A Case study of Kenya, East Africa (pdf - ERA ARD

1 st Coordinated Call for a Transnational Research Activity under theERA-ARD NetBioenergy – an opportunity or threat for the rural poorProject Title: Prospects for sustainable biofuel production in developingcountries: A Case study of Kenya, East Africa - PROBIOFUELProject Summary:The aim of the project is to promote a sustainable production of biofuels whileensuring food security. The general project objective is to evaluate the potential ofintegrating biofuel raw material production in smallholder farms, adapted technologyand their implications on energy access, ecological sustainability, food security,economic and social wellbeing in Kenya. Following a bottom up approach, priority isset 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 andbiodiversity Socioeconomy, food and feed security, social acceptance, market demand ofbiofuels Technology and economy of biofuel production Stakeholder linkages, policy integration and dissemination of biofuelapproachesInitial activities will involve selection and description of three study sites representingdifferent agro-ecological regions in Kenya. The main criteria for site selection will bethe actual and potential biofuel production and ecological feasibility. Research isdone at farm, community, regional and national level. First step will be to analyze anddefine the production and techniques following by second developing farmingsystems searching different solutions for the integration of biofuel production but alsoreflecting efforts of this innovation at community and regional level. Stakeholders aremainly farmers, NGOs, consultancies, technicians, community officials andgovernment ministries. Outcomes are:1. An overview on the theoretical and empirical background for biofuel(biogas and biodiesel) production and use in Kenya in terms ofproduction and technical potentials and preconditions for successfulimplementation of biofuels in smallholder farms.

2. Results on the potential of biofuel integration at smallholder farmingsystems in three key agro-ecological regions in Kenya.3. an estimation on the impact of biogas and biodiesel production insmallholder farms on their production systems, household incomegeneration, natural resource management and food and feed production.4. The trade-offs of biogas and biodiesel production in a community andregional contexts, the potential of socio-cultural acceptance and marketdemand.5. The overall implications of biofuel integration in smallholder farms on ruraland national policies.Start date: 01.01.2009Duration: 36 monthFor further information:Research Coordinator:Univ. Prof. Dr. Bernhard FreyerUniversity of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU)Dep. of Sustainable Land Use SystemsInstitute of Organic FarmingGregor Mendelstr. 33A-1180 ViennaContact:Tel: +43-1-47654 3750Fax: +43-1-47564 3792Email: Bernhard.freyer@boku.ac.atWebsite : http://www.nas.boku.ac.at/oekoland.htmlPartners:Egerton UniversityRhoda Birech (PhD); Faculty of Agriculture, Egerton Kenya, P.O. Box 536-20115Tel: +254-51-62550Fax: +254-51-62440Email: rhodabirech@gmail.comKenya Agricultural Research InstituteJoyce Malinga (PhD); (KARI-NJORO), P. O. BOX PRIVATE BAG NJORO, 20107Njoro, [Kenya]Tel: +254-51-61356Fax: +254-51-61576Email: joycemalinga@yahoo.comUniversity of SzegedKornel Kovacs (PhD, Prof.); Department of Biotechnology, Kozepfasor 52, H-6726HungaryTel: +36-62-544351Fax: +36-62-544352Email: kornel@brc.hu