commit 616811ee85a34906eda8743798b541161e1087d5 Author: shanonsturdiva Date: Fri Jan 10 19:54:04 2025 +0000 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..e2b2e21 --- /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 should be a joke when he was told he might irrigate his drought-hit crops more cheaply, easily and effectively using 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!" laughed Mathoka, bending down to check the [watermelons](https://www.investing.com/equities/mission-newenergy-ltd-company-profile) 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, strolling over to a neighboring tree and plucking a large green pawpaw. "Irrigation with this biodiesel water pump has helped me get higher yields, especially throughout drought durations."
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[Mathoka](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html) said his profits had doubled in the two years he has actually been pumping water using [biodiesel](https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-178469/company/), which is both more efficient and 20 shillings ($0.20) per litre more affordable than routine diesel.
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The biodiesel he is using is not just excellent news for him - it is also great news for the planet.
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Unlike the majority of biofuels, which are stemmed from crops such as maize, sugarcane, soybean, and [jatropha](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0cqd_rb), it is made from a by-product of the cotton-making process.
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That indicates that as well as being cleaner and cheaper than regular 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](https://www.zoominfo.com/c/mission-newenergy/346542889) crops has driven forest neighborhoods off their land and pressed farmers to switch from crops-for-food to more lucrative crops-for-fuel - worsening food scarcities.
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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," said Taher Zavery, handling director of Zaynagro Industries Ltd, the Kitui-based business producing the biodiesel.
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"We began producing and utilizing 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 likewise to local farmers for irrigation."
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More than 1,200 farmers in Kitui have up until now purchased biodiesel pumps for watering as part of an effort released by Zaynagro in 2015, said Zavery.
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DRY RIVER BEDS
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Climate modification is taking a toll throughout east Africa and progressively erratic weather condition is ending up being commonplace in nations such as Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Ethiopia, leading to lower rains.
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The recurring droughts are damaging crops and pastures and are starving animals - pressing millions of people in the Horn of Africa to the verge of extreme hunger.
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The number of Kenyans in need of [food aid](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) in March rose by almost 70 percent over a duration of 8 months to 1.1 million, largely due to poor rains, according to federal government figures.
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With practically half Kenya's 47 counties declared to have a [major lack](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/51278-86) of rain, humanitarian firms are alerting of increased hunger in the months ahead.
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"Only light rains is forecast through June ... and this is not expected to relieve drought in affected 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 costs are expected, which will lower bad households' access to food."
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In Kitui's Kyuso location, the signs are already evident.
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Rivers, [water pans](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html) and dams are drying up as a result of the prolonged dry spell.
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Villagers complain of trekking longer distances - often more than 10 km (6 miles) with their donkeys laden with empty jerry cans searching for water.
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Small-scale farmers, the majority of whom are dependent on rain-fed farming, go over [strategies](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463471/000165495419013063/R31.htm) to sell their goats to make ends satisfy if the [harvest](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/51278-86) is bad.
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BATTLING DROUGHT WITH BIODIESEL
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But not all Kitui's farmers are fretted.
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A little however growing number are [shedding](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0cqd_rb) their concern of dependence on the weather - and buying irrigation systems powered by Zaynagro's cotton seed biodiesel through a pay-as-you-go scheme launched more than 3 years ago.
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Neighbouring farmers band together to purchase the watering system - that includes the biodiesel pump, 12 metres of pipelines 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](https://www.pinterest.com.au/missionnewenergy/) make an initial payment, then pay interest-free month-to-month instalments up until the total is [settled](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/mission-newenergy). They [purchase](https://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/ASX:MBT/Mission-NewEnergy-Ltd) 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 permitted him to irrigate a larger part of his one-acre plot, where he grows a variety of vegetables 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 pump, I can make 45,000 shillings," said [Alex Babu](https://stocktwits.com/symbol/MNEL) 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 plan as a major benefit in helping enhance their output.
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"The instalment scheme is good. Most farmers do not have the cash and can not quickly get a loan to purchase 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 great which implies we can settle the cost of the pump gradually in small quantities, and have cash left over to pay the school fees."
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Zaynagro's effort is still in its early stages, with few farmers having repaid the full cost of the pumps.
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But such [biofuel](https://stocktwits.com/symbol/MNEL) plans are promising due to the fact that they create a circular economy by turning waste to [biofuel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/ASX:MBT/Mission-NewEnergy-Ltd) for revenue, said Sanjoy Sanyal, senior partner for Clean [Energy Finance](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/MNELF:US) at the World Resources Institute.
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The simpleness of the model - easy-to-use, robust technology, ensured supply of biodiesel combined with a pay-as-you-go plan - might help amaze rural Africa, he stated.
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"There is a mosaic of sustainable energy choices worldwide. The crucial concern is testing concepts and approaches in a collaborative fashion," said Sanyal.
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"Other cotton ginning factories in the area ought to attempt and gain from this experiment. Financial organizations ought to start explore loans to groups of farmers. International donors and investors need 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](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) Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that [covers humanitarian](https://www.zonebourse.com/cours/action/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-8557641/) news, [females's](https://www.investing.com/equities/mission-newenergy-ltd-company-profile) and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, residential or commercial property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org)
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