Add Cotton Waste Biofuel Powers Farmers to Fight Drought In Kenya

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 <br>By Nita Bhalla<br>
 <br>KITUI, Kenya, June 6 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Kenyan farmer Abel Mutie Mathoka believed it needs to be a joke when he was told he could irrigate his drought-hit crops more cheaply, easily and efficiently utilizing a pump fuelled by cotton waste.<br>
 <br>"Who could believe it's possible to make a fuel much better than diesel from cotton seeds? I didn't!" laughed Mathoka, crouching down to inspect the watermelons on his 10-acre (four-hectare) shared plot in Ituri town in [Kenya's](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/mission-newenergy) southeast Kitui county.<br>
 <br>"But it works," he said, [walking](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited) over to a neighboring tree and plucking a large green pawpaw. "Irrigation with this biodiesel water pump has assisted me get greater yields, specifically throughout drought durations."<br>
 <br>Mathoka stated his revenues had doubled in the 2 years he has been pumping water using [biodiesel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html), which is both more efficient and 20 shillings ($0.20) per litre less expensive than regular diesel.<br>
 <br>The [biodiesel](https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/felda-global-buys-missions-kuantan-port-plant-for-11-5-million-9053) he is utilizing is not just great news for him - it is also excellent news for the world.<br>
 <br>Unlike the majority of biofuels, which are derived from crops such as maize, sugarcane, soybean, [rapeseed](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html) and [jatropha curcas](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited), it is made from a byproduct of the cotton-making procedure.<br>
 <br>That indicates that in addition to being cleaner and less expensive than routine fuel, it is more sustainable than other biofuels due to the fact that no additional land is [required](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463471/000165495419013063/R31.htm) to produce it.<br>
 <br>From Brazil to Indonesia, the rush to cultivate biofuel crops has actually driven forest neighborhoods off their land and pushed farmers to change from crops-for-food to more profitable crops-for-fuel - worsening food lacks.<br>
 <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>
 <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, sell it to the United Nations to run a few of their buses - and also to local farmers for irrigation."<br>
 <br>More than 1,200 farmers in Kitui have actually up until now purchased [biodiesel](https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/felda-global-buys-missions-kuantan-port-plant-for-11-5-million-9053) pumps for watering as part of an initiative introduced by Zaynagro in 2015, stated Zavery.<br>
 <br>DRY RIVER BEDS<br>
 <br>[Climate](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463471/000165495419013063/R31.htm) change is taking a toll throughout east Africa and significantly erratic weather is becoming commonplace in nations such as Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Ethiopia, leading to lower rains.<br>
 <br>The recurring droughts are destroying crops and pastures and are starving animals - pushing millions of individuals in the Horn of Africa to the verge of severe cravings.<br>
 <br>The variety of Kenyans in requirement of food aid in March surged by practically 70 percent over a period of 8 months to 1.1 million, mainly due to poor rains, according to federal government figures.<br>
 <br>With almost half Kenya's 47 counties declared to have a serious shortage of rain, humanitarian companies are [warning](https://www.zonebourse.com/cours/action/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-8557641/) of [increased appetite](https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-178469/company/) in the months ahead.<br>
 <br>"Only light rains is anticipated through June ... and this is not anticipated to relieve dry spell in impacted locations of Kenya and Somalia," said the Famine Early Warning Systems Network in its latest report.<br>
 <br>"Well below-average crop production, poor animals body conditions, and increased regional food rates are prepared for, which will decrease bad families' access to food."<br>
 <br>In Kitui's Kyuso area, the indications are already apparent.<br>
 <br>Rivers, water pans and dams are drying up as an outcome of the extended dry spell.<br>
 <br>Villagers grumble of travelling longer distances - in some cases more than 10 km (6 miles) with their donkeys loaded with empty jerry cans looking for water.<br>
 <br>Small-scale farmers, many of whom depend on rain-fed agriculture, [discuss plans](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/mission-newenergy) to sell their goats to make ends fulfill if the harvest is poor.<br>
 <br>BATTLING DROUGHT WITH BIODIESEL<br>
 <br>But not all Kitui's farmers are fretted.<br>
 <br>A small however growing number are shedding their problem of dependence on the weather condition - and investing in watering systems powered by Zaynagro's [cotton seed](https://www.businessnews.com.au/Company/Mission-NewEnergy) biodiesel through a  [launched](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited) more than three years ago.<br>
 <br>Neighbouring farmers band together to purchase the watering system - which includes the [biodiesel](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048) pump, 12 metres of pipes and 10 litres of [biodiesel -](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price) at costs beginning with 32,000 shillings, depending on the size of the pump.<br>
 <br>The farmers make an initial payment, then pay interest-free regular monthly instalments till the overall is paid off. They purchase the [biodiesel](https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/felda-global-buys-missions-kuantan-port-plant-for-11-5-million-9053) to run the pumps from Zaynagro at 80 shillings a litre.<br>
 <br>Farmer Alex Babu Kitheka, 39, stated the biodiesel pump enabled him to irrigate a larger portion of his [one-acre](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048) plot, where he grows a range of vegetables including maize, tomatoes, spinach and sweet potatoes.<br>
 <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 earn 45,000 shillings," said Alex Babu Kitheka, standing near his plot in Ilangilo town, 40 km (25 miles) from Kitui town.<br>
 <br>CIRCULAR ECONOMY<br>
 <br>Other farmers point to the plan as a significant benefit in helping improve their output.<br>
 <br>"The instalment plan is great. Most farmers don't have the cash and can not easily get a loan to buy a pump like this," said Maurice Kitheka Munyoki, 41, as he stood next to his blue [biodiesel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html) pump.<br>
 <br>"Having a scheme like this helps us a lot. Our yields are good which implies we can settle the cost of the pump slowly in little quantities, and have cash left over to pay the school costs."<br>
 <br>Zaynagro's initiative is still in its early phases, with few farmers having actually repaid the full cost of the pumps.<br>
 <br>But such [biofuel](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0cqd_rb) schemes are appealing since they create a circular economy by turning waste to biofuel for profit, said Sanjoy Sanyal, senior partner for Clean [Energy Finance](https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/ipos/overview?dealId=804419-65608) at the World Resources Institute.<br>
 <br>The simpleness of the design - easy-to-use, robust innovation, ensured supply of biodiesel combined with a pay-as-you-go scheme - might help electrify rural Africa, he said.<br>
 <br>"There is a mosaic of sustainable energy alternatives worldwide. The key concern is checking concepts and techniques in a collective style," said Sanyal.<br>
 <br>"Other cotton ginning factories in the region need to try and learn from this experiment. Financial organizations should begin try out loans to groups of farmers. International donors and investors need to support experimentation."<br>
 <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, females's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, home rights and environment modification. Visit http://news.trust.org)<br>