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Add Cotton Waste Biofuel Powers Farmers to Eliminate 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 thought it should be a joke when he was told he could water his drought-hit crops more cheaply, cleanly and efficiently using 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!" chuckled Mathoka, [bending](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited) down to examine the watermelons on his 10-acre (four-hectare) shared plot in Ituri village in Kenya's southeast Kitui county.<br>
<br>"But it works," he said, walking over to a nearby tree and plucking a big green pawpaw. "Irrigation with this biodiesel water pump has helped me get greater yields, especially during dry spell durations."<br>
<br>Mathoka said his incomes had doubled in the 2 years he has been pumping water using biodiesel, which is both more efficient and 20 shillings ($0.20) per litre more affordable than regular diesel.<br>
<br>The [biodiesel](https://forest500.org/rankings/companies/mission-newenergy-limited) he is using is not just good news for him - it is also excellent news for the world.<br>
<br>Unlike many biofuels, which are obtained from crops such as maize, sugarcane, soybean, rapeseed and [jatropha](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159352/mission-newenergy-debt-free-focused-on-biofuel-joint-venture-60797.html), it is made from a byproduct of the cotton-making process.<br>
<br>That suggests that in addition to being cleaner and cheaper than routine fuel, it is more sustainable than other biofuels since no additional land is required to produce it.<br>
<br>From Brazil to Indonesia, the rush to cultivate [biofuel](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price) crops has driven forest [neighborhoods](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1463471/000165495419013063/R31.htm) off their land and pressed farmers to change from crops-for-food to more [rewarding crops-for-fuel](https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-178469/company/) - worsening food shortages.<br>
<br>"Our [biodiesel](https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-178469/company/) originates from crushing cotton seeds left over as waste after ginning - the process of separating the seeds from raw cotton," stated Taher Zavery, handling [director](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price) of Zaynagro Industries Ltd, the Kitui-based company producing the [biodiesel](https://www.zonebourse.com/cours/action/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-8557641/).<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 some of their buses - and likewise to regional farmers for watering."<br>
<br>More than 1,200 [farmers](https://www.zonebourse.com/cours/action/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-8557641/) in Kitui have up until now invested in biodiesel pumps for watering as part of an effort released by Zaynagro in 2015, stated Zavery.<br>
<br>DRY RIVER BEDS<br>
<br>Climate modification is taking a toll throughout east Africa and progressively irregular weather is ending up being commonplace in nations such as Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Ethiopia, resulting in lower rains.<br>
<br>The repeating droughts are ruining crops and pastures and are starving animals - pushing millions of people in the Horn of Africa to the verge of extreme cravings.<br>
<br>The variety of Kenyans in need of food help in March rose by almost 70 percent over a duration of eight months to 1.1 million, largely due to bad rains, according to federal government figures.<br>
<br>With practically half Kenya's 47 counties stated to have a serious shortage of rain, humanitarian companies are alerting of [increased appetite](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html) in the months ahead.<br>
<br>"Only light rainfall is anticipated through June ... and this is not expected to minimize dry spell in affected areas 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 expected, which will lower bad homes' access to food."<br>
<br>In Kitui's Kyuso area, the indications are currently obvious.<br>
<br>Rivers, water pans and dams are drying up as an outcome of the prolonged dry spell.<br>
<br>Villagers experience trekking longer ranges - sometimes more than 10 km (6 miles) with their donkeys packed with empty jerry cans looking for water.<br>
<br>Small-scale farmers, the [majority](https://www.energy-xprt.com/companies/mission-newenergy-limited-36048) of whom depend on rain-fed farming, discuss plans to offer their goats to make ends meet if the harvest is bad.<br>
<br>BATTLING DROUGHT WITH [BIODIESEL](https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/felda-global-buys-missions-kuantan-port-plant-for-11-5-million-9053)<br>
<br>But not all Kitui's farmers are [stressed](https://www.zoominfo.com/c/mission-newenergy/346542889).<br>
<br>A small however growing number are shedding their burden of dependence on the weather - and purchasing irrigation systems powered by Zaynagro's cotton seed [biodiesel](https://www.investing.com/equities/mission-newenergy-ltd-company-profile) through a pay-as-you-go plan launched more than 3 years back.<br>
<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 - at expenses beginning from 32,000 shillings, depending upon the size of the pump.<br>
<br>The farmers make a preliminary payment, then pay interest-free monthly instalments up until the total is paid off. They buy the biodiesel to run the pumps from Zaynagro at 80 shillings a litre.<br>
<br>Farmer Alex Babu Kitheka, 39, stated the [biodiesel](https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/shares/asx-mbt/mission-newenergy-limited/share-price) pump allowed him to irrigate a larger part of his one-acre plot, where he grows a variety of veggies 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," stated Alex Babu Kitheka, standing near his plot in Ilangilo town, 40 km (25 miles) from [Kitui town](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0cqd_rb).<br>
<br>CIRCULAR ECONOMY<br>
<br>Other farmers indicate the scheme as a major benefit in [assisting enhance](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/MNELF:US) their output.<br>
<br>"The instalment plan is good. Most farmers do not have the cash and can not easily get a loan to purchase a pump like this," said Maurice Kitheka Munyoki, 41, as he stood beside his blue [biodiesel](https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/felda-global-buys-missions-kuantan-port-plant-for-11-5-million-9053) pump.<br>
<br>"Having a scheme like this helps us a lot. Our yields are excellent which indicates we can pay off the expense of the pump gradually in little quantities, and have money left over to pay the school costs."<br>
<br>Zaynagro's initiative is still in its early stages, with couple of farmers having actually repaid the complete cost of the pumps.<br>
<br>But such [biofuel](https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/159346/mission-newenergy-delivers-maiden-biodiesel-production-to-global-oil-major-24476.html) schemes are appealing because they develop a circular economy by turning waste to [biofuel](https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/MISSION-NEWENERGY-LIMITED-178469/company/) for earnings, said Sanjoy Sanyal, senior associate for Clean Energy Finance at the World Resources Institute.<br>
<br>The simplicity of the easy-to-use, robust technology, guaranteed supply of biodiesel integrated with a pay-as-you-go plan - might help amaze rural Africa, he stated.<br>
<br>"There is a mosaic of sustainable energy options worldwide. The crucial concern is evaluating concepts and approaches in a collaborative style," said Sanyal.<br>
<br>"Other cotton ginning factories in the area should attempt and learn from this experiment. Banks ought to start experimenting with loans to groups of farmers. International donors and financiers 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, residential or commercial property rights and environment change. Visit http://news.trust.org)<br>