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Add Cotton Waste Biofuel Powers Farmers to Eliminate Drought In Kenya

Jeff Jasprizza 2025-01-18 23:34:03 +08:00
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<br>By Nita Bhalla<br>
<br>KITUI, Kenya, June 6 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Kenyan farmer Abel Mutie Mathoka thought it must be a joke when he was informed he could water his [drought-hit crops](https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/ipos/overview?dealId=804419-65608) more inexpensively, easily and efficiently utilizing a [pump fuelled](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/mission-newenergy) by cotton waste.<br>
<br>"Who could think it's possible to make a fuel much better than diesel from cotton seeds? I didn't!" laughed Mathoka, crouching down to examine the watermelons on his 10-acre (four-hectare) shared plot in Ituri village in Kenya's southeast Kitui county.<br>
<br>"But it works," he stated, [strolling](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/mission-newenergy) over to a close-by tree and plucking a big green pawpaw. "Irrigation with this biodiesel water pump has assisted me get higher yields, particularly during drought periods."<br>
<br>Mathoka said his revenues had doubled in the two years he has actually been pumping water using biodiesel, which is both more efficient and 20 shillings ($0.20) per litre more affordable than routine diesel.<br>
<br>The [biodiesel](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0cqd_rb) he is using is not simply great news for him - it is likewise good news for the planet.<br>
<br>Unlike most biofuels, which are stemmed 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.<br>
<br>That indicates that in addition to being cleaner and more than regular fuel, it is more sustainable than other biofuels because no additional land is required to produce it.<br>
<br>From Brazil to Indonesia, the rush to cultivate biofuel crops has actually driven forest communities off their land and [pressed farmers](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price) to switch from crops-for-food to more lucrative crops-for-fuel - exacerbating food scarcities.<br>
<br>"Our biodiesel originates from crushing cotton seeds left over as waste after ginning - the procedure of separating the seeds from raw cotton," said Taher Zavery, handling director of Zaynagro Industries Ltd, the Kitui-based business producing the biodiesel.<br>
<br>"We started producing and using 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 a few of their buses - and likewise to local farmers for watering."<br>
<br>More than 1,200 farmers in Kitui have actually so far invested in biodiesel pumps for watering as part of an effort released by Zaynagro in 2015, stated Zavery.<br>
<br>DRY RIVER BEDS<br>
<br>Climate modification is taking a toll throughout east Africa and significantly unpredictable weather condition is ending up being commonplace in nations such as Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Ethiopia, resulting in lower rainfall.<br>
<br>The recurring droughts are damaging crops and pastures and are starving animals - pushing millions of individuals in the Horn of Africa to the brink of extreme hunger.<br>
<br>The variety of Kenyans in requirement of food help in March rose by nearly 70 percent over a period of eight months to 1.1 million, largely due to poor rains, according to federal government figures.<br>
<br>With almost half Kenya's 47 counties stated to have a serious scarcity of rain, humanitarian companies are warning of [increased cravings](https://www.zonebourse.com/cours/action/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-8557641/) in the months ahead.<br>
<br>"Only light rainfall is anticipated through June ... and this is not anticipated to minimize drought in impacted areas of Kenya and Somalia," said the Famine Early [Warning Systems](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/MNELF:US) Network in its latest report.<br>
<br>"Well below-average crop production, poor animals body conditions, and increased local food prices are prepared for, which will minimize bad families' access to food."<br>
<br>In Kitui's Kyuso area, the indications are currently evident.<br>
<br>Rivers, water pans and dams are drying up as an outcome of the prolonged drought.<br>
<br>Villagers suffer trekking longer distances - in some cases more than 10 km (6 miles) with their donkeys packed with empty jerry cans looking for water.<br>
<br>Small-scale farmers, many of whom are reliant on rain-fed farming, go over strategies to sell their goats to make ends meet if the [harvest](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited) is bad.<br>
<br>BATTLING DROUGHT WITH BIODIESEL<br>
<br>But not all Kitui's farmers are worried.<br>
<br>A small however growing number are shedding their burden of reliance on the weather condition - and purchasing watering systems powered by Zaynagro's cotton seed [biodiesel](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463471/000165495419013063/R31.htm) through a pay-as-you-go scheme launched more than 3 years back.<br>
<br>[Neighbouring farmers](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price) unite to invest in the watering system - that includes the [biodiesel](https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-178469/company/) pump, 12 metres of pipelines and 10 litres of biodiesel - at expenses beginning with 32,000 shillings, [depending](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463471/000165495419013063/R31.htm) on the size of the pump.<br>
<br>The farmers make a preliminary payment, then pay interest-free monthly instalments until the overall is settled. They buy the biodiesel to run the pumps from Zaynagro at 80 shillings a litre.<br>
<br>Farmer Alex Babu Kitheka, 39, said the biodiesel pump [enabled](https://www.pinterest.com.au/missionnewenergy/) him to water a larger part of his one-acre plot, where he grows a variety of veggies consisting of maize, tomatoes, spinach and sweet potatoes.<br>
<br>"With a diesel pump, maize yields were lower and I would get 15,000 shillings in 3 months. With the [biodiesel](https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/felda-global-buys-missions-kuantan-port-plant-for-11-5-million-9053) 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.<br>
<br>CIRCULAR ECONOMY<br>
<br>Other farmers indicate the plan as a significant benefit in [assisting enhance](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/51278-86) their output.<br>
<br>"The instalment plan is great. Most farmers don't have the cash and can not easily get a loan to buy a pump like this," stated Maurice Kitheka Munyoki, 41, as he stood beside his blue [biodiesel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html) pump.<br>
<br>"Having a scheme like this helps us a lot. Our yields are good which implies we can settle the cost of the pump slowly in small amounts, and have money left over to pay the school costs."<br>
<br>Zaynagro's initiative is still in its early phases, with couple of farmers having actually repaid the complete expense of the pumps.<br>
<br>But such biofuel plans are appealing due to the fact that they produce a [circular economy](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html) by turning waste to biofuel for profit, said Sanjoy Sanyal, senior partner for Clean Energy [Finance](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/mission-newenergy) at the World Resources Institute.<br>
<br>The simplicity of the model - easy-to-use, robust technology, assured supply of [biodiesel integrated](https://www.zonebourse.com/cours/action/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-8557641/) with a pay-as-you-go plan - might help energize rural Africa, he stated.<br>
<br>"There is a mosaic of sustainable energy options worldwide. The crucial issue is testing ideas and methods in a collaborative style," said Sanyal.<br>
<br>"Other cotton ginning factories in the area should attempt and find out from this experiment. Banks ought to start try out loans to groups of farmers. International donors and investors need to support experimentation."<br>
<br>($1 = 101.3000 Kenyan shillings) (Reporting by Nita Bhalla @nitabhalla, Editing by Claire Cozens. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, ladies's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, property rights and [climate](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html) change. Visit http://news.trust.org)<br>