From 6ccd70d1493531683bc277f98969e07955343016 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Christopher Polson Date: Sat, 11 Jan 2025 20:49:54 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] Add Cotton Waste Biofuel Powers Farmers to Eliminate Drought In Kenya --- ...s-Farmers-to-Eliminate-Drought-In-Kenya.md | 40 +++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 40 insertions(+) create mode 100644 Cotton-Waste-Biofuel-Powers-Farmers-to-Eliminate-Drought-In-Kenya.md diff --git a/Cotton-Waste-Biofuel-Powers-Farmers-to-Eliminate-Drought-In-Kenya.md b/Cotton-Waste-Biofuel-Powers-Farmers-to-Eliminate-Drought-In-Kenya.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3eeb0e5 --- /dev/null +++ b/Cotton-Waste-Biofuel-Powers-Farmers-to-Eliminate-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 believed it should be a joke when he was told he could water his drought-hit crops more cheaply, easily and efficiently using a [pump sustained](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/51278-86) by cotton waste.
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"Who could believe it's possible to make a fuel better than diesel from cotton seeds? I didn't!" chuckled Mathoka, bending down to check the watermelons on his 10-acre (four-hectare) shared plot in Ituri [village](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/51278-86) in Kenya's southeast Kitui county.
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"But it works," he said, walking over to a close-by tree and plucking a big green pawpaw. "Irrigation with this [biodiesel](https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/felda-global-buys-missions-kuantan-port-plant-for-11-5-million-9053) water pump has helped me get greater yields, especially during drought durations."
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Mathoka said his revenues had actually doubled in the 2 years he has actually been pumping water utilizing [biodiesel](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), 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 utilizing is not just great news for him - it is also excellent news for the world.
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Unlike many biofuels, which are originated from crops such as maize, sugarcane, soybean, [rapeseed](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price) and [jatropha curcas](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited), it is made from a byproduct of the cotton-making process.
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That implies that as well as being cleaner and cheaper than routine fuel, it is more sustainable than other biofuels since no additional land is required to produce it.
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From Brazil to Indonesia, the rush to cultivate biofuel crops has actually driven forest [communities](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048) off their land and pressed farmers to change from crops-for-food to more profitable crops-for-fuel - exacerbating 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," stated Taher Zavery, handling director of Ltd, the Kitui-based company producing the biodiesel.
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"We began 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 irrigation."
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More than 1,200 farmers in Kitui have up until now invested in [biodiesel](https://www.businessnews.com.au/Company/Mission-NewEnergy) pumps for watering as part of an initiative introduced by Zaynagro in 2015, said Zavery.
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DRY RIVER BEDS
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Climate modification is taking a toll across east Africa and significantly irregular weather [condition](https://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/ASX:MBT/Mission-NewEnergy-Ltd) is becoming commonplace in nations such as Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Ethiopia, leading to lower rains.
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The recurring droughts are ruining crops and pastures and are starving animals - pushing millions of individuals in the Horn of Africa to the verge of extreme cravings.
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The variety of Kenyans in need of food help in March surged by nearly 70 percent over a duration of eight months to 1.1 million, mainly due to poor rains, according to government figures.
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With nearly [half Kenya's](https://www.zonebourse.com/cours/action/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-8557641/) 47 counties stated to have a major lack of rain, humanitarian companies are cautioning of increased hunger in the months ahead.
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"Only light rainfall is anticipated through June ... and this is not expected to minimize dry spell in impacted areas of Kenya and Somalia," stated the Famine Early Warning Systems Network in its newest report.
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"Well below-average crop production, bad animals body conditions, and increased regional food prices are expected, which will minimize bad families' access to food."
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In Kitui's Kyuso location, the signs are currently evident.
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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 grumble of trekking longer distances - in some cases more than 10 km (6 miles) with their donkeys packed with empty jerry cans searching for water.
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Small-scale farmers, the majority of whom are reliant on [rain-fed](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) farming, talk about plans to offer their goats to make ends satisfy if the harvest is bad.
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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 burden of dependence on the weather condition - and buying watering systems powered by Zaynagro's cotton seed biodiesel through a pay-as-you-go scheme introduced more than 3 years earlier.
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Neighbouring farmers band together to buy the irrigation system - that includes the [biodiesel](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited) pump, 12 metres of pipelines and 10 litres of biodiesel - at costs beginning with 32,000 shillings, depending upon the size of the pump.
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The farmers make a preliminary payment, then pay interest-free monthly instalments up until the total is paid off. They buy 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://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html) him to water a bigger portion of his [one-acre](https://www.zonebourse.com/cours/action/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-8557641/) plot, where he grows a range of veggies including 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 three months. With the [biodiesel](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463471/000165495419013063/R31.htm) pump, I can make 45,000 shillings," said 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 indicate the scheme as a significant benefit in assisting improve their output.
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"The instalment scheme is good. Most farmers do not have the cash and can not easily get a loan to purchase a pump like this," said [Maurice Kitheka](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) Munyoki, 41, as he stood next to his blue biodiesel pump.
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"Having a plan like this helps us a lot. Our yields are excellent which indicates we can settle the expense of the pump slowly in small amounts, and have money left over to pay the school costs."
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Zaynagro's initiative is still in its early stages, with few farmers having repaid the complete cost of the pumps.
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But such [biofuel](https://www.businessnews.com.au/Company/Mission-NewEnergy) plans are promising since they create a circular economy by turning waste to [biofuel](https://stocktwits.com/symbol/MNEL) for earnings, stated Sanjoy Sanyal, senior partner for Clean Energy Finance at the World [Resources Institute](https://www.businessnews.com.au/Company/Mission-NewEnergy).
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The simpleness of the model - easy-to-use, robust innovation, assured supply of [biodiesel integrated](https://www.zonebourse.com/cours/action/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-8557641/) with a pay-as-you-go scheme - might help electrify rural Africa, he stated.
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"There is a mosaic of sustainable energy options on the planet. The key issue is checking ideas and methods in a collaborative style," said Sanyal.
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"Other cotton ginning factories in the area ought to attempt and gain from this experiment. Financial institutions ought to start try out loans to groups of farmers. International donors and investors require to support experimentation."
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($1 = 101.3000 Kenyan shillings) (Reporting by Nita Bhalla @nitabhalla, [Editing](https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-178469/company/) 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, residential or commercial property rights and environment modification. Visit http://news.trust.org)
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