Add Cotton Waste Biofuel Powers Farmers to Eliminate Drought In Kenya
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<br>By Nita Bhalla<br>
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<br>KITUI, Kenya, June 6 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Kenyan farmer Abel Mutie Mathoka believed it needs to be a joke when he was told he might irrigate his drought-hit crops more cheaply, cleanly and effectively using a pump fuelled by cotton waste.<br>
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<br>"Who could think it's possible to make a fuel much better than diesel from cotton seeds? I didn't!" chuckled Mathoka, crouching down to check the watermelons on his 10-acre (four-hectare) shared plot in Ituri village in Kenya's southeast Kitui county.<br>
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<br>"But it works," he stated, walking over to a nearby tree and plucking a large green pawpaw. "Irrigation with this biodiesel water pump has helped me get higher yields, especially throughout drought periods."<br>
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<br>Mathoka stated his profits had actually doubled in the 2 years he has been pumping water using biodiesel, which is both more efficient and 20 shillings ($0.20) per litre cheaper than regular diesel.<br>
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<br>The biodiesel he is utilizing is not just good news for him - it is likewise excellent news for the world.<br>
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<br>Unlike many biofuels, which are originated from crops such as maize, sugarcane, soybean, rapeseed and [jatropha curcas](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price), it is made from a by-product of the cotton-making process.<br>
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<br>That suggests that as well as being cleaner and less expensive than regular fuel, it is more sustainable than other biofuels because no additional land is needed to produce it.<br>
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<br>From Brazil to Indonesia, the rush to cultivate biofuel crops has driven forest communities off their land and pressed farmers to switch from crops-for-food to more rewarding crops-for-fuel - worsening food scarcities.<br>
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<br>"Our biodiesel originates from squashing cotton seeds left over as waste after ginning - the process of separating the seeds from raw cotton," stated Taher Zavery, managing director of Zaynagro Industries Ltd, the Kitui-based business producing the [biodiesel](https://www.investing.com/equities/mission-newenergy-ltd-company-profile).<br>
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<br>"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 a few of their buses - and likewise to regional farmers for irrigation."<br>
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<br>More than 1,200 farmers in Kitui have actually so far purchased [biodiesel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html) pumps for irrigation as part of an effort launched by Zaynagro in 2015, stated Zavery.<br>
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<br>DRY RIVER BEDS<br>
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<br>Climate modification is taking a toll throughout [east Africa](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html) and significantly irregular weather condition is becoming [commonplace](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html) in [countries](https://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/ASX:MBT/Mission-NewEnergy-Ltd) such as Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Ethiopia, leading to lower rains.<br>
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<br>The repeating dry spells are destroying crops and pastures and are starving animals - pressing countless individuals in the Horn of Africa to the brink of extreme appetite.<br>
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<br>The number of Kenyans in [requirement](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited) of food help in March surged by nearly 70 percent over a period of eight months to 1.1 million, mostly due to bad rains, according to government figures.<br>
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<br>With nearly half Kenya's 47 counties stated to have a serious shortage of rain, humanitarian agencies are warning of increased hunger in the months ahead.<br>
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<br>"Only light rainfall is anticipated through June ... and this is not anticipated to relieve dry spell in affected areas of Kenya and Somalia," stated the Famine Early Warning Systems Network in its most current report.<br>
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<br>"Well below-average crop production, poor livestock body conditions, and increased regional food costs are prepared for, which will minimize poor households' access to food."<br>
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<br>In Kitui's Kyuso area, the [indications](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/51278-86) are already apparent.<br>
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<br>Rivers, [water pans](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463471/000165495419013063/R31.htm) and dams are drying up as a result of the prolonged drought.<br>
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<br>Villagers grumble of trekking longer distances - often more than 10 km (6 miles) with their donkeys laden with empty jerry cans looking for water.<br>
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<br>Small-scale farmers, most of whom depend on rain-fed farming, discuss plans to sell their goats to make ends meet if the harvest is bad.<br>
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<br>BATTLING DROUGHT WITH BIODIESEL<br>
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<br>But not all Kitui's farmers are fretted.<br>
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<br>A small but [growing](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/MNELF:US) number are shedding their concern of reliance on the weather condition - and investing in watering systems powered by Zaynagro's cotton seed [biodiesel](https://www.zoominfo.com/c/mission-newenergy/346542889) through a pay-as-you-go scheme [launched](https://www.pinterest.com.au/missionnewenergy/) more than 3 years back.<br>
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<br>Neighbouring farmers unite to buy the watering system - that includes the [biodiesel](https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/felda-global-buys-missions-kuantan-port-plant-for-11-5-million-9053) pump, 12 metres of pipes and 10 litres of biodiesel - at costs beginning with 32,000 shillings, upon the size of the pump.<br>
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<br>The farmers make a [preliminary](https://www.investing.com/equities/mission-newenergy-ltd-company-profile) payment, then pay interest-free monthly instalments till the total is settled. They buy the biodiesel to run the pumps from Zaynagro at 80 shillings a litre.<br>
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<br>Farmer Alex Babu Kitheka, 39, stated the [biodiesel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html) pump allowed him to irrigate a bigger portion of his one-acre plot, where he grows a variety of veggies consisting of maize, tomatoes, spinach and sweet potatoes.<br>
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<br>"With a diesel pump, maize yields were lower and I would get 15,000 shillings in three months. With the biodiesel 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>
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<br>[CIRCULAR](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html) ECONOMY<br>
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<br>Other farmers indicate the scheme as a significant advantage in assisting enhance their output.<br>
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<br>"The instalment plan is excellent. 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 next to his blue biodiesel pump.<br>
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<br>"Having a plan like this helps us a lot. Our yields are good which implies we can settle the expense of the pump gradually in small amounts, and have cash left over to pay the school fees."<br>
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<br>Zaynagro's effort is still in its early phases, with couple of farmers having actually repaid the complete cost of the pumps.<br>
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<br>But such [biofuel](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048) plans are promising since they develop a [circular economy](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited) by turning waste to [biofuel](https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-178469/company/) for earnings, said Sanjoy Sanyal, senior partner for Clean Energy Finance at the World Resources Institute.<br>
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<br>The simplicity of the design - easy-to-use, robust technology, ensured supply of [biodiesel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html) combined with a pay-as-you-go scheme - might assist amaze rural Africa, he said.<br>
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<br>"There is a mosaic of sustainable energy alternatives on the planet. The crucial issue is evaluating ideas and approaches in a collaborative style," stated Sanyal.<br>
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<br>"Other cotton ginning factories in the area ought to attempt and discover from this experiment. Financial institutions should start try out loans to groups of farmers. International donors and financiers need to support experimentation."<br>
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<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, females's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, home rights and environment modification. Visit http://[news.trust](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited).org)<br>
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