Prospects for sustainable biofuel production in developing countries: A Case study of Kenya, East Africa

Research Coordinator:

Bernhard Freyer, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life, Sciences (BOKU), Austria

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Project Summary:

The aim of the project is to promote a sustainable production of biofuels while ensuring food security. The general project objective is to evaluate the potential of integrating biofuel raw material production in smallholder farms, adapted technology and their implications on energy access, ecological sustainability, food security, economic and social wellbeing in Kenya. Following a bottom up approach, priority is set on smallholder farmers but also on community and region.

The entire research project will be divided into four research areas:

  • Cropping systems with biofuels (Jatropha, Castor oil and Croton), ecology and biodiversity
  • Socioeconomy, food and feed security, social acceptance, market demand of biofuels
  • Technology and economy of biofuel production
  • Stakeholder linkages, policy integration and dissemination of biofuel approaches

Initial activities will involve selection and description of three study sites representing different agro-ecological regions in Kenya. The main criteria for site selection will be the actual and potential biofuel production and ecological feasibility. Research is done at farm, community, regional and national level. First step will be to analyze and define the production and techniques following by second developing farming systems searching different solutions for the integration of biofuel production but also reflecting efforts of this innovation at community and regional level. Stakeholders are mainly farmers, NGOs, consultancies, technicians, community officials and government ministries. Outcomes are:

  1. An overview on the theoretical and empirical background for biofuel (biogas and biodiesel) production and use in Kenya in terms of production and technical potentials and preconditions for successful implementation of biofuels in smallholder farms.
  2. Results on the potential of biofuel integration at smallholder farming systems in three key agro-ecological regions in Kenya.
  3. an estimation on the impact of biogas and biodiesel production in smallholder farms on their production systems, household income generation, natural resource management and food and feed production.
  4. The trade-offs of biogas and biodiesel production in a community and regional contexts, the potential of socio-cultural acceptance and market demand.
  5. The overall implications of biofuel integration in smallholder farms on rural and national policies

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Start date:

01.01.2009

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Duration:

36 month

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For further information:

Univ. Prof. Dr. Bernhard Freyer
University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU)
Dep. of Sustainable Land Use Systems
Institute of Organic Farming
Gregor Mendelstr. 33
A-1180 Vienna

Contact:

Tel: +43-1-47654 3750
Fax: +43-1-47564 3792
Email: Bernhard.freyer@boku.ac.at
Website : http://www.nas.boku.ac.at/oekoland.html

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Partners:

Egerton University

Rhoda Birech (PhD); Faculty of Agriculture, Egerton Kenya, P.O. Box 536-20115
Tel: +254-51-62550
Fax: +254-51-62440
Email: rhodabirech@gmail.com

Kenya Agricultural Research Institute

Joyce Malinga (PhD); (KARI-NJORO), P. O. BOX PRIVATE BAG NJORO, 20107 Njoro, [Kenya]
Tel: +254-51-61356
Fax: +254-51-61576
Email: joycemalinga@yahoo.com

University of Szeged

Kornel Kovacs (PhD, Prof.); Department of Biotechnology, Kozepfasor 52, H-6726 Hungary
Tel: +36-62-544351
Fax: +36-62-544352
Email: kornel@brc.hu

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