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Add Cotton Waste Biofuel Powers Farmers to Fight Drought In Kenya

Ilene Griggs 2025-01-12 18:55:27 +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 should be a joke when he was told he could water his drought-hit crops more inexpensively, cleanly and efficiently utilizing a pump fuelled by [cotton waste](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048).<br>
<br>"Who could believe it's possible to make a fuel much better than diesel from cotton seeds? I didn't!" chuckled Mathoka, bending down to examine the watermelons on his 10-acre (four-hectare) shared plot in Ituri village in Kitui county.<br>
<br>"But it works," he stated, strolling over to a nearby tree and plucking a large green pawpaw. "Irrigation with this biodiesel water pump has actually helped me get greater yields, particularly during drought periods."<br>
<br>Mathoka said his revenues had doubled in the 2 years he has actually been pumping water using biodiesel, which is both more efficient and 20 shillings ($0.20) per litre less expensive than routine diesel.<br>
<br>The [biodiesel](https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-178469/company/) he is using is not just good news for him - it is also good news for the world.<br>
<br>Unlike the majority of biofuels, which are originated from crops such as maize, sugarcane, soybean, rapeseed and [jatropha](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html), it is made from a byproduct of the cotton-making process.<br>
<br>That suggests that along with being cleaner and less expensive than routine fuel, it is more sustainable than other biofuels because no additional land is needed to produce it.<br>
<br>From Brazil to Indonesia, the rush to cultivate [biofuel](https://stocktwits.com/symbol/MNEL) crops has actually driven forest neighborhoods off their land and pressed farmers to switch from crops-for-food to more profitable crops-for-fuel - worsening food lacks.<br>
<br>"Our [biodiesel](https://www.investing.com/equities/mission-newenergy-ltd-company-profile) originates from crushing cotton seeds left over as waste after ginning - the process of separating the seeds from raw cotton," stated 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 utilize it for our trucks, sell it to the United Nations to run some of their buses - and also to local farmers for watering."<br>
<br>More than 1,200 farmers in Kitui have so far bought biodiesel pumps for watering as part of an effort released by Zaynagro in 2015, stated Zavery.<br>
<br>DRY RIVER BEDS<br>
<br>Climate change is taking a toll throughout east Africa and progressively erratic weather condition is becoming commonplace in nations such as Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Ethiopia, leading to lower rains.<br>
<br>The repeating droughts are ruining crops and pastures and are starving animals - pressing millions of individuals in the Horn of Africa to the brink of extreme appetite.<br>
<br>The variety of [Kenyans](https://www.investing.com/equities/mission-newenergy-ltd-company-profile) in requirement of food help in March surged by nearly 70 percent over a duration of 8 months to 1.1 million, largely due to bad rains, according to federal government figures.<br>
<br>With practically half Kenya's 47 counties declared to have a serious shortage of rain, humanitarian companies are warning of increased appetite in the months ahead.<br>
<br>"Only light rainfall is anticipated through June ... and this is not anticipated to ease dry spell in affected locations of Kenya and Somalia," stated the Famine Early Warning Systems Network in its most current report.<br>
<br>"Well below-average crop production, poor livestock body conditions, and increased local food rates are anticipated, which will minimize poor households' access to food."<br>
<br>In [Kitui's](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/mission-newenergy) Kyuso area, the indications are already evident.<br>
<br>Rivers, [water pans](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048) and dams are drying up as an outcome of the extended dry spell.<br>
<br>Villagers complain of trekking longer [distances -](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price) sometimes more than 10 km (6 miles) with their [donkeys packed](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/51278-86) with empty jerry cans looking for water.<br>
<br>Small-scale farmers, the majority of whom are reliant on rain-fed farming, talk about plans to sell their goats to make ends meet if the harvest is poor.<br>
<br>BATTLING DROUGHT WITH [BIODIESEL](https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/felda-global-buys-missions-kuantan-port-plant-for-11-5-million-9053)<br>
<br>But not all Kitui's farmers are worried.<br>
<br>A small however growing number are shedding their burden of [reliance](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0cqd_rb) on the weather - and purchasing irrigation systems powered by [Zaynagro's](https://www.businessnews.com.au/Company/Mission-NewEnergy) cotton seed [biodiesel](https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/felda-global-buys-missions-kuantan-port-plant-for-11-5-million-9053) through a [pay-as-you-go scheme](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048) released more than 3 years back.<br>
<br>Neighbouring farmers band together to invest in the watering system - that includes the biodiesel pump, 12 metres of pipes and 10 litres of biodiesel - at expenses beginning with 32,000 shillings, depending upon the size of the pump.<br>
<br>The farmers make an initial payment, then pay interest-free monthly instalments until the total is settled. They purchase the [biodiesel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html) to run the pumps from Zaynagro at 80 shillings a litre.<br>
<br>Farmer Alex Babu Kitheka, 39, said the [biodiesel](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price) pump permitted him to water a bigger part of his one-acre plot, where he grows a range of vegetables including 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://www.zoominfo.com/c/mission-newenergy/346542889) pump, I can make 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 point to the plan as a significant benefit in assisting enhance their output.<br>
<br>"The instalment plan is good. Most farmers don't have the cash and can not easily get a loan to purchase a pump like this," stated Maurice Kitheka Munyoki, 41, as he stood next to his blue biodiesel pump.<br>
<br>"Having a plan like this helps us a lot. Our yields are good which indicates we can settle the expense of the pump gradually in small amounts, and have cash left over to pay the school charges."<br>
<br>Zaynagro's effort is still in its early phases, with few farmers having repaid the full cost of the pumps.<br>
<br>But such [biofuel](https://stocktwits.com/symbol/MNEL) plans are appealing because they develop a circular economy by turning waste to [biofuel](https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/ipos/overview?dealId=804419-65608) for revenue, said Sanjoy Sanyal, senior partner for Clean Energy Finance at the World Resources Institute.<br>
<br>The simplicity of the design - user friendly, robust technology, guaranteed supply of [biodiesel](https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/felda-global-buys-missions-kuantan-port-plant-for-11-5-million-9053) combined 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 key concern is evaluating ideas and methods in a collaborative style," said Sanyal.<br>
<br>"Other cotton ginning factories in the area need to try and find out from this experiment. Banks should begin try out loans to groups of farmers. International donors and financiers require 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, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, home rights and environment change. Visit http://news.trust.org)<br>