Business Daily (Nairobi)
Zeddy Sambu
6 November 2007
A looming global energy crisis and rising concern over climate change is opening a new economic opportunity for hundreds of farmers in the semi-arid Eastern province.
Mobilised under the Trees for Clean Energy project, 950 farmers are learning how to cultivate the jatropha carcus - the oil seed plant that is wild and natural to the area - but has been identified to be among the world's best raw materials for biofuel production.
The project, which is located in Kibwezi, a semi-arid district bordering the world famous Tsavo National Park, helps farmers not only to cultivate but also to process the jatropha seeds into to biofuel.
Promoters of the project say Kibwezi is only a pilot case for the planned large scale cultivation of the plant in Kisumu, Kajiado and Kitui districts.
"The goal is to put Kenya on the global map as one of the countries on the forefront in the fight against global warming," said Peter Moll, the chairman of the Biodiesel Kenya project.
Research has shown that jatropha is a multi-purpose plant with potential to meet a wide range of critical needs of resource-poor farmers in Africa.
The most promising by-product of the plant is the non-edible vegetable oil seed that can be used to produce biofuel - an alternative to diesel that can run motorised engines.
Alternative energy at the Ministry of Energy has formed the National Biosafety Committee - a stakeholders' forum to craft a policy framework for the development of bio-diesel in Kenya.
The committee is also exploring ways of using tradition crops such as maize, soybeans, and sugarcane to produce biofuels.
George Wachira of the Petroleum Institute of East Africa told Business Daily that a draft document was ready and would soon be tabled for stakeholder discussion.
Agricultural economists say the plant offers Kenya the potential of extending crop husbandry as an economic activity into areas that are considered marginal because it requires minimal rainfall and has minimal negative impact on the food chain.
A recent study by the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in East and Central Africa (ASARECA) found that the jatropha offers farmers in Eastern and Central Africa an opportunity to put into use the vast areas of semi arid land.
Kenya, like South Africa and India, has set a target of 200 hectares under jatropha cultivation in the next 20 years.
Biodiesel Kenya's field trials go on at Ntashat Ranch in Kajiado district since March 2006.
Mr Moll says it will take more than 10 years to produce sufficient seeds to sustain biofuel production on a commercial basis.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of a warning by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that promoting the development of alternative energy source through heavy subsidies is unlikely to be beneficial in the long term.
It particularly criticised the US government which is pursuing a five- year plan to develop cellulosic fuels through extensive subsidies, saying the support will be at the expense of existing biofuel subsidies.
China, which accounts for 37 per cent of global fuel consumption is trying to meet increasing demand for diesel through biodiesel production. China has a long term plan to boost biofuel production to meet a minimum of 15 per cent of its transport fuel by 2020.
The October monthly report by the Organisation for Petroleum Exporting Countries says palm oil prices have increased by 80 per cent since 2005, piling pressure on biodiesel plants in Asia.
Commissioning of new Malaysian bio diesel plants is expected to be delayed due to a steep rise in the prices of raw material. Specialists say these kind of ventures can operate only if oil prices exceed $80 per barrel.
Bio-diesel is seen as offering poor countries a new export product as it gets acceptance in the mainstream economy. In the United Kingdom, for example, bio-diesel consuption is expected to rise significantly following the launch by Virgin Trains - owned by Sir Richard Branson and Greenergy - of the first ever train to be powered by bio-diesel.
British Petroleum has recently formed a joint venture with DF1 Oils to accelerate planting of the crop.
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Hallo june , i read your articles and i was much interested to do something around kibwezi area. could u pliz give me your contacts so that we can communicate.?thanks Tina
I work for an NGO that seeks to empower the youth and mothers living in the rural areas , we are based in kangundo but also have pieces of land in makindu -near kibwezi where you already have a site.
we are interested in partnering with you ,please let us know where to start.
Thank you
June Ndambuki