The potential of Aspergillus species in transformation of agricultural products for sustainable production of textile and leather industries in Tanzania

Manufacturing industries contribute about 8% of the gross domestic products (GDP) whereas leather and textile industries supply 18% employments of manufacturing industries in Tanzania. Manufacturing industries merely depend on agriculture for raw materials and other inputs. However, processing of leather and textiles requires a lot of inputs, many of them supplied from agricultural produce and some are imported from developed nations. In vast developing countries, including Tanzania, manufacturing industries are constrained by limited production technology and the allied costs than raw materials. The conventional processing of leather and textiles requires immense technological investment that is associated with high production cost. In Tanzania, inputs such as soaking, bating and tanning agents for tannery industries are expensive and sometimes not readily available due to importation costs. On the other hand, management of waste effluents from leather and textile processing is the major impediment for development of these industries. However, natural processing of covering materials by using fungal biotechnology is of great concern in Tanzania to avert the prevailing constrains. The application of fungal based biotechnology would reduce production cost and health consequences resulting from chemicals, particularly, chromium. The effects of toxic chemicals from leather and textile industries would be mitigated by employing non-viable Aspergillus biomass in the industrial processes. This would minimize production of the harmful wastes from the industries.  As a result, leather and textile production would be achieved at low cost, without hazardous waste production, resulting to safer products for both human and the environment. This review evaluates current production of leather and textile industries and highlights the potentials of microbial biotechnology. Key words: Biotechnology, Aspergillus, leather and textile, industrial effluents, agriculture.