commit 4bdea7d632366a0d47acd49ea9607dc1c7909911 Author: Sommer Foutch Date: Sun Jan 12 02:12:37 2025 +0800 Add Cotton Waste Biofuel Powers Farmers to Combat Drought In Kenya diff --git a/Cotton-Waste-Biofuel-Powers-Farmers-to-Combat-Drought-In-Kenya.md b/Cotton-Waste-Biofuel-Powers-Farmers-to-Combat-Drought-In-Kenya.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c3b7e15 --- /dev/null +++ b/Cotton-Waste-Biofuel-Powers-Farmers-to-Combat-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 thought it must be a joke when he was told he might water his drought-hit crops more inexpensively, cleanly and effectively utilizing a pump fuelled 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 examine the watermelons on his 10-acre (four-hectare) shared plot in Ituri village in Kenya's southeast Kitui county.
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"But it works," he stated, walking over to a close-by tree and plucking a big green pawpaw. "Irrigation with this biodiesel water pump has actually assisted me get higher yields, particularly during drought periods."
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Mathoka said his incomes had doubled in the two years he has been pumping water utilizing [biodiesel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/ASX:MBT/Mission-NewEnergy-Ltd), which is both more effective and 20 shillings ($0.20) per litre more affordable than regular diesel.
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The biodiesel he is utilizing is not just excellent news for him - it is also good news for the world.
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Unlike a lot of biofuels, which are stemmed from crops such as maize, sugarcane, soybean, rapeseed and [jatropha](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463471/000165495419013063/R31.htm), it is made from a byproduct of the cotton-making process.
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That implies that in addition to being cleaner and cheaper than routine fuel, it is more sustainable than other biofuels due to the fact that no additional land is needed to produce it.
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From Brazil to Indonesia, the rush to cultivate [biofuel](https://www.investing.com/equities/mission-newenergy-ltd-company-profile) crops has actually driven forest neighborhoods off their land and pressed farmers to change from crops-for-food to more [profitable crops-for-fuel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/ASX:MBT/Mission-NewEnergy-Ltd) - worsening food lacks.
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"Our biodiesel comes 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 company producing the biodiesel.
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"We started producing and utilizing it to power our cotton ginning factory in 2011. With increased production, we now utilize it for our trucks, offer it to the United Nations to run some of their buses - and also to regional farmers for watering."
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More than 1,200 farmers in Kitui have so far bought [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 released by Zaynagro in 2015, said Zavery.
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[DRY RIVER](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price) BEDS
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Climate change is taking a toll throughout east Africa and progressively erratic weather is ending up being [commonplace](https://www.zoominfo.com/c/mission-newenergy/346542889) in countries such as Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Ethiopia, leading to [lower rainfall](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited).
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The repeating droughts are ruining crops and pastures and are starving animals - pushing millions of individuals in the Horn of Africa to the edge of severe hunger.
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The number of [Kenyans](https://www.zoominfo.com/c/mission-newenergy/346542889) in need of food aid in March rose by nearly 70 percent over a period of 8 months to 1.1 million, largely due to bad rains, according to federal government figures.
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With almost half Kenya's 47 counties stated to have a major lack of rain, humanitarian agencies are warning of increased appetite in the months ahead.
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"Only light rainfall is anticipated through June ... and this is not expected to reduce drought in impacted locations of Kenya and Somalia," said the Famine Early Warning Systems [Network](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price) in its latest report.
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"Well below-average crop production, poor livestock body conditions, and increased local food rates are prepared for, which will lower bad homes' access to food."
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In Kitui's Kyuso area, the indications are already [obvious](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/mission-newenergy).
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Rivers, water pans and dams are drying up as a result of the prolonged drought.
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Villagers experience 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, many of whom depend on rain-fed agriculture, go over [strategies](https://www.zonebourse.com/cours/action/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-8557641/) to offer their goats to make ends meet if the harvest is poor.
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BATTLING DROUGHT WITH BIODIESEL
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But not all Kitui's farmers are stressed.
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A small however growing number are shedding their concern of dependence on the weather condition - and investing in irrigation systems powered by Zaynagro's cotton seed biodiesel through a pay-as-you-go plan introduced more than 3 years earlier.
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Neighbouring farmers unite to purchase the irrigation system - that includes the [biodiesel](https://www.zoominfo.com/c/mission-newenergy/346542889) pump, 12 metres of pipes and 10 litres of biodiesel - at expenses starting from 32,000 shillings, depending upon the size of the pump.
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The farmers make an initial payment, then [pay interest-free](https://www.zonebourse.com/cours/action/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-8557641/) monthly instalments until the overall is settled. They purchase 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 him to water a bigger part of his [one-acre](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/51278-86) 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 3 months. With the [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) pump, I can make 45,000 shillings," stated Alex Babu Kitheka, standing near his plot in Ilangilo village, 40 km (25 miles) from Kitui town.
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CIRCULAR ECONOMY
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Other [farmers](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/51278-86) point to the scheme as a significant benefit in helping improve their output.
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"The instalment scheme is excellent. Most farmers do not have the cash and can not quickly get a loan to buy a pump like this," said Maurice Kitheka Munyoki, 41, as he stood beside his blue biodiesel pump.
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"Having a plan like this helps us a lot. Our yields are excellent which implies we can pay off the expense of the pump gradually in percentages, and have cash left over to pay the school costs."
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Zaynagro's effort is still in its early stages, with couple of farmers having actually paid back the full [expense](https://www.investing.com/equities/mission-newenergy-ltd-company-profile) of the pumps.
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But such are appealing since they create a circular economy by turning waste to [biofuel](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0cqd_rb) for profit, said Sanjoy Sanyal, senior partner for Clean Energy Finance at the World Resources Institute.
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The simplicity of the model - easy-to-use, robust technology, guaranteed supply of biodiesel integrated with a pay-as-you-go plan - might assist energize rural Africa, he said.
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"There is a mosaic of sustainable energy options worldwide. The essential issue is evaluating ideas and approaches in a collaborative fashion," stated Sanyal.
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"Other cotton ginning factories in the area must attempt and gain from this experiment. Banks should begin experimenting with 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 by Claire Cozens. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, [ladies's](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/mission-newenergy) and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, residential or commercial property rights and environment [modification](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html). Visit http://news.trust.org)
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