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 thought it needs to be a joke when he was [informed](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html) he could water his drought-hit crops more cheaply, cleanly and effectively using a pump fuelled by cotton waste.<br>
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<br>"Who could believe it's possible to make a fuel much better than diesel from cotton seeds? I didn't!" laughed Mathoka, bending down to examine the watermelons on his 10-acre (four-hectare) shared plot in Ituri town in Kenya's southeast Kitui county.<br>
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<br>"But it works," he stated, strolling over to a neighboring tree and plucking a big green pawpaw. "Irrigation with this biodiesel water pump has helped me get higher yields, particularly throughout drought durations."<br>
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<br>Mathoka said his revenues had doubled in the two years he has been pumping water utilizing [biodiesel](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/mission-newenergy), which is both more effective and 20 shillings ($0.20) per litre more affordable than regular diesel.<br>
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<br>The [biodiesel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html) he is using is not simply good news for him - it is also great news for the planet.<br>
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<br>Unlike a lot of biofuels, which are originated from crops such as maize, sugarcane, soybean, rapeseed and [jatropha](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/51278-86), it is made from a byproduct of the [cotton-making procedure](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/51278-86).<br>
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<br>That suggests that along with being cleaner and less expensive than regular fuel, it is more sustainable than other biofuels since no additional land is required to [produce](https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/ipos/overview?dealId=804419-65608) it.<br>
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<br>From Brazil to Indonesia, the rush to cultivate [biofuel](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) crops has actually driven forest communities off their land and pressed farmers to switch from crops-for-food to more successful crops-for-fuel [- worsening](https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/ipos/overview?dealId=804419-65608) food shortages.<br>
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<br>"Our biodiesel originates from squashing 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 company producing the biodiesel.<br>
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<br>"We began producing and using it to power our cotton ginning factory in 2011. With increased production, we now use it for our trucks, offer it to the United Nations to run a few of their buses - and also to local farmers for watering."<br>
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<br>More than 1,200 farmers in Kitui have actually so far purchased biodiesel pumps for irrigation as part of an initiative launched by Zaynagro in 2015, .<br>
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<br>DRY RIVER BEDS<br>
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<br>Climate modification is taking a toll throughout east Africa and progressively irregular weather is becoming commonplace in nations such as Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Ethiopia, resulting in lower rains.<br>
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<br>The recurring droughts are destroying crops and pastures and are starving animals - pressing millions of individuals in the Horn of Africa to the brink of extreme appetite.<br>
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<br>The number of Kenyans in need of food aid in March rose by practically 70 percent over a duration of eight months to 1.1 million, mostly due to poor rains, according to federal government figures.<br>
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<br>With nearly half Kenya's 47 [counties stated](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price) to have a severe lack of rain, humanitarian firms are warning of increased hunger in the months ahead.<br>
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<br>"Only light rains is forecast through June ... and this is not expected to reduce drought in affected areas of Kenya and Somalia," stated the Famine Early Warning Systems Network in its latest report.<br>
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<br>"Well below-average crop production, bad animals body conditions, and increased regional food prices are expected, which will lower poor households' access to food."<br>
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<br>In Kitui's Kyuso location, the signs are already obvious.<br>
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<br>Rivers, water pans and dams are drying up as a result of the extended drought.<br>
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<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 searching for water.<br>
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<br>Small-scale farmers, the majority of whom are dependent on [rain-fed](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price) farming, go over plans to offer their goats to make ends meet if the harvest is poor.<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 little however growing number are shedding their concern of dependence on the weather - and buying watering systems powered by Zaynagro's cotton seed [biodiesel](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048) through a [pay-as-you-go plan](https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-178469/company/) introduced more than 3 years earlier.<br>
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<br>Neighbouring farmers band together to buy the watering system - which consists of the biodiesel pump, 12 metres of pipelines and 10 litres of [biodiesel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html) - at expenses beginning with 32,000 shillings, depending upon the size of the pump.<br>
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<br>The farmers make an initial payment, then pay interest-free monthly instalments up until the total is paid off. They purchase 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://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/felda-global-buys-missions-kuantan-port-plant-for-11-5-million-9053) pump permitted 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>
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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 ECONOMY<br>
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<br>Other farmers indicate the scheme as a significant benefit in assisting enhance their output.<br>
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<br>"The instalment plan is good. Most farmers do not have the cash and can not quickly get a loan to buy a pump like this," said [Maurice Kitheka](https://www.pinterest.com.au/missionnewenergy/) Munyoki, 41, as he stood beside his blue biodiesel pump.<br>
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<br>"Having a scheme like this helps us a lot. Our yields are good which indicates we can pay off the expense of the pump gradually in small quantities, 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 repaid the complete expense of the pumps.<br>
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<br>But such [biofuel](https://www.pinterest.com.au/missionnewenergy/) plans are promising due to the fact that they create a circular economy by turning waste to [biofuel](https://stocktwits.com/symbol/MNEL) for revenue, said Sanjoy Sanyal, senior partner for Clean Energy Finance at the World [Resources Institute](https://www.businessnews.com.au/Company/Mission-NewEnergy).<br>
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<br>The simpleness of the model - user friendly, robust technology, assured supply of biodiesel integrated with a pay-as-you-go plan - could help electrify rural Africa, he stated.<br>
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<br>"There is a mosaic of sustainable energy alternatives on the planet. The crucial concern is evaluating concepts and techniques in a collective style," stated Sanyal.<br>
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<br>"Other cotton ginning factories in the area need to try and find out from this experiment. Financial institutions should start try out loans to groups of farmers. International donors and financiers require 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, [women's](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/MNELF:US) and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, property rights and environment modification. Visit http://news.trust.org)<br>
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