drought or flood like situation that causes a loss of livelihood for small
farmers and affecting agriculture in many ways. If it rains too much there is rapid soil erosion in
Potohar’s arid region and flood in other areas. If it does not rain, there is danger of drought.
Pakistan being water stressed country is likely to face negative effects on its agriculture. In this
regard, the challenges are many. For example, how to enhance livelihood opportunities for
farmers and take appropriate measures for mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

The livelihood of most population in Pothohar region of north Punjab depends on agriculture,
which is rain fed. Wheat is the main crop grown with some minor crops, such as, mustard, maize,
sorghum, millet and seasonal vegetables. As most of the smallholder farmers go out in search of
off farm jobs, it is mainly women farmers cultivating crops and taking care of livestock. The area is
facing severe water crisis due to changing climate. There is too little rain, no rain or too much rain.
As a result periodically the area faces drought like situation and loss of livelihood for small farmers.
If it rains too much there is rapid soil erosion. The challenges are: how to enhance resilience of
farming systems, empower women farmers and take appropriate measures to stabilize soil and
introduce climate resilient crops.

In South Punjab area, cotton, citrus, mangoes and vegetables are generally grown by small
farmers while new cotton varieties demand more water. With climate change, water supplies are
decreasing. Canal water is the only source of irrigation and underground water is not fit for
irrigation. There is a challenge to adjust and re-adjust cropping patterns with increasingly more
uncertain water supplies.

Similarly in adjacent areas of Thal desert, farmers are facing challenges to grow food, fodder and
fiber crops to meet the family needs. With the climate change, shifting patterns of rainfall are
further making food production more challenging and risky. Particularly, shifting sand dunes make
it more difficult and costly.
Many countries are encouraging farmers to shift to crops that require less water. For instance,
Tanzania made good efforts to enhance area under Sisal (agave sislana) crop that can grow under
extremely harsh conditions and with very little water. Both China and India also introduced Sisal in
their water stressed areas and now exporting Sisal fiber and products.

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Sisal is a fiber plant that can grow on poor soils, requires no fertilizers and can survive in extreme
moisture stress. There is generally no pest attack on the crop. With one time cost of planting, Sisal
offers harvests twice a year for about 14 years. Then suckers growing around the plants are used
for replanting. Virtually with no cost of external inputs, Sisal offers returns quite comparable with
existing crops like cotton, wheat etc. Sisal plants are most important in terms of the production of
cordage fibers which are scraped mechanically from leaves. Agave plants are conventionally
propagated by the bulbils which arise from the axillary meristems on the inflorescence after
flowering. However, it takes approximately 20-30 years of vegetative growth until the adult plant
reaches the generative stage and begins flowering. Most plants seldom set seeds; therefore
sexual
reproduction through true seeds is usually inconvenient. Another way of propagation is based on
the stolon cuttings. Each stolon terminates in a young plantlet. Under suitable conditions each
adult Agave plant can only form a few stolons every year. For the new planting of large areas, a
large number of seed plantlets (4000 plants per ha) is needed, therefore the development of a
new propagation technique using in vitro culture methods was of practical value.

Sisal is produced with minimum pre and post- harvest losses and average yield of dried fibers is
about 1 ton per hectare, although yields in East Africa can reach 3-4 ton per hectare. It is widely
cultivated in Brazil which by far is the most important sisal producing countries, followed by
Tanzania, Kenya and Mexico. China and India are on their way to become important producers. In
East Africa, where sisal is produced on an estate basis, the leaves transported to a central
decortication plant after which the fiber is dried, brushed and baled - for export or for use in the
domestic mills. Planting and harvesting takes place all year so there is no element of seasonality to
earnings. The farmers are paid monthly, and they are guaranteed a market for their product.
There is little vulnerability to

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environmental shocks since sisal is so drought

resistant and sisal provides an income even if
food crops fail, thereby increasing financial
security of small farmers. Sisal uses bulbils to
spread but also
runners are produced. Both can be used for
new Sisal plants. Sisal is a renewable resource
and can form part of the overall solution to
climate change. Measured over its life-cycle,
sisal absorbs more carbon dioxide than it
produces. During processing, it generates
mainly organic wastes and leaf residues that
can be used to generate bio-energy produce
animal feed, fertilizer and ecological housing
material and, at the end of its life cycle, sisal is
100 percent biodegradable. By contrast
synthetically produced fibers do not possess
any of these traits. Moreover sisal plants
reduce soil erosion through its extensive root system and contributes positively to watershed
management.

Sisal plants used as hedges act as effective

vegetative barriers/ fences to protect the
crops lands and forests from predatory
animals and intruders. In addition to offering
economical returns in more challenging
environment, sisal also helps in stabilizing land
and local environment, reducing soil erosion
and stabilizing sand dunes in desert areas as
well. As a carbon sinking crop, it also helps
mitigating climate change. Description of Sisal
Plant Sisal with the botanical name Agave
sisalana, is a species of Agave native to
southern Mexico but widely cultivated and
naturalized in many other
countries. It yields a stiff fiber used in making
various products. The term sisal may refer
either to the plant's common name or the
fiber, depending on the context. It is
sometimes referred to as "sisal hemp",
because for centuries hemp was a major source for fiber, and other fiber sources were named
after it. The sisal fibre is traditionally used for rope and twine, and has many other uses, including
paper, cloth, wall coverings, carpets, and dartboards.

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Sisal plants, Agave Sisalana, consist of a rosette of sword-shaped leaves about 1.5–2 metres
(4.9–6.6 ft) tall. Young leaves may have a few minute teeth along their margins, but lose them as
they mature. The sisal plant has a 7–10 year life-span and typically produces 200–250
commercially usable leaves. Each leaf contains an average of around 1000 fibers. The fibers
account for only about 4% of the plant by weight. Sisal is considered a plant of the tropics and
subtropics, since production benefits from temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius and sunshine.

Propagation
Propagation of sisal is generally by using bulbils produced from buds in the flower stalk or by
suckers growing around the base of the plant, which are grown in nursery fields until large enough
to be transplanted to their final position. These methods offer no potential for genetic
improvement. In vitro multiplication of selected genetic material using meristematic tissue
culture (MST) offers considerable potential for the development of improved genetic material.

Fiber Extraction
Fibre is extracted by a process known as decortication, where leaves are crushed and beaten by a
rotating wheel set with blunt knives, so
that only fibres remain. In East Africa,
where production is typically on large
estates, the leaves are transported to a
central decortication plant, where
water is used to wash away the waste
parts of the leaf.
The fibre is then dried, brushed and
baled for export. Proper drying is
important as fibre quality depends
largely on moisture content. Artificial
drying has been found to result in
generally better grades of fibre than
sun drying, but is not always feasible in
the developing countries where sisal is
produced. In the drier climate of north-
east Brazil, sisal is mainly grown by
smallholders and the fibre is extracted
by teams using portable raspadors
which do not use water. Fibre is
subsequently cleaned by brushing. Dry fibres are machine combed and sorted into various grades,
largely on the basis of the previous in-field separation of leaves into size groups.

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Sisal Promotion in Pakistan:

There is a vast scope of Sisal production in dry and rainfed areas of Pakistan and it can be an
excellent solution for smallholders’ livelihood affecting from changing climatic conditions. It can
be grown while intercropping with different crops like maize, sun flower, peas, beans etc. Sisal is a
renewable resource and can form part of the overall solution to climate change. Measured over its
life-cycle, sisal absorbs more carbon dioxide than it produces. During processing, it generates
mainly organic wastes and leaf residues that can be used to generate bioenergy, produce animal
feed, fertiliser and ecological housing material and, at the end of its life cycle, sisal is 100 percent
biodegradable. By contrast synthetically produced fibres do not possess any of these traits.
Moreover sisal plants reduce soil erosion through its extensive root system and contributes
positively to watershed management. Sisal plants used as hedges act as effective vegetative
barriers/fences to protect the crops lands and forests from predatory animals and intruders.

Business Value of Sisal

Pakistan has a strong position in sisal cultivation as it has comparative and competitive
advantages, such as the weather, soil and human capital which is a catalyst to the growth of the
industry. The future in sisal is the commercial use of the total plant instead of the raw materials
only and research results indicate the viability of transforming sisal waste into energy and
industrial products. The improvement of food security, crop diversification and farming systems
are ensured through the development of smallholder schemes which see value in using the same
land and labour to produce more than one crop by mixing sisal with food crop production. In sisal
growing areas, better yields on food crops have been recorded in sisal fields than on pure crop land
as there is always some moisture around sisal plants. Mixing sisal with food

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crop production may reduce the investment costs as well as those of maintaining the crops
while at the same time giving higher returns.Competition from synthetics has weakened
demand for sisal in traditional applications,however new consumer demands for natural
fibres are expanding the markets for sisal in more high-value applications such as in paper,
reinforcing composites and plastic composites.

Local Regional International

CONSUMPTION Markets Markets Markets

Traders/Agent
TRADING exporters

Support Secondary processing Services

Services Providers

PROCESSING Primary processing

Sisal smallholder/ out Medium / Large Scale

grower Farmers Farmers
PRODUCTION Sisal Farming

Nursery
Planting

Critical factors for the development of the sisal business chain which are both opportunities
and challenges are:

?Quality of produce
?Quantity and Consistency
?Energy
?Change of Mindset
?Public-Private Partnership

Before smallholders join any sisal schemes,they should be assured that the business venture
will be profitable and enjoy market growth.Sisal smallholders need:access to markets and
finance; extension advice to improve productivity, production and quality; access to information
( market,technical and R&D); and generally, strategies to promote sisal production as a viable
business.
In addition,support is required through the availability of appropriate resouces to finance
production,extension,marketing and developmental activities along the chain,as well as
access to R& D results and how they can contribute to improving production,product and
market development,logistics,technology development and dissemination systems.

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Sisal has a wide variety of applications including:

Traditional - Twine, ropes, string, yarn and which can also be woven into carpets, mats, and
arious handicrafts. Competition from synthetics has weakened demand for sisal in these
traditional applications, however new consumer demands for natural fibres are expanding the
markets for sisal in more high-value applications such as in paper, reinforcing composites and
plastic composites.

Sisal pulp and paper – As sisal biomass contains a high proportion of cellulose its pulp is a
substitute for wood fibres and adds bulk to paper and cardboard as well as being absorbent and
having high fold endurance characteristics making it a high quality input for paper products. Given
its porosity, it can be used in cigarette paper filters and things like tea bags.

Textile - A major use of the fibre is in buffing cloth – because sisal is strong enough to polish steel
and soft enough not to scratch it.

Sisal reinforcing composites - Sisal can substitute or enhance fibre-glass used to reinforce
plastic in automobiles, boats, furniture, water tanks and pipes. Sisal can also be used to add
strength in cement mixtures for the development of low cost housing and to replace asbestos in
roofing and brake-pads. In addition it is an insulation material and can be made into fibre-board as
a wood substitute.

Plastic and rubber composites - Sisal has good potential as reinforcement in polymer
(thermoplastics, thermosets and rubbers) composites due to the low density and good welding
specific properties. The use of sisal composites in automotive components and other furniture is
gaining popularity. Sisal also continues to make the best material for dart boards.

Sisal waste products - By-products from sisal extraction can be used for making biogas,
pharmaceutical ingredients and building material. The biomass left after fibres have been
removed represents as much as 98 percent of the plant, and most is now flushed away as waste.
The waste produced by decortication such as sisal juice, particles of crushed parenchymatose
tissue and fragments of leaves and fibres can be used as fertilizer or animal feed.

Market Outlook - Sisal has a promising future not only because of the new uses of this fibre but
also because of growing public awareness that natural fibres, like sisal, are environmentally
friendly. The growth of sisal for use in non-traditional markets indicates that sisal is becoming
increasingly recognized as a valuable and diverse resource material. There may well be other
potentially valuable by-products to be found in the fleshy waste discarded by sisal decorticators,
apart from cattle feed and biogas.

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SISAL CULTIVATION

Improved Agro Awareness/Training/Demonst Formation of

Technologies ration User friendly Sisal clubs
fiber
extraction
procedures

Sustainable fiber production

Rural Semi-Urban Urban

Sisal Cultivation Yarn Making Composites for

Fiber Extraction Export Quality Anchor Ropes High end value added
Grading Carpets and Mats engineering products
Handicrafts; Ropes Fishing Nets (Building Materials;
Spin-offs: Manures; Geo-textiles Automobiles;
Vermicopost; Hecogenin; Paper/Paper Boards Railways; Boats etc)
Wax; Biogas; Electricity

Employment Generation
Export Potential
Economy Creation

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Chapter 2: Lok Sanjh Initiative

Sisal Cultivation
With climate change, water supplies are decreasing.
Canal water is the only source of irrigation and
underground water is not fit for irrigation. There is a
challenge to adjust and re-adjust ropping patterns with
increasingly more uncertain water supplies. LSF, as a
strategy to encourage farmers to shift to crops that
require less water, is promoting sisal cultivation in water
scarce areas. In last three years, LSF has developed sisal
plant nurseries in Toba Tek Singh and Chakwal Districts.
Plants from nurseries have been distributed to 500
Farmers from project villages.

Development of Sisal Nurseries and Plantation

LSF started work with development of a nursery of 300 plants at the PMAS-AAUR. In addition a
main nursery was also developed at PMAS-AAUR’s Koont Research Farm near Chakwal through
collecting sisal plants which were found growing on roadsides in areas of North Punjab. For this,
University had allocated 2.5 acres of land under its Sisal Research Programme with the
collaboration of LSF. In this Nursery a total of 2,200 plants had been planted. Similarly, National
Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) had allocated about 4 acres of marginal land at its premises
where 20,000 sisal plants had been planted during March 2015. This sisal plantation at NARC will
be used for further research. For example, NARC will determine agronomic characterization of
available sisal plants in the country.

Plantation at Field Level

Registration of Farmers

Lok Sanjh Field team in connection with village level working farmers committee had reached
potential and willing farmers for their registration. Farmers showed keen interest in cultivating
Sisal. Lok Sanh registered 500 farmers from South Punjab and 250 from North Punjab villages to
grow Sisal as Hedge along their fields or uncultivated areas.

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Farmers Trainings On Sisal Plantation/Cultivation

Farmers Trainings on Sisal cultivation and Production techniques were organized with following
objectives:

1. To educate farmers about Sisal Plant, its importance and production and cultivation
Techniques at farmers level
2. To show Sisal Fiber Extraction technologies
3. To display different Sisal by-products and economics of cultivating Sisal at Farmers
level.

Audio visual material was used to facilitate training. Through questions and different queries
farmers participated in the trainings displaying keen interest in cultivation.

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These training sessions covered following aspects of nursery development whereas a training
brouchure was also writeen by the training specialists.

SISAL NURSERY ESTABLISHMENT

?Sisal nursery should be well prepared in order to
get good sisal planting materials which Will in
turn produce good quality sisal fiber.

?Select a well-drained fertile soil, avoid deep

slopes. The area should be accessible, near the
field where Sisal will be planted.

?Land preparation – the selected area

should be brush cut, ploughed and harrowed to
obtain fine tilth, perennial weeds must be
eradicated.

?Select the bulbils from healthy plants, cut off the

poles from suitable plants and remove the
bulbils bearing branches, shack the bulbils into
a sack, to obtain plants which are uniform grade them before planting and discard the
bulbils which are very small.

?Spacing – Plant the bulbils at the spacing of 50 cm x 25 cm. By using this spacing you will
get 80,000 plants per hectare.

?Method of planting - Mark the row ends with sticks. Strike a planting chain between pairs
of sticks. Dib in bulbils at tags on the chain, plant 1.0 to 1.5 cm deep.

?Time of planting – Planting should be completed just before the main rains period

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Coordination with NARC for Trainings

Range Research Institute of National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Islamabad

also coordinated with LSF in training and capacity building with regard to sisal nursery
development and maintenance.
Director Range Research Institute R (RI)and his staff imparted the trainings related to:

?Orientation of Sisal Crop and its usages,processing of fiber

?Agronomy of Sisal plantation
?Nursery Development
?Transplanting techniques
?Practical training of developing Sisal Nursery
?Use of Sisal Fiber to make different Products

After the trainings, all farmers participated in a farmer field school in which practical training was
imparted on planting and developing sisal nursery and transplanting techniques. Afterwards,
farmers were taken to the Sisal Progam of the NARC, where they were shown sisal plantation on 8
acre farm. Towards the end of this training they were taken to the Farm Machinery Unit of NARC
where they have developed first Pakistani Decorticator and Brushing Machine in Pakistan with the
assistance of Lok Sanjh Foundation. Practical demonstration was given by operating sisal
decorticator to separate the fiber from biomass.

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Farmers Exposure Visit

An exposure visit to Nursery developed at Pir Mehr Ali Shah; Arid Agriculture University was
organized for registered farmers.

Farmers Exposure was quite helpful in learning directly from the field. Farmers have learned the
techniques of nursery raising, selection of suckers and seedlings, agronomic practices to prepare
fields for sisal crop and local knowledge about sisal crop.

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Farmers Field Day to Collect Sisal Suckers for

Nursery Development
A Farmer field day was organized where staff and farmers collectively worked on sisal suckers
collection. Around 2000 sisal suckers were removed, packed in bags and taken to plantation sites.
These suckers have been successfully planted in nurseries and are growing successfully.

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Sisal Plants Distribution

After completion of trainings, plants were distributed to 500 farmers in South Punjab and 250
farmers in North Punjab. These plants were sourced from the nurseries developed in cooperation
with PMAS-AAUR and NARC.

Sisal Inauguration Ceremony

Sisal Value Chain Inauguration ceremony was held at Chakwal. Prize money was distributed
among farmers who successfully planted sisal nurseries. Role of women at various stages of sisal
women enterprise was highlighted by experts.

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Growing Sisal Plant as Hedge Row

LSF had a target of planting more than 45,000 sisal plants as hedge row on over 250 farmers’ land
in Toba Tek Singh (TTS) which was completed during March 2015. Thus LSF has been able to make
significant progress in production technology. Plants were sowed at 4 feet distance as hedge along
one Kanal of farm to make better and dense hedge pants were sowed at thinner distance.

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Muhammad Idrees lives in 153 Gb Village of Toba Tek Singh. He lived with his
family comprising of 5 children and was doing agriculture on 2 Acres. He generally
cultivates wheat, sugarcane and fodder crops along with sesame and Moong. Lok
Sanjh Field team started working with him during April and May 2014. Initially he
had not shown much interest, afterwards he realized that the said organization
was not working to brand their product or sell their product but was purely
farmers based organization working for well being of small farmers. He started
participating in training and meeting sessions organized by Lok Sanjh Field team.
Not only he gained useful information related to agriculture farming but also he
keenly applied best management practices at his farm. He was further provided
Sisal farming training at Islamabad and showed him Sisal nursery development
and plantation at Field Level. He was then provided with Sisal plants that he grew
at his farm as hedgerow. After two months he was again provided with larger no of
plants, which he planted as, hedgerow and maintained a separate plot also. He
keeps 1 Kanal of barren non-irrigated plot, which he along with help and support
of Lok Sanjh Foundation was developed as Sisal Plot. Now, his main farm is saved
from animals because of hedgerow and his barren land was brought into
utilization which will start returning after two years.

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Public and Private Sector Linkages

Stakeholders Meeting on Production and Promotion of Sisal

In a stakeholders meeting on the subject,nearly 30 representatives of OXFAM-

NOVIB,LSF,
Pakistan Jute Mills Association (PJMA), Textile Mills,academia,students,researchers of
Fiber Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad ( UAF),PMASAAUR and Ayub
Agriculture Research Institute participated.Dr,Shahid Zia,MD,Lok Sanjh was the keynote
speaker.The deliberations of the meeting concluded to:

?Continue propagation through tissue culture with the PMAS - Arid Agriculture
University

?Support students and other research for taking it from Lab to farmers as a crop.
For
this it was proposed to establish Sisal Research Fund (
SRF)through public private
partnership.

?Establish Sisal Working Group ( SWG) comprising representative of

industry,academia,LSF,and others for the purpose of its promotion and taking it
up at the policy level with the provincial and federal government level.

?Visit of a delegate consisting of representatives of industry,university,LSF and

farmer to Tanzania where sisal has been very successful.This visit will help in
assessing and studying Tanzanian success model for adapting and replication in
Pakistan.

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Sisal Advisory Group Meeting/Forum

A Forum was held at the Department of Fiber Technology, Faculty of Agriculture Engineering,
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad .The objective was to create awareness among students and
faculty members for undertaking future research on sisal crop. More than 60 students of textile
and fiber technology and faculty members participated in the forum. Dr. Allah Bukhsh, Dean
Faculty of Agriculture Engineering and Technology chaired the forum. He welcomed the
participants and appreciated the serious efforts of Lok Sanjh Foundation (LSF) for introducing and
promoting sisal in Pakistan. Particularly, he emphasized the need of such crop in the wake of
diminishing water resources in Pakistan and its importance. He also ensured co-operation and
support of the faculty for any future research and development.

LSF representative gave presentation on Sisal drawing his experience from a visit to Tanzania and
LSF’s effort to promote sisal from nursery to industry including developing value chain.

Dr. Assad Farooq, Head, Department of Fiber Technology, UAF presented and discussed the
research undertaken by him on characterization of Sisal fiber and development of decorticator.
Head of Women Entrepreneur Centre at the Institute of Home Sciences, University of Agriculture
Faisalabad, showed interest in sisal fiber and said that women engaged at the centre may also try
making products of sisal.

The forum was concluded with a positive response from the participants that this has helped in
creating interest in crop that is water efficient and can be source of income generating for many
farmers in marginal areas.

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Engaging Jute Industry

LSF’s on-going effort to engage Jute industry had been quite encouraging for trying and
developing locally available sisal fiber for producing product samples. The participation and
interest shown by the representatives of private sector i.e. Pakistan Jute Mills Association (PJMA),
textile, mills and other institutions in sisal development has been quite encouraging. Particularly
the jute mills and PJMA showed interest in shifting their production to sisal fibre if it becomes
available in the country.

Sisal Stakeholders Alliance Meeting

Lok Sanjh Foundation conducted Sisal Stake Holders Alliance Meeting, Subject Specialists,
researchers and other active stakeholders from Department of Fiber and Textile Technology,
University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Ayub Agriculture Research, Arid Agriculture University,
University and Engineering and Technology Lahore, National textile University, Social Sector,
Textile and Private Sector, farmers, Importer and Exporter and from Media participated in the
Event. The objective of the meeting was to discuss the production technologies of Sisal Plant and
discover different processing and marketing scenarios keeping in view the national and
international market setups. Meeting ended with three Scenarios with participants; as continuing
of work commenced by different Research and development establishments bring forward the
technology/research and techniques from Lab to Farm and Public private partnership in sisal
development. Lastly sisal-working group/committee was formed with its working body and
agenda was finalized.

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International Conference on Natural Fibers

LSF organized International Conference on Natural Fibers in January 2015 engaging stakeholders
from cotton industry, National Agricultural Research and Academic Institutions, and Tanzania
Sisal Industry. The conference was a great success to encourage all the stakeholders working on
Cotton and Sisal crops. The Govt and research departments got fully convinced to support Lok
Sanjh Foundation in all aspects of cotton/Sisal production. It emphasized that there is a need to
cater growing needs for which cotton and sisal are the best options

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Collaboration with Tanzania Sisal Board (TSB)

LSF had been able to develop good understanding with TSB through a visit to Tanzania and later
participation of DG in conference on Natural Fibers held in Islamabad. The DG, TSB had assured to
provide all technical assistance in developing Sisal planting and production process. In addition,
one Pakistani scientist from PMAS-AAUR had spent two weeks at Tanzania’s Malingano Research
Institute (MRI) for gaining first hand knowledge of research and development which would help in
replicating and up scaling the sisal production and processing in Pakistan.

Sisal Decortication

Development of Sisal Decorticator

The growing and dissemination of sisal crop in the country is associated with the development of
fiber decortication, fiber characterization, fiber processing and value addition facilities. Since
there were no sisal decorticators machines available in Pakistan , therefore, LSF engaged two
institutions i.e. University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF) and NARC for developing decortication
machines.
As a result, the department of Fibre & Textile Technology, UAF had been able to design and
develop the Sisal decorticator. The developed decorticator machine was smarter than the other
internationally available machines. However, it was tested of its decortication function which was
found more effective due to specially designed decorticating cylinder and the under knife. Hence,
fibres came out clean and were almost free of green matter.

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In spite of all these efforts, there is vast cushion of improvements in the existing design of
decorticator. The department of Fibre & Textile Technology wanted to improve the design of sisal
decorticator in terms of making it diesel operated mobile, so that it can work in the fields to avoid
the deterioration in the quality of sisal leaves during transportation.

Moreover, the automation of the sisal decorticator was necessary to make it more practical.
Automatic feeding and delivery instead of manual feeding could do this. Furthermore,
Characterization of sisal fibres is of vital importance. The quality of fiber extracted from
indigenous wild sisal plant was evaluated and the other parameters related to percentage of fibres
in the leaves were also of vital importance. The process is on going and hope to get good results.

Similarly, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Institute (ABEI) formerly Farm Machinery
Institute (FMI) of NARC had also successfully developed one decorticator machines which was
tested for its operation. This machine designed and developed by ABEI was cost effective and was
displayed during LSF’s “Women’s Mela” held on 9th April 2015 at NARC.

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Testing Sisal Fiber and its Applications

LSF and University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Faisalabad Campus had agreed to sign
MOU for collaboration between both the organizations. In this regard, UET had offered to test the
quality of fiber, dyeing and various high-end applications of fiber. The UET argues that since in the
beginning sisal production will be minimum, therefore, one may go into developing applications of
fiber for better market return

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Chapter 3: Learning from Tanzania

Linkages with Sisal Industry – LSF team Visit to Tanzania in 2014
Team of 4 persons (3 from LSF and Vice Chancellor Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi)
travelled to Tanzania with the following objectives;

?To assess feasibility of sisal production in dry and rainfed areas of Pakistan.
?Meetings with stakeholders of sisal industry in Tanzania.
?To study model of sisal industry in Tanzania.
?To identify opportunities for collaborative R & D on sisal.
?To look for possible collaborations for sisal cultivation in Pakistan.

The visit was hosted and facilitated by Katani Pvt. Ltd.Katani Ltd is a private company with its head
office in Tanga City, Tanzania. Katani has five sisal estates in the Korogwe District (Tanga Region)
where it operates sisal decortication factories. The company provides technical support and
extension services to farmers in the estates through different schemes. The company is processing
sisal from raw form to different products at estates and factories which are further marketed for
sale in local and international markets. The team had meetings with Tanzania Sisal Board, Staff of
agriculture research institute, Agricultural University and visited various sisal estates being run by
Katani Ltd to see the process of decortication, drying, brushing and baling of sisal fibre. The team
also had a meeting with members of sisal producers organization to learn their experiences of sisal
cultivation.

Meeting with Tanzania Sisal Board

The LSF team met with the Director General (DG), TSB Mr. Hamisi Mapinda at Katani House in
Tanga. The office of the TSB was housed in Katani House at
the time of visit. Dr. Shahid Zia introduced his team and
briefed the DG, TSB about the purpose of visit and
learning from the Tanzania sisal experience and
replicating in Pakistan. The DG, apprised the team about
the short history of Sisal development in Tanzania, trends
in its success, challenges and demand fluctuations in the
global market, establishment of TSB and its role related
to the promotion of sisal in the country. The TSB was
established in 1997 by an Act of Parliament and is
charged with the regulation and promotion of the sisal
industry with the aim of making it sustainable through
increased productivity and profitability. They connect all buyers of sisal fibre and sisal products
from Tanzania.

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He told that Tanzania is 2nd in production of Sisal to Brazil and it is a very important crop for
small farmers in Tanzania and is a major foreign exchange earner.It survives drought and
heavy rain and can be grown anywhere in Tanzania except sea, without pesticides,
herbicides and fertilizers. It only requires soil and sun, has no seasonality, can be
intercropped along with food crops and other cash crops.The Tanga region is one of the
major sisal growing areas.He told that by- products of the Sisal are many i. e.Bio-gas from
the waste of sisal can be used to generate energy and already UNIDO has supported one
such plant.The bio-gas plants can locally be built in Tanga now.The Sisal Research Institute
of Tanzania is already collaborating with other Universities of Brazil and The Netherland for
further research on Sisal.

In addition he apprised the visiting team that talks between TSB and a US based firm which
is leading importer and exporter of premium agave-based products are at advance stage to
start producing agave Syrup and honey to be used by domestic consumers in beverage
industry.He shared the samples of these by-products.As per DG the syrup and Honey
produced seems to be the latest health food craze around the world and it is good for
diabetics.This new trend in using sisal products would also help in encouraging sisal farming
and improving the economy and increase employment.The matter related to cultivation
methods of sisal,agronomic practices,multiplication of sisal through tissue culture and
suckers were discussed.The visiting team expressed its interest in rapid multiplication of
sisal in Pakistan where climatic conditions in some regions are almost similar to Tanga and
abandoned land is present.The meeting was concluded with discussion on the possibility of
signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the TSB and in this regard it was agreed:

?LSF will work out draft of MoU for cooperation in various areas between TSB and
Pakistan which will be sent to DG,for review and changes,if required so.
?A tri-
partite MoU will be signed among TSB,LSF and University of Arid Agriculture,
Rawalpindi.
?The DG TSB will be invited to visit Pakistan for attending a conference during which
MoU can be signed.

Visit to Katani Facilities in Tanga Region

Katani with its head office at Katani House located in Tanga City, Tanga Region in Tanzania,
operates sisal decortication factories in five Estates namely Hale, Mwelya, Ngombezi, Magoma
and Magunga Estate all located in the Korogwe District of Tanga Region.

The company also owns a spinning and weaving mill the largest of its kind in Africa known as
Tancord (1998) Ltd a subsidiary of Katani Ltd., the Central Workshop in Ngombezi, Korogwe
District, and a sisal energy company with its facilities located at Hale Estate called Mkonge Energy
Systems (MeS) Ltd- a subsidiary of Katani Ltd.

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The company is vertically integrated in the sisal sector which is an emerging market posing
opportunities for investment and development, Katani Ltd. is at the forefront in the exploration of
new avenues for further utilization and commercialization of sisal. The activities range from
primary processing, spinning, weaving, selling and marketing sisal products to developing projects
related to best practices in sisal farming and new products, such as, renewable energy from sisal
biomass. All the five estates are rented to Smallholders and Out Grower Scheme known as SISO.
Katani Ltd. Started the SISO in 1999 in one of its estates called Mwelya/Usambara and then later to
other estates. Under this arrangement, small-scale farmers, according to a contractual
arrangement, are allocated farming plots ranging from minimum 6 hectares to 20 hectares where
they grow sisal and sell sisal leaves to Katani Limited who are buyers of their products.

The operations of the company comprise of providing technical support and extension services to
farmers in the estates through the SISO Scheme. The core activities of processing sisal and
producing products at the estates and factory are coupled with marketing and sales of the
products in the local and export market.

Following Katani facilities in Tanga region were visited:

Visit to Ngombezi Central Workshop

LSF team visited Ngombezi Central workshop in Korogwe district where it held meeting with its
General Manager, Mr. Bakarai T. Omari and workshop Chief Engineer Mr. Julius. K. Nyogoto. The
chief engineer of workshop explained the functioning of various machinery used in sisal
cultivation, decortication and processing. He apprised the visiting team that initially decortication
machinery was imported from the UK. However, with regular experiment to improve the designs
and efficiency of different machines, now this workshop was producing local machines used in
sisal production and processing. For example, Katani first introduced small size of Mobile
decorticator.

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operated with 16 HP peter diesel engine. But leaning from experience now large scale central
decortication facilities have been established at different sisal estates where sisal leaves are
transported on tractor trolley for processing. This reportedly has increased efficiency. And this has
the potential to generate biogas to be used at the plant. The workshop has been working since
1970 and providing backstopping support to decortication facilities operating at 5 sisal estates
owned by Katani. It was told that by 2020 with a processing of one million ton target 15 central
decortication facilities will be established. At the time of visit 56 workers were working in a six days
in a week in only one shift. The team was shown around the workshop where different machinery
was being manufactured.

Visit to Sisal Decortication Facilities at Nogombezi and Hale Estates

The team also visited sisal decortication facility at Ngombezi estate in, Krogowe district to see the
process of decortication, sun drying, and baling of sisal fibre for further processing. This plant had
been established near the river Pangani for meeting water requirements during sisal
decortication. It was observed that decortication requires plenty of water. The waste water from
decortication was treated naturally storing and passing through three ponds before falling in the
river again. Katani Ltd was planning to build small scale hydel facility for the decortication plant.

At this plant the team saw how the sisal leaves are transported, unloaded, fed into the plant, fiber
extraction, sun drying and baling for taking it for further processing into products. One of the team
members, Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmed who was an Agri-Engineer pointed out some improvements in
collecting extra fiber which was flowing into the wastewater before falling in the first pond where
it was collected manually by the labourers. The management of the decortication unit agreed with
Dr. Rai Niaz’s suggestion for improving the design. On the same day the team also had a chance to
visit Hale Sisal Estate where Katani had decortication plant and Bio-Gas unit. At Hale the team had
a meeting with male and female members of sisal producers organization working under SISO
scheme to learn their experiences related to sisal cultivation.

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The organization was headed by women named

Zahoora Amiri. She told the team that sisal growers
organization have 123 members who on an
average grow sisal on 6 hectares of land contracted
from Katani Ltd. As stated earlier, the estate is
owned by Katani and sisal growers get land to grow
sisal on contract and Katani provides all kinds of
extension services including transportation of sisal
leaves to decortication facility. After deduction of
various kinds of expenses incurred by Katani on
production and processing the growers are paid
every 60 days.

When Zahoora was asked whether she gets enough income

from sisal? she responded that “she likes growing sisal and also
supplement her income through intercropping Maize (Mahind
in Swahili) as staple , legumes, beans, sunflowers and sesame
which she can sell in the market if surplus from her own
household consumption”.

The Team also visited and learnt different components of sisal energy production at Hale Estate
where Katani had established sisal energy company called Mkonge Energy Systems Ltd. The Bio-
Gas plant had installed capacity of 150 kw generates electricity through using Sisal waste material.
It also generates compost. This plant, Katani Claims to be the first of its kind in the world was
established with the cooperation of UNIDO. Here at the Bio-Gas plant the team was apprised
about the plant by Mr. Gilead E. Kissaka, General Manager. He also demonstrated the operation
and generation of electricity including available compost produced as by product. The electricity
generated so was used mainly within the decortication plant and some excess was supplied to the
domestic quarters within the estate.

Katani’s Bio-Gas plant at Hale

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Visit to Agriculture Research Institute (ARI), Mlingano, Tanga

The team visited ARI spread over 800 hectares of land and held meeting with its Director Mr.
Shabani Hamisi who was assisted by an Agronomist and Head of Sisal Research Programme, Mr
Josef Begani. It was apprised to the team that ‘Mlingano Agriculture Research Institute was
established during the British colonial regime in 1934 with the objective to conduct research for
improvement of sisal yield. The Director, in his briefing, told that nearly all sisal varieties grown in
Tanzania were developed at Mlingano. In the beginning when Sisal was introduced, Tanzania had
only one variety. More hybrid varieties were developed and currently three varieties were grown
in Tanznia. At the time of visit, Mlingano had a collection of over 120 varieties of sisal which they
claim to be the largest collection in the world. Similarly, it was the only Sisal Research Institute
dedicated to sisal Research in the world.

The team was told that ‘main activities covered under sisal research were variety evaluation,
agronomy, and plant protection. They also had the Meristematic Tissue Culture (MTC) laboratory
established in 2000, financed by Common Funds for Commodities 34 (CFC) and United Nations
Industrial and Development Organization (UNIDO). The laboratory was aimed at multiplying good
sisal plants which are high yielding and uniform materials. The sisal materials multiplied by tissue
culture will be established in estate nurseries which will serve as multiplication centers for
planting materials. Mlingano is engaged in research related to natural resource management, soil
and land resources and fertilizer use technology. Nearly all activities in the country related to land
evaluation and land use planning, fertilizer recommendations, agro ecological zones and soil
analysis have had a connection with the Mlingano.

The team discussed the possibility of any collaborative research with Arid University, Rawalpindi,
Pakistan. In his regard Mr. Shaban Hamisi principally agreed to facilitate the research on sisal. He
also agreed to host the research fellow from Pakistan and to initiate collaborative sisal research in
Pakistan. In this regard Tripartite MoU among ARI, LSF and PMAS-AAUR may be signed through
TSB.

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Visit to Tancord Spinning Mill

The team after visiting Mlingano went to see
the sisal spinning and weaving Mill at Ngomeni,
known as Tanzania Cordage or Tancord (1998)
Ltd- a subsidiary of Katani Ltd. Reportedly, with
the closing of Usambara Spinning Mill, there
were now four of the original five spinning mills
still operating in Tanzania with only 35 percent
installed capacity being utilized, and these
were Tancord (1998) Ltd, Amboni Spinning
Mill, 21st Century and Ubena Spinning Mill.

Most spinning/weaving mills were established

in the 1960s and 1970s. However, some were
complemented with newer machineries in the last decade. The spinning mills produce many
products according to market demand. For example, twine, cordage for hay, packaging, baling,
building and many other uses including carpets, wall covering, doormats, car mats, buffing cloth
used for polishing of metal and furniture, fine yarn, bag cloth, padding, mattresses and
handicrafts. All of these products have one thing in common, which is advantageous compared to
synthetics: they are biodegradable, natural and safe.

During the visit Mr. Noah Komba, General Manager and Mr. William A. Mazigo, Production
Manager of the Mill took the team around and showed spinning, brushing, weaving of carpets,
making ropes and twine, and bailing of finished fiber for export etc. The general manager also told
that “Tancord is largest spinning Mill in the country and it employs 300 people in two shifts”. He
also showed various samples of various products particularly carpets and mats. It was already
around sun set and team left for Tanga for overnight stay.

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Visit to Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA). Morogoro

Morogoro is a city with a population of over 315,866 in the southern highlands of Tanzania,
located 169 km west of Dar es Salam and 335 km south of Tanga from where it was of 4 hours’
drive. Morogoro is located and nesteled at the foot of the rugged Uluguru Mountains. It is a city of
cultural mix with Muslims marked by the five time daily calls of prayer from the mosques. Asian
community was also visibly present in various businesses among the presence of European and
American tourists and development workers. Morogoro Region beside boasting Mikumi National
Safari Park is Tanzania’s second largest producer of coffee, cotton, sunflower oil, millet, maize and
sisal.

The objective of the meeting was to discuss the research on sisal and possibility for any
cooperation among LSF, PMAS- AAUR and SUA. The dean of the faculty of Agriculture, Prof.
Bendantunguka Tiisekwa briefed the team that SUA was established in 1984 in Morogoro. The
University was currently made up of four campuses and one constituent college. The campuses
were: the Main Campus in Morogoro, the Olmotonyi Campus in Arusha, and the Mazumbai
Campus in Lushoto. The constituent college, known as Moshi University College of Cooperative
and Business Studies (MUCCoBS) is located in Moshi.The SUA University had 3 faculties
(Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine) and 2 institutes namely the Institute of Continuing
Education and the Development Studies Institute. University’s research programmes mainly
included: Soil and water management for crop and livestock production, technology transfer,
adoption and agricultural diversification, food crops improvement including promotion of
underutilized indigenous crops, nutrition and family resources management, farming systems
research, improvement and management of natural resources and plantation forests including
economics, policy, harvesting and utilization.

During discussion it was felt that University may not have some specialized unit working
exclusively on sisal research. Rai Niaz Ahmed, Vice Chancellor of the only Arid Agriculture
University in Pakistan offered cooperation in Research to SUA in various areas related to such as,
climate change, desert ecology and sisal. The Vice Chancellor invited all the Deans and the Vice
chancellor of SUA to Pakistan and proposed to sign MOU focusing on research in various fields,
faculty and student exchange. He said that PMAS –AAUR can offer many opportunities to SUA.

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It was proposed that University should develop R & D programmes focusing on Sisalbeing an
important cash crop for the country. University of Agriculture, Morogoro expressed its consent
and interest for collaborative research on sisal with Pakistan.The meeting was concluded with a
positive note to work out MOU for encouraging Public Private Partnership (PPP) and South-South
collaboration.

Meeting with OXFAM GB

The team held meeting with Associate Country
Director, Dr. Ralph Roothaert of OXFAM at dinner.
The objective of the meeting was to know what
OXFAM was doing in Sisal development and learn
from its experience. Dr. Roothaert briefed about
OXFAM’s recent intervention related to sisal
livelihood programme in Kishapu area where
OXFAM was working with farmers and they were
motivated to grow sisal as boundaries or hedge
rows. In this regard 10,000 farmers were growing
sisal on their field boundaries and, as reported,
their income had been increased. This experience
sharing was useful for the team as in the Pakistani
context local farmers initially can opt for sisal
boundaries like in Kishapu. OXFAM showed its
willingness to share its experience with LSF and its team. This was the last leg of the visit to
Tanzania.

Follow Ups:

Visit and Meetings:

• Katani Pvt Ltd hosted and facilitated the visit and meetings. They have agreed to
collaborate with University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi and Lok Sanjh to facilitate
development of sisal industry in Pakistan.
• Katani also agreed to share the design of decorticator which they have manufactured. It
was also identified that engineering department of UAAR may also work to improve the
design of decorticator.
• Tanzania Sisal Board agreed for collaboration with Pakistan particularly for research.
• University of Agriculture, Morogoro is agreed for collaborative research on sisal with
Pakistan.
• Mlingano Research Institute, Tanzania agreed to facilitate the research on sisal. They
have also agreed to host the research fellow from Pakistan and also to initiate sisal
research in Pakistan.

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For Lok Sanjh:

?Sisal plantation as hedges or intercropping as a cash crop by smallholders.
?Nursery development in collaboration with university of arid agriculture.
?Establishment of decortication facility at local level.
?To build the knowledge base and technical capacity of stakeholders, especially
farmers, in quality, marketing and standards with the aim of transforming them into
entrepreneurs.
?To plan for value addition.
?Organization of farmers into groups and cooperatives to be empowered to engage
and deal with other stakeholders in a sustainable way.
?R&D activities together with market studies in collaboration with other institutes.

Sisal Development Initiative – LSF team Visit to Tanzania in 2015

A combined team of Lok Sanjh Foundation, National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), and
PMAS Arid Agriculture University visited Tanzania in the leadership of Dr. Shahid Zia, Managing
Director, Rural Business Development Center (RBDC), Islamabad Pakistan.

The visit included meetings with Country Representative Oxfam Novib, Pakistan Embassy in
Tanzania, Tanzania Sisal Board and extensive visits to the sisal production areas and related
Industry.

Visit to Tanzania Sisal Board in Tanga

In this meeting with TSB, Director General
of Tanzania Sisal Board provided overview
of Tanzania Sisal Board (TSB) and its roles
and responsibilities. Tanzania Sisal Board
was established in 1997 to promote the
development and improvement of the sisal
industry, to make regulations for the
control of pests and diseases, to finance and
or conduct research directly or through
agents in any matter related to the sisal
industry, to issue export and import license
upon such terms and conditions, to regulate
and control the quality, marketing and
export of sisal, to collect, refine and
disseminate information concerning sisal
and promote its use, to advise the government on all matters pertaining to the sisal industry, and
to carry out such other functions in relation to the sisal industry as the Minister may direct from
time to time.

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Visit to Hale Estate at Korogwe District

The team afterwards moved to Hale estate at Korogwe District. Here General Manager, Gilead
Kissaka welcomed the visiting team and initially showed the decortication process. The leaves
were transported from fields through trollies, where the leaves were placed on conveyer belt
pasing through large drum where with ample application of water the leaves were decorated, the
biomass was collected in small flowing stream and fiber portion continuously moved on ropes
where it was collected and bunched in a bundle. The bundles were then transported to another
area where they were placed on wires to dry. The biomass was collected at large area to generate
biogas. Again at bio mass collection area, the smaller fibers were collected again and remaining
pulp was sent for gas production. The dried fiber was than brushed and further disseminated to
another unit where standard bale was formed weighing 250 Kg.

Visit to Sisal Bio-Energy Plant

The team also visited Bio gas plant which is called Mkonge Energy Systems Company Limited (MeS)
incorporated in January 2008. The company is a joint venture between Katani Limited of Tanzania
with 80 percent of the shares and Chengdu DeTong Environmental Engineering Company of The
People’s Republic of China who have 20% shares. The company’s focus is on the development of
the renewable energy sector through creation and promotion of energy projects in Tanzania and
other East and Central African countries.

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The team was briefed that an appropriate training programs and study tours to biogas production
facilities in China, were organized to enable staff at Katani Ltd. to gain valuable experience in the
operation and maintenance of medium-scale biogas energy systems. The equipment suppliers
have remained in close contact with staff at Katani Ltd in order to offer further support. The biogas
is produced with the waste derived from the Sisal decortication plant. The stored biogas is then
used to run two 150Kw electricity generators for a rated total electricity output of 300 Kw. The
electricity is used mainly within the decortication plant and some of the excess can also be
supplied to the domestic quarters within the estate. The excess biogas can also be distributed to
surrounding communities to cover cooking and lighting requirements.

The project was a good example of how cleaner and renewable energy technologies can
significantly reduce environmental pollution and degradation of the ecosystems while providing
surplus energy for productive use. Soil fertility can also be improved by the biofertilizer by-
products from the process. The project demonstrates the potential for significantly improving
economic viability for the sisal processing industry through the provision of cheaper and cleaner
energy generated from process waste and thus enhancing overall competitiveness in local and
international markets. Excess energy produced in this manner can be potentially fed to the grid or
distributed to surrounding rural populations.The concept on production of bio-energy from sisal
waste was developed in 2005 within the context of the larger CFC - financed "Product and Market
Development of Sisal and Henequen Products" project. Katani Ltd, are the main counterpart
together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and Tanzania Sisal Board.

Visit to the Smallholder Sisal Grower

The delegation visited a village along with Mr. Hamisi, where small farmers were growing sisal.
One of the farmers told that he had grown sisal on 4 acres of his land and had been cultivating for
the last many years. Recently, he had established a cooperative and provided with small mobile
decorticator. He demonstrated the cultivation technique, the cutting process, further handling
and mainly decortication and drying. The decorticator was operated and leave were decorticated,
it was small mobile decorticator machine with reasonably good efficiency. Farmers further stated
that, the dried fibers were baled and transported to Tancord for further processing and product
development.

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Visit to the Sisal Industry

Team visited the factory, TANCORD to see sisal fibre processing and product development. The
company manufactures various products such as twines, ropes and woven products.

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Purchase of Sisal Decorticator

LSF signed a contract with Katani Ltd to import sisal
decorticator in Pakistan. That will help processing of
wild sisal available in Pakistan. That extracted fibre
will be analysed by experts to determine its quality
and market value. This imported decortcator will be
used as a model to develop further units by ABEI
department of NARC.

Meeting with Pakistan Embassy in Tanzania

A meeting was organized with Pakistan Embassy in Tanzania to introduce the team and purpose of
visit. LSF work on sisal and its potential in Pakistan was shared with the Ambassador, Mr
Muammad Iqbal, who appreciated the coordinated efforts of Lok Sanjh with stakeholders in
Tanzania and assured his cooperation and facilitation required by Pakistani delegates.

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Final Meeting with Tanzania Sisal Board

On last day, a meeting was held at Katani House to discuss visit findings; any challenges
opportunities and futuristic collaboration and coordination. Dr. Shahid Zia indicated thatdelegate
is seriously looking in the future collaboration.

Pakistan has vast barren areas in south Punjab, costal belt and in Baluchistan province that can be
utilized for sisal cultivation. Both countries can easily utilize each other capabilities and can
enhance collaboration, which we look forward to next level in coming years. We need to prioritize
the resources, and workout the research agenda. We need to be more creative in product
development and its commercialization. There is great room to work in collaboration and benefit
both the countries through signing memorandum of understating and different other
collaborative and coordination activities.

Concluding Session and Remarks

During this final meeting the officials of Tanzania Sisal Board and TSB emphasized on the following
points in the best interest of Tanzania and Pakistan collaboration to introduce sisal crop in
Pakistan:

I. It is necessary to have coordinated action on the part of Government of Pakistan and

Tanzania Sisal Board with the mediation of Lok Sanjh Foundation, for the promotion of

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sisal crop & industry in Pakistan. This South-South cooperation will provide conducive
environment to various stakeholders to enable investment through financing
institutions and other, resources and services to flow into the sisal sub-sector of
agriculture in Pakistan to enable growth and development for economic development
and significant contribution to national initiatives in Pakistan. It is also essential to intiate
value chain entry points at the beginning without challenging community social norms,
especially with regard to the participation of women and the youth.

II. There are a number of developmental and policy issues which are important to facilitate
the integration of smallholders in the sisal value chain. Government of Pakistan should
ensure that the sisal sub-sector significantly contributes to its agricultural sector policy
objectives of improving food security; improving crop varieties; improving farming
systems; improving production technologies and efficiencies; and crop diversification.

III. While introducing sisal in Pakistan, the improvement of food security, crop
diversification and farming systems should be ensured through the development of
smallholder schemes which see value in using the same land and labour to produce more
than one crop by mixing sisal with food crop production. Better yields on food crops have
been recorded in sisal fields than on pure crop land as there is always some moisture
around sisal plants. Mixing sisal with food crop production reduces the investment costs
aswell as those of maintaining the crops while at the same time giving higher returns.

IV. Efficiencies in fibre extraction and sisal growing should be improved through
interventions at the time of planting sisal crop may lead to the development of high
density planting, development of new processing methods using the mobile
decorticators which have lower losses in fibre and utilize less water and less energy.

V. Women should be included in the value chain to start use of sisal fiber to make differents
products, mats, bags etc. at local level and training arrangements in the real life skills
development will be instrumental in the development and promotion of the use of sisal
products.

VI. Fibre production is not profitable in the short term and incentives are needed to
attractinvestments, as well as to organize growers and grower/processor/trader
contractual arrangements to ensure that they are not marginalized in the chain. Before
smallholders join any sisal schemes they must be assured that the business venture will
be profitable.

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VII. Smallholders may be assisted in forming their own organizations suited to their business
needs in order to have self regulation. Producer groups have to be strengthened; they
need to be involved in decision making, including price setting, to ensure fair dealings and
transparency.

VIII. More serious challenge is the change of mindset. Farmers should not be given the hope
for subsidies. Smallholder schemes should be market driven to ensure sustainability.
Temporary assistance should only act as a building block for commercialization.

IX. Tanzania Sisal Board and Lok Sanjh Foundation’s team leaders to continue exchange
visits in future for mutual learning to introduce sisal crop production and introduction of
related decortication and brushing machinery.

X. Tanzania Sisal Board signed an agreement for the sale of one decorticator to Lok Sanjh
Foundation for the Farm Machinery Directorate of NARC to replicate the technology
at local level.

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Linking with Private Sector – Follow up Visit to Tanzania in 2015

A follow up visit of Tanzania along with private sector was organized and an MOU has been signed
with Tanzanian Sisal Board for Future Knowledge sharing, Research and Technical Assistance.

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Chapter 4: Research Efforts in Pakistan

1. Collaboration with University of Arid Agriculture for Research
on “In Vitro Propagation of Sisal Plant”
LSF engaged Pir Mehr Ali Shah University of Arid Agriculture (PMAS-UAAR) for research and rapid
propagation of sisal plant through tissue culture. Since most plants seldom set seeds; therefore
sexual reproduction through true seeds is usually inconvenient. For the new planting of large
areas, a large number of seed plant lets (4000 plants per ha) is needed, therefore the development
of a new propagation technique using in vitro culture methods could be of practical value. In this
regard University obtained small plant lets from Lok Sanjh Foundation which were used for
propagation.

Expected results
A protocol for micro-propagation of Sisal plant will be optimised according to local conditions.
Subsequently a large number of plants will be produced using this protocol, which will be
distributed by appropriate agencies to resource-poor farmers of drought hit areas of Pakistan. In
this way, tremendous acreage of land, which otherwise is not arable, will come under economic
plant production. This will promote various allied enterprises like fibre extraction and textile
industry, which in turn, is expected to revolutionize the income of farmers and the country.

Explant Preparation
Small plant let obtained from Lok Sanjh Foundation was used for in vitro culture. Plant materials
were first cleaned carefully under running water. All the leaves of the plantlet were removed and
only a segment of the basal part (a cylinder of approximately 1 cm in height) was used as explant.
First it was washed with cefotexime (antibiotic) solution (250mg/l) for five minutes, then with 70%
ethyl alcohol for 30sec, followed by sterilization with 20% clorox (commercial bleach containing
5.2% NaOCl) for 10 min and finally rinsed 5 times in autoclaved distilled water. The exposed
surface of the tissue was removed with a razor blade under aseptic condition, leaving a cylinder of
2 mm in height. The cylinder was then divided in 8 sections by vertical cuts with the razor blade;
each section was placed separately in a jar containing culture medium.

Culture medium and culture conditions

The culture medium consisted of Murashige & Skoog basal salts containing 2% (w/v) sucrose, 10%
(v/v) coconut water and 0.8% (w/v) agar, and supplemented with different combinations of
Naphthalenacetic acid (NAA), Indolylbutyric acid (IBA) and Kinetin (KIN). Cultures were incubated
at a temperature of 25°C and illuminated for 16 h per day at 2000 lux. After two weeks, explants
enlarged and started to gain chlorophyll.

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Regeneration and Rooting

Multiple shoot buds started to appear after four weeks of culture. After four more weeks, the
explants were taken out of jars in laminar air flow, were separated by sterile scalpel blade and
inoculated on rooting medium. Rooting medium was of two types; one having MS basal salts with
1mg/l NAA and the other devoid of any hormone. After four weeks on rooting medium, it was
observed that 90% shoots showed root induction on hormone free medium while no rooting was
observed on the medium with NAA.

Shifting of Plants to Pots

On attaining the height of 5 inches, these rooted plants were shifted to autoclaved mixture (1:1:1)
of sand, soil and farmyard manure in plastic cups. As in vitro grown plants lacked cuticle layer on
their leaves, these cups were kept in shade and covered with transparent polythene bags to
maximise humidity and avoid sudden shock of desiccation. Polythene bags were removed
gradually in two weeks.

Different steps of procedure have been shown pictographically in following figure.

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Rapid Propagation Through Tissue Culture

LSF with the collaboration of Pir Mehar Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University,Rawalpindi
(PMAS-AAUR) under its Sisal Research Programme ( SRP) had successfully undertaken
research for in vitro rapid propagation of sisal through Tissue culture for nursery
development of Sisal plant.Under this research a protocol for micro- propagation of Sisal
plant was optimized according to local conditions.In addition,out of a total of 250 sisal
bulbils imported from Tanzania, more 100 were given to PMAS- AAUR and National
Agricultural Research Centre (NARC)for further research and propagation,while LSF also
planted some sisal plants at its centre near Fateh Jang,District Attock.

2. Research Activity at Agricultural Research Institute,

Milingano
Dr.Mehmood ul Hassan spent 5days at the Agricultural Research Institute,Milingano after
the departure of other delegates of this visit from 10-15 February,2015 by staying at the
Resaerch Institute. The main objective was to learn from the research experience of
scientists of Sisal Research Institute and he recorded following observations:

?80
genotypes of sisal were cultivated at this institute for their characterization and
evaluation.As a plant breeder and geneticist,it was an amazing experience to note
that how the traits of two infereior parents were combined together to develop
excellent hybrid.It was a typical example of heterosis.The female parent (Agave
amanuensis)had few but long,thin and papery leaves with higher susceptibility to
Krogwe Leaf Spot disease while male parent ( Agave angustifolia)possessed small
leaves with abundant strong spines on leaf margins.However,it possessed strong
resistance to Krogwe Leaf Spot and its leaves were thick, fibrous, fleshy and
numourous in number.One of its hybrid offspring, namely 11648 had ideal
combination of traits; disease resistance, more number of long, thick, fleshy,
fibrous leaves without spines on margins.

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?Although Agave Sislana has more resistance to Krogwe Leaf Spot disease but owing toits
pentaploid genome, it could not be used in hybrid development.

?A hybrid plant growing in small space between two bigger plants developed spines
on leaf margin due to stress; a phenomenon which was already observed by Dr. Mehood
ul Hassan in previous experiments in Pakistan. This was reported by him in a paper
presented in the international conference on Natural Fibres held on 6-7 January, 2015 in
Islamabad, Pakistan which was organized by Lok Sanjh Foundation.

?Tissue Culture Laboratory of the Agricultural Research Institute, Milingano have very
good facilities and staff was equipped with excellent expertise. It was a surprise for Dr.
Mehmood that they were using almost the same protocol which is being used in
laboratories of Pakistan during 2013-14, under a project funded by Lok Sanjh Foundation.
?Soil testing laboratory had state of the art equipment and it was facilitating the sisal
farmers of Tanzia in a true sence.
?Visits were conducted to the small farmers which helped Dr. Mehmood in having indepth
knowledge and understaning of the status, prospects and challenges of sisal cultivation in
countries like Pakistan where most of the farming community is small holders.
?Although, Tanzania is extremely blessed country with respect to weather and soil
conditions which are almost ideal for plant culture, it was noticed that there was a dire
need of mechanization, upgrading and modernization of agricultural systems to further
improve the efficiency.

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3. Investigations Related to Fibre Characteristics of Different

Indigenously Produced Sisal Fibres
Sisal fiber is extracted from the leaves of Agave sisalana that is the Mexican plant and is now
mainly cultivated in Tanzania, Brazil, Indonesia and India. Due to its strength and durability, it is
placed in the category of “hard fibers”. The word sisal means cold water. Sisal fibre occupies 6th
place among fibre plants, which represent 2% of the world’s production of plant fibres (plant
fibres provide 65% of the world’s fibres). The sisal plant produces approximately 200 - 250 leaves
throughout its productive period. The life span of sisal plant is 7-10 years. The shape of sisal leaves
is like sword and is about 1.5 to 2 meters tall. Young leaves may have a few minute teeth along
their margins, but lose them as they mature.

A good sisal plant yields about 200 commercial used leaves with each leaf having a mass
composition of 4% fibre, 0.75% cuticle, 8% other dry matter and 87.25% moisture. Thus a normal
sisal leaf weighing about 600g yields about 3% by weight of fibre with each leaf containing about
1000 fibres.

Figure 1 Sisal plant

Diameter of the fibre varies from 100mm to 300mm. The length of the sisal fibre varies between
0.6 and 1.5 m and its diameters range from 100 to 300 ìm. Cellulose content in sisal fibres is about
70%. The fibre is composed of numerous elongated fibre cells that are narrowed towards both
ends. Fibre cells are linked together by middle lamellae, which consist of hemicelluloses, lignin and
pectin. A sisal fibre in cross-section is built up of about 100 fibre cells. The cross section of sisal
fibres is neither circular nor fairly uniform in dimension. The lumen varies in size but is usually well
defined. The longitudinal shape is approximately cylindrical.

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Physically, each fibre cell is made up of four main parts, namely the primary wall, the thick
secondary wall, the tertiary wall and the lumen. The fibrils are, in turn, built up of micro fibrils with
a thickness of about 20 ìm. The micro fibrils are composed of cellulose molecular chains with a
thickness of 0.7 ìm and a length of a few ìm. Sisal fibre is fairly coarse and inflexible. The tensile
properties of sisal fibres are not uniform along its length. The fibres extracted from the root or
lower parts of the leaf have a lower tensile strength and modulus. The fibres become stronger and
stiffer at midspan, and the fibres extracted from the tip have moderate properties. The lower
grade fibre is processed by the paper industry because of its high content of cellulose and
hemicelluloses.

Figure 2 Longitudinal appearances of sisal fibre bundle

The medium grade fibre is used in the cordage industry for making ropes, baler and binders twine.
Ropes and twines are widely employed for marine, agricultural, and general industrial use. The
higher-grade fibre after treatment is converted into yarns and used by the carpet industry.
Products made from sisal are being developed rapidly, such as furniture and wall tiles made of
resonated sisal. The sisal reinforced composites are used in the internal linings of vehicles, the
sides of car doors, package holders, panels, ceilings, wheel wells, consoles, skid plates etc. to
reduce weight of vehicle to reduce fuel consumption. Recent year’s sisal has been utilized as a
strengthening agent to replace asbestos and fiberglass as well as an environmentally friendly
component in the automobile industry.

Figure 3 Fibre location in plant leaves

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Well, a big constraint in getting benefit from properties of sisal fibre is extracting it from the leaves
safely. Various methods have been adopted to extract the sisal fibre from the leaves since ancient
times. The fibre is extracted from the leaf either by retting, by scraping or by retting followed by
scraping or by mechanical means using decorticators.

Sisal fibre made from the process of decortication, leaves are crushed and beaten by a rotating
wheel set with blunt knives, so that only fibres remain. The other parts of the leaf are washed away
by water. Decorticated fibres are washed before drying the sun or by hot air. The fibre quality
depends upon moisture content so proper drying is important. To get better grades of fibre
artificial drying has been found in place of sun drying. Dry fibres are machine combed and sorted
into various grades, largely on the basis of the previous in-field separation of leaves into size
groups.

Today, lots of natural fibres are being used in making textile products such as cotton, jute, hemp
etc. However, still there are such natural fibres that need utmost attention of researchers for
being having great potential of fulfilling needs of modern world both in terms of comfort and
versatility thanks to their eco-friendly, non-toxic and user-friendly behavior. Sisal fibre is the big
example of such neglected natural fibres and it has great potential of generating powerful revenue
for the country for being using as s substitute of jute fibre. Today, jute industry in Pakistan is facing
severe decline and 7 out of 11 jute industries in Pakistan has been shut down due to trading
constraints of jute fibre during its import from Bangladesh. The new applications for sisal fibre
reinforced composites are making the fancy articles, mats, carpets, fancy articles and many
others.

It is an established fact the quality of the fabric is always strongly associated with that of fibres.
Therefore, the knowledge of quality of the sisal fibres will play a vital role for determining the
quality of the products manufactured from them. In this backdrop the present investigations are
being planned to characterize the various varieties of sisal fibres for determining their potential
for further processing. Moreover, the quality of the indigenously produced sisal fibres will be
compared with international sisal fibre quality characteristics.

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Scope of Work
The specific scope of study

?Determination of fibre quality characteristics

?Fibre Length
?Fibre Fineness
?Fibre strength
?Fibre stiffness
?Moisture percentage
?Comparison of the indigenously produced sisal fibres with international sisal
fibre quality characteristics
Experimental / Methodology
The study was conducted in the Department of Fibre & Textile Technology, Universityof
Agriculture Faisalabad. The following procedures were adopted to achieve the specific research
objectives.

Materials
The following material was provided by provided from Lok Sanjh Foundation.

i. Indigenous Sisal Leaves

ii. Sisal fibre samples imported from Tanzania

Figure 4 Indigenous sisal leaves

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Figure 5 Sisal fibre samples imported from Tanzania

Methods
The selected sisal leaves were decorticated using decortication machine in the department of
Fiber & Textile Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.

Decortication Procedure
Decortication is done by hand feeding single leaves halfway into the decortication machine
between the rotating drum and a plate with sharp edges, while grasping one end of the leaves. The
leaf is then withdrawn from the unit and reversed to clean the second half, while the feeder holds
the clean cleaned fibre portion. The waste is taken away from the machine after regular intervals.
Being portable, such type of decorticators can easily perform in the fields where the sisal is grown.
After that, the extracted fibre is given a quick wash and hangs out to dry. In this type of extraction,
each leaf being processed separately.

Step 1 Step 2

Figure 6 Sisal decorticating machine

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Figure 7 Sisal fibres after decortication

Sisal Fibre Testing

Following physical characteristics of sisal fibres will be determined using standard procedures.

II Fibre Length

II Fibre Fineness

II Fibre Strength

II Fibre Stiffness

II Moisture Percentage

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Fibre Length
The length of sisal fibre is the length of leaf. The fibre can be extracted from the leaves almost
equal to the length of leaf. There is simple method of fibre length determination. The length of the
leaf is measured manually by means of measuring tape and ultimately the length of extracted sisal
fibre is also measured by the same procedure. This standard method was also adopted in this
research work to measure the length of sisal fibre.

Figure 8 Indigenous sisal leaf

Fibre Fineness
Fibre fineness is the measure of diameter of individual fibre strands. There are two methods of
measurement of sisal fibre fineness.

Measurement of Fibre Fineness in terms of “Tex”

The standard international method of measurement of sisal fibre fineness in the laboratory is
determining the linear density by weighing a specific length. This way of measuring linear density
is called Tex. Tex is defined as “The weight in grams of one kilometer of fibers”. In the present
research work, the forty (40) sisal fibers having equal length i.e., 500 mm were taken and weighed.
Then after calculation, the weight of 1000 m fibers was calculated for measurement of Tex.

Figure 9 weighing sisal fibres

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Measurement of Fibre Fineness by Microscope

Microscope allows the physical measurement of sisal fibre diameter in terms of mm. In the
present research work, the fibre fineness was determined by taking microscopic views of
individual fibers and then drawing the line across the diameter of sisal fibre. Straight line along the
diameter shows the fibre diameter and this is the fineness of sisal fibre.

Figure 10 Microscopic image of sisal fibre

Fibre Strength
Fibre strength in cN of individual sisal fibers was determined by means of Electronic Single End
Strength Tester in the Department of Fibre & Textile Technology. Moreover, the elongation in mm
and tenacity in cN/dtex of individual sisal fibres was also measured by means of Electronic Single
End Strength Tester.The single sisal fibre was clamped between two jaws of Electronic Single End
Strength Tester having displacement 30 mm and 500 mm respectively. Pre-tension was kept 5 cN.
After the gauge adjustment, the instrument was operated with the help of software for strength
testing of individual fibre.

Figure 11 Electronic single end strength tester

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Fibre Stiffness
As sisal fibers are straight and having no twist, so by twisting the sisal fibers in one direction, we
can check the ultimate bearing capacity of sisal fibre before breakage by imparting maximum
number of twists. The maximum of number of twist that a single sisal fibre can withstand before
breakage is the stiffness of fibre.
In the present research work, the above mentioned procedure was adopted to test the stiffness of
sisal fibers. The counter meter of twist tester indicates the number of twists that a single sisal fibre
can withstand and that count is the stiffness of concerned sisal fibre.

Figure 12 Digital twist tester

Moisture Percentage
The protocol for testing the moisture percentage of sisal fibres by oven-dry method is as follows;
i. 10 g of sisal fibres were taken and placed it in the oven to obtain the
temperature range 120 -140oC.
ii. The sisal fibres samples were weighed again after taking it from the oven
after 20 sec. The successive readings were taking after 5-10 minutes. The
samples were confirmed oven-dried when the weight difference between
successive readings became less than 0.05%.
iii. The successive readings for oven-dry weight of sisal fibres were again
noted. When the samples became completely oven dried and the weight
difference between successive readings became less than 0.05%, all the
samples were finally weighed. This weight was considered as “Over-dry
Weight”.
iv. Moisture percentage was calculated by using the following mathematical
formula.

Moisture (%) = Total Weight – Oven-Dry Weight x 100

Total Weight

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Results
The present study “Investigations Related to Fibre Characteristics of different indigenously
produced Sisal Fibres” was conducted in the Department of Fibre & Textile Technology, University
of Agriculture, Faisalabad. The results of the present research work given in tables are presented
here under.

Fibre Length:
The length of sisal fibre is the length of leaf. The fibre can be extracted from the leaves almost
equal to the length of leaf. Within the leaf, there are three basic types of fibers: structural, arch,
and xylem fibers. The structural fibers give the sisal leaf its stiffness and are found in the periphery
of the leaf. However, the fiber length can be damaged due to faulty decortications process. In
order to measure the fibre length firstly, the leaf weight and leaf length was measured which is
presented in the following

Table 1 Length and weight of leaves

Leaf No. Length (In) Weight (Kg)

1 51 1.5
2 53 1.3
3 51 1.4
4 52 0.75
5 52 1.6
6 51 1.6
7 43 1.05
8 52 1.05
9 53 1.2
10 53 1.9
51.1 1.335

The average fibre length extracted from the indigenous leaves is 48 inches. While that of
Tanzanian leaves is 32 inches. This might be due to the fact that indigenous plants are wild growing
plants and the leaves were very big. So by comparing the length of both varieties of sisal leaves, it
can be concluded that average length of indigenous sisal leaves is more as compared to Tanzanian
leaves

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Fibre Fineness:
The results obtained for fibre fineness of the indigenous grown and imported from Tanzania sisal
fibres are given in the following table.

Fives Indigenous grown sisal fibers were selected randomly and their diameter was measured
using the microscope and image analysis. Each fibre was measured at five different places. The
mean values for five leaves are 0.1676, 0.192, 0.2292 , 0.185 and 0.1348. The overall mean of the
diameter is 0.1817.

On the other hand, fives Tanzanian sisal fibers selected randomly diameter mean values
are 0.2326, 0.1662, 0.2114, 0.2408 and 0.2818. The overall mean of the diameter is
0.2265.

Table 2 Fibre diameter of indigenous sisal fibres

Leaf No. Fibre Diameter ( mm)

1 2 3 4 5
1 0.163 0.171 0.244 0.185 0.129
2 0.155 0.171 0.231 0.172 0.133
3 0.156 0.184 0.204 0.191 0.184
4 0.168 0.21 0.243 0.178 0.114
5 0.196 0.224 0.224 0.199 0.114
Mean 0.1676 0.192 0.2292 0.185 0.1348

Table 3 Fibre diameter of Tanzanian sisal fibres

Leaf No. Fibre Dia (mm)

1 2 3 4 5
1 0.221 0.18 0.238 0.259 0.281
2 0.238 0.186 0.219 0.251 0.318
3 0.265 0.16 0.217 0.233 0.26
4 0.224 0.153 0.198 0.22 0.263
5 0.215 0.152 0.185 0.241 0.287
Mean 0.2326 0.1662 0.2114 0.2408 0.282

The results showed that the fibres imported from Tanzania are thicker in diameter than the
indigenous fibers. The overall difference in the diameter is also clear from the following
microscopic images and their analysis.

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Figure 13 Microscopic images of indigenous sisal fibres

Figure 14 Microscopic images of Tanzanian sisal fibres

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Figure 13 Microscopic images of indigenous sisal fibres

Figure 14 Microscopic images of Tanzanian sisal fibres

The results showed that the fibres imported from Tanzania are thicker in diameter (almost double)
than the indigenous fibers. The other method to determine the fibre fineness is the gravimetric
method. Defined fibre lengths were measured and their weight was determined. On the basis of
gravimetric method the fibre fineness was determined in tex.

Tabel 4 Fibe fineness of Sisal fibres

Origin Fibre Fineness in Tex

Indigenous 16 tex
Tanzaniz 30 tex
Reported Values 16 - 35 tex

As shown in the table, the indigenous fibres have fibre fineness of 16 tex while that of Tanzanian
fibers is 30 tex. It is also reported in the literature, the sisal fibres may have fibre fineness ranging
from 16-35 tex. Tex is unit for the measurement of linear density of fibres. Tex is defined as “The
weight in grams of one kilometer of fibers”. Here we can conclude that Tanzanian fibre for being
having more tex are thicker in diameter as compared to indigenous fibers.

Fiber Stiffness:
Compression property tests show that sisal fibres have the highest stiffness (measured by the
twist method ± Appendix B) and therefore the lowest compressibility when compared to other
fibres. This is 30% lower than that of jute and 50±60% lower than that of acrylics and wool. Sisal's
recovery from compression is lower than that of jute by about 15%, and is only about one- third
that of acrylic and wool fibres.

This test method is used for testing the rigidity of jute and kenaf fibres. A given amount of fibre of
appropriate length is placed in the clips at the two ends of the twist testing machine. The fibres are
twisted until they break. The higher the twist inserted the softer the fibre.

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The results of the indigenous fibres are presented in the following table.

Tabel 5 Stiffness of indigenous Sisal fibres

Leaf No. Stiffness (Number of Turns/foot)

1 712
2 806
3 756
4 850
5 890
6 942
7 776
8 898
9 982
10 846
Mean 845.8

The same test was applied to Tanzanian fibres which have revealed the stiffness of 350 turns/ foot.
The fact is explained with the fineness of the Tanzanian fibers, as they are thicker in diameter,
therefore they are more stiffer and break after fewer turns. The fact is explained with the fineness
of the Tanzanian fibers, as they are thicker in diameter, therefore they stiffer and break after fewer
turns.

Fibre Strength:
Fibre strength is the most important property of the sisal fiber because of its end uses. The most of
the applications of the sisal fibers are related to the load bearing and composites. The fibre
strength of the single filament was measured and the results are being presented in the following
tables. The fibre strength was measured at 30 mm gauge and 500mm gauge, as these both gauges
are reported in the literature. At 30 mm gauge, the maximum strength of the fibre was reported as
676 cN, while minimum was 546cN. Similarly, the elongation ranges from 10.67% to 21% while
tenacity ranges from 3.7cN/dtex to 7.2cN/dtex. The mean values for single fibre strength,
elongation at break and tenacity are 610 cN, 16.30% and 5.28 cN/dtex respectively.

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Table 6 Fibre strength of sisal fibres at 30 mm gauge length

Sr # At 30 mm Gauge Length
Strength Elongation Tanacity
(cN) (mm) (cN/dtex)
1 614 10.67 6.80
2 643 14.67 3.90
3 636 15.33 5.30
4 676 21.00 4.40
5 591 19.33 6.10
6 632 12.33 5.50
7 611 19.67 3.70
8 575 19.00 4.60
9 546 14.33 7.20
10 576 16.67 5.30
Mean 610 16.30 5.28

At 500 mm gauge, the strength of the fibre was reported as 267 cN, while minimum was 153cN.
Similarly, the elongation ranges from 6.8% to 11.2% while tenacity ranges from 0.7cN/dtex to
2.3cN/dtex. The mean values for single fibre strength, elongation at break and tenacity are 208.9
cN, 8.82% and 1.48 cN/dtex respectively.

Table 7 Fibre strength of sisal fibres at 500 mm gauge length

Sr # At 500 mm Gauge Length

Strength Elongation Tanacity
(cN) (mm) (cN/dtex)
1 197 6.8 1.40
2 240 8.2 0.70
3 264 7.4 2.30
4 174 11.2 1.10
5 199 9.4 0.90
6 213 7.6 1.30
7 267 10 1.10
8 153 10.8 1.90
9 179 7 2.00
10 203 9.8 2.00
Mean 208.9 8.82 1.48

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The difference in the values of tensile parameters between 30 mm gauge and 500 mm gauge due
to the fact that in case of 500 mm gauge, there is more possibility of having weaker places than in
case of 30 mm. Therefore the strength values achieved at 300 mm gauge is always higher than 500
mm gauge.

The tensile strength and elongation of Tanzanian fibres was also determined. The strength at 30
mm gauge is 1610 cN while the elongation is 4.33 %. Similarly, strength and elongation values at
500 mm gauge are 950 cN and 2.73% respectively.

There is remarkable difference of tensile strength parameters between indigenous and Tanzanian
fibre. Tanzanian fibres are stronger and stiffer in comparison with Pakistani indigenous fibres. One
of the reasons is that Tanzanian fibres are almost double in thickness as compare to indigenous
fibres; however, their strength is 3-4 times higher. Tanzanian fibres being stronger and stiffer in
comparison with Pakistani indigenous fibres. One of the reasons is that Tanzanian fibres are
almost double in thickness as compare to indigenous fibres; however, their strength is 3-4 times
higher.

Moisture Regain Percentage:

The moisture regain percentage for indigenous fibres and Tanzanian fibres were measured by
using oven dry method. Following results were obtained.

Tabel 8 Moisture regain of Sisal fibers

Origin Moisture Regain

Indigenous 10.1%
Tanzaniz 10.6%
Reported Values 10.7%

As the moisture regain percentage for Indigenous fibres was measured as 10.1% and for the
Tanzanian fibres as 190.6%, so these calculated values are found very close to the reported values
of moisture regain percentage. Moreover, there is no remarkable difference between the
moisture regain percentage of Indigenous fibres and Tanzanian fibres.

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Sisal I A Golden Revolution in Pakistan

Conclusions
Conclusions drawn from the presented work along with the recommendation for
improvement are being presented hereunder:

?The average fibre length extracted from the indigenous leaves is 48

inches.While
that of Tanzanian leaves is 32
inches.
?Tanzanian fibre is almost double in diameter with respect to indigenous fibre.
Moreover,the indigenous fibres have fibre fineness of 16
tex while that of
?Tanzanian fibers is 30 tex.
?The stiffness of indigenous sisal fibre is 846
turns/
foot while that of Tanzanian Fibres
is 350
turns/foot.
?At 30
mm gauge,the mean values for single fibre strength,elongation at break and
tenacity are 610 cN,16.30% and 5.28 cN/ dtex respectively.At 500 mm gauge,the
mean values for single fibre strength,elongation at break and tenacity are 208.9 cN,
8.82% and 1.48 cN/ dtex respectively.
?The tensile strength and elongation of Tanzanian fibres was also determined.The
strength at 30 mm gauge is 1610 cN while the elongation is 4.33Similarly,%.
strength and elongation values at 500 mm gauge are 950 cN and 2.73% respectively.
?The calculated value of moisture regain percentage for Indigenous fibers and
Tanzanian fibres are 10.1% and 10.6% respectively.
?From all above results,it is concluded that Tanzanian fibres are much coarser and
stiffer than Pakistani indigenous sisal fibres but they are 3-4 times stronger than the
indigenous ones.

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 Sisal I A Golden Revolution in Pakistan

Overall Conclusion
Various tests i.e. tensile strength at different jaw spacing, moisture percentage, stiffness, length
and fineness and image analysis of sisal fibres were performed. It can be inferred from the tested
results that Tanzanian fibres are much coarser (double in diameter) and stiffer than Pakistani
indigenous sisal fibres but they are 3-4 times stronger than the indigenous ones.

Recommendation
?As indigenous sisal fibres are less stiffer,softer and pliable,so their application
in composites is not as good as of Tanzanian sisal fibres having stiffer nature and
high tensile strength.Nevertheless the application of such softer fibres is found
good in home textile industry.
?The women entrepreneurs can be established by the development of various
handmade sisal products.However,in order to convert the sisal fibres to the
handmade products,softening of fibres will be of vital importance.A research
project in the direction of softening of sisal fibre must be carried out in future.
?The knowledge regarding sisal processing machinery is limited to the fibre
decorticator. However, in order to process the sisal fibres a small scale fibre
combing machine is also necessary after washing and drawing of the fibres.The
research and development work for the sisal fibre combing should be
accomplished before using it as a substitute of jute fibres.

References
1) Yu, C. and Zhang, Y. (1993), `The properties of sisal fibre and the effect of alkali
treatment', Journal of China Textile University, Vol. 19, No. 5.
2) Das, P. K., Nag, D., Debnath, S., & Nayak, L. K. (2010). Machinery for extraction and
traditional spinning of plant fibres. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, 9(2),
386-393.
3) Franck, R. R. (Ed.). (2005). Bast and other plant fibres (Vol. 39). CRC Press.
4) de Andrade Silva, F., Chawla, N., & de Toledo Filho, R. D. (2008). Tensile behavior of
high performance natural (sisal) fibers. Composites Science and Technology,
68(15), 3438-3443.
5) Kirby, R. H. (1963), Vegetable Fibres, Leonard Hill (Books) Ltd, London.
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UK.
7) Catling, D. & Grayson, J. (1998), The Identification of Vegetable Fibres, Archetype
Publications, London.
8) Fanchang, J. and Yu, C. et al. (1997), `Research on the spinnability of sisal fibre', Bast
Fiber Technology, No. 3.
9) Mackie, G. (2004) 228 Ballylesson Rd. Drumbo, Lisburn, UK BT27 5TS. Private
communication.
10) Donghong, C. (1999), `History review and looking ahead on the sisal production of
worldwide and China', Fujian Science & Technology of Tropical Crops, Vol. 24, No. 1.

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