Dr. Dan Etherington AM, a pioneer in coconut research and sustainability, passed away on May 4, 2024. He was a leader in its devotion to forester underprivileged communities, a leader in its devotion to fostering underprivileged communities.
Dr. Etherington’s journey began in Sri Lanka in 1976, where he was captivated by the potential and challenges of the coconut palm. His studies of the coconut industries in Asia, Africa & the South Pacific led him to seek an alternative processing technology to the crude extractive copra export trade and later on, contributing to the development of his most significant work, the Direct Micro Expelling (DME®) technology, a sustainable alternative to traditional coconut oil processing methods enabling small-scale farmers to produce high-quality virgin coconut oil directly from fresh coconuts, empowering thousands of communities in tropical regions.
In 2004, Dr. Etherington founded Kokonut Pacific, a social enterprise dedicated to empowering coconut farming communities. Through sustainable and culturally appropriate technology and resources, Kokonut Pacific helped farmers produce high-quality coconut products and access global markets. In 2013, he further established Niulife Foundation.
As a founding member of Coconut Knowledge Center, Dr. Etherington played an important role in the establishment in 2014, providing his expertise and guidance to the industry. He traveled to Bali to open the Tabanan Virgin Coconut Oil micro factory, where he shared his passion for coconut research and innovation. This facility has served as a regional “showcase” for DME® technology, attracting interest from government and private sectors across Indonesia. He continues to contribute to development of the coconut sector and the coconut smallholder livelihood empowerment and has positively influenced the lives of thousands of tropical coconut people.
Dr. Etherington’s dedication to coconut sustainability was recognized with numerous awards and honors. He was awarded a Medal by EXPO2000 in Germany for DME®’s contribution to sustainable development and an AM (Member of the Order of Australia) for his innovations in small-scale coconut processing.
Owing to the humility he brought in every step, Dr. Etherington left an imprint. His legacy will live on through the countless lives he has touched and the positive impact he has had on the industry. Coconut Knowledge Center will honor his memory and carry forward his mission.
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