Kenya needs sustainable biofuel projects

In the long term therefore, a bio-ethanol strategy can be incrementally developed alongside a successful sugar development programme, and a bio-diesel strategy can incrementally ride on vegetable oil production.

It is a question of developing joint long term food and bio-energy strategies that are well resourced.

In Kenya , in the short term a lot of interest has been aroused on bio-diesel mini projects with the introduction of Jatropha in the rural areas.

This interest needs to be nurtured and supported with good research backup.

Rural based bio-diesel projects do have social economic benefits, and can mobilise gainful employment, especially in semi-arid areas.

Last year we read of the Narumoru (in Nyeri) effort where NGOs and CBOs have developed a programme for bio-diesel out of croton (Mukinduri) seeds.

Croton is a tree with numerous agro-forestry benefits as it also provides firewood, and can be useful in afforestation efforts and does not compete with food production.

Of course we have the commercial growers (mainly foreign companies) who wish to invest in large scale bio-diesel production for exports to countries under Kyoto Protocol obligations.

With proper land use guidelines and social environmental impact assessments these businesses should be facilitated, as they will give residual benefits to this country.

We should however avoid pitfalls that we have read about in Tanzania recently where large scale foreign commercial bio-fuels growers are already in social conflicts with local communities.

We are under pressure globally to come up with measures to mitigate climate change by replacing fossil fuels with bio-fuels.

We are also under pressure to replace expensive imported oil with locally produced energy alternatives and increase food production as we contend with perpetual droughts caused by climate change.

These then are the reasons why various ministries in a government should consult when developing long term policies touching on energy, food production and environmental protection.

Mr Wachira is a consultant with Petroleum Focus Consultants. Email: wachira@petroleumfocus.com