From a509c3e799861c0b0615c36cff4f599b822ed972 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: rosalinebrewin Date: Sat, 11 Jan 2025 21:09:37 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] Add Cotton Waste Biofuel Powers Farmers to Combat Drought In Kenya --- ...wers-Farmers-to-Combat-Drought-In-Kenya.md | 40 +++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 40 insertions(+) create mode 100644 Cotton-Waste-Biofuel-Powers-Farmers-to-Combat-Drought-In-Kenya.md diff --git a/Cotton-Waste-Biofuel-Powers-Farmers-to-Combat-Drought-In-Kenya.md b/Cotton-Waste-Biofuel-Powers-Farmers-to-Combat-Drought-In-Kenya.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8c3e03c --- /dev/null +++ b/Cotton-Waste-Biofuel-Powers-Farmers-to-Combat-Drought-In-Kenya.md @@ -0,0 +1,40 @@ +
By Nita Bhalla
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KITUI, Kenya, June 6 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Kenyan farmer Abel Mutie [Mathoka](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/51278-86) believed it must be a joke when he was told he might water his drought-hit crops more inexpensively, cleanly and effectively using a pump sustained by cotton waste.
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"Who could think it's possible to make a fuel better than diesel from cotton seeds? I didn't!" chuckled Mathoka, crouching down to inspect the watermelons on his 10-acre (four-hectare) shared plot in Ituri village in Kenya's southeast Kitui county.
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"But it works," he stated, walking over to a neighboring tree and plucking a big green pawpaw. "Irrigation with this biodiesel water pump has actually assisted me get higher yields, especially during dry spell durations."
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Mathoka stated his profits had doubled in the two years he has been pumping water utilizing biodiesel, which is both more efficient and 20 shillings ($0.20) per litre less expensive than routine diesel.
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The biodiesel he is using is not just excellent news for him - it is likewise great news for the world.
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Unlike a lot of biofuels, which are originated from crops such as maize, sugarcane, soybean, rapeseed and [jatropha curcas](https://www.pinterest.com.au/missionnewenergy/), it is made from a by-product of the cotton-making process.
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That means that as well as being cleaner and cheaper than regular fuel, it is more sustainable than other biofuels due to the fact that no extra land is needed to produce it.
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From Brazil to Indonesia, the rush to cultivate [biofuel](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/mission-newenergy) crops has [driven forest](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited) [communities](https://www.abnnewswire.net/companies/en/31347/%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%A9%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%97-Mission-NewEnergy-%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94.html/4) off their land and pushed farmers to change from crops-for-food to more rewarding crops-for-fuel - intensifying food lacks.
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"Our biodiesel comes from squashing cotton seeds left over as waste after ginning - the procedure of separating the seeds from raw cotton," said Taher Zavery, [managing director](https://www.pinterest.com.au/missionnewenergy/) of Zaynagro Industries Ltd, the Kitui-based company producing the biodiesel.
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"We began producing and utilizing it to power our cotton ginning factory in 2011. With increased production, we now use it for our trucks, sell it to the United Nations to run some of their buses - and likewise to regional farmers for watering."
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More than 1,200 farmers in Kitui have up until now bought biodiesel pumps for irrigation as part of an initiative launched by Zaynagro in 2015, stated Zavery.
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DRY RIVER BEDS
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Climate modification is taking a toll across east Africa and progressively irregular weather is ending up being commonplace in nations such as Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Ethiopia, resulting in lower rainfall.
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The recurring dry spells are ruining crops and pastures and are starving animals - pushing countless individuals in the Horn of Africa to the brink of severe appetite.
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The number of Kenyans in need of food help in March rose by practically 70 percent over a duration of eight months to 1.1 million, mostly due to bad rains, according to federal government figures.
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With nearly half Kenya's 47 counties declared to have a serious lack of rain, [humanitarian firms](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463471/000165495419013063/R31.htm) are alerting of increased appetite in the months ahead.
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"Only light rainfall is forecast through June ... and this is not expected to alleviate dry spell in affected areas of Kenya and Somalia," said the Famine Early Warning Systems Network in its most current report.
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"Well below-average crop production, bad livestock body conditions, and increased regional food costs are anticipated, which will reduce poor homes' access to food."
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In [Kitui's](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048) Kyuso area, the indications are currently obvious.
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Rivers, water pans and dams are drying up as an outcome of the prolonged dry spell.
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Villagers suffer travelling longer ranges - sometimes more than 10 km (6 miles) with their donkeys loaded with empty jerry cans in search of water.
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Small-scale farmers, many of whom are dependent on rain-fed agriculture, go over strategies to sell their goats to make ends satisfy if the harvest is poor.
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BATTLING DROUGHT WITH BIODIESEL
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But not all Kitui's farmers are worried.
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A small however growing number are shedding their problem of dependence on the weather - and buying irrigation systems powered by Zaynagro's cotton seed biodiesel through a pay-as-you-go scheme released more than 3 years back.
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Neighbouring farmers unite to invest in the irrigation system - which includes the [biodiesel](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048) pump, 12 metres of [pipelines](https://www.businessnews.com.au/Company/Mission-NewEnergy) and 10 litres of biodiesel - at [expenses](https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-178469/company/) [starting](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048) from 32,000 shillings, [depending](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/MNELF:US) upon the size of the pump.
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The farmers make an initial payment, then month-to-month instalments until the total is settled. They purchase the biodiesel to run the pumps from Zaynagro at 80 shillings a litre.
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Farmer Alex Babu Kitheka, 39, said the biodiesel pump [allowed](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/51278-86) him to water a larger part of his one-acre plot, where he grows a range of veggies consisting of maize, tomatoes, spinach and sweet potatoes.
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"With a diesel pump, maize yields were lower and I would get 15,000 shillings in 3 months. With the biodiesel pump, I can earn 45,000 shillings," stated Alex Babu Kitheka, standing near his plot in Ilangilo town, 40 km (25 miles) from Kitui town.
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CIRCULAR ECONOMY
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Other farmers point to the plan as a [major benefit](https://www.businessnews.com.au/Company/Mission-NewEnergy) in assisting enhance their output.
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"The instalment scheme is excellent. Most farmers don't have the cash and can not easily get a loan to buy a pump like this," said [Maurice Kitheka](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/MNELF:US) Munyoki, 41, as he stood next to his blue biodiesel pump.
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"Having a plan like this assists us a lot. Our yields are excellent which suggests we can pay off the expense of the pump gradually in little amounts, and have cash left over to pay the school costs."
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Zaynagro's initiative is still in its early stages, with few farmers having actually paid back the complete expense of the pumps.
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But such [biofuel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html) schemes are appealing due to the fact that they develop a circular economy by turning waste to [biofuel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html) for revenue, stated Sanjoy Sanyal, senior associate for Clean Energy Finance at the World Resources Institute.
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The simplicity of the design - easy-to-use, robust innovation, assured supply of biodiesel integrated with a pay-as-you-go plan - could help electrify rural Africa, he stated.
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"There is a mosaic of sustainable energy alternatives on the planet. The crucial issue is testing concepts and methods in a collaborative style," said Sanyal.
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"Other cotton ginning factories in the area ought to try and gain from this experiment. Banks should start explore loans to groups of farmers. International donors and financiers require to support experimentation."
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($1 = 101.3000 Kenyan shillings) (Reporting by Nita Bhalla @nitabhalla, Editing by [Claire Cozens](https://www.businessnews.com.au/Company/Mission-NewEnergy). Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that [covers humanitarian](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html) news, [ladies's](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048) and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, home rights and climate modification. Visit http://news.trust.org)
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