Smallholder farmers across Kenya (and beyond) are currently facing challenges primarily due to climate change and ecosystems degradation. As a result, they need energy sources that are affordable and sustainable, more than ever before.
We want to provide renewable biomass energy for farm productivity, specifically pumping water and for transporting farm inputs and outputs to market to boost agricultural production. The end result of which will see a lowering of dependence on fossil fuels, and improving climate resilience for the small holder farmer, and an increased production in agricultural activity for them. In Kenya (and Africa at large) alone, over 60% of the population (over 24 million people in Kenya) rely on small holder farmers, and rely on climate directly for provision of rain water for farming. Creation of dams is expensive and with rainfall dwindling, become less effective.
We propose rehabilitation of ecological areas and pumping water as a solution, among other farming automation machinery uses. These will use renewable energy: biomass, since using vegetation ensures using carbon in a closed cycle (renewable source), and excess vegetation will lock carbon from the air (carbon sequestration). This therefore will save money for the farmer in producing their own energy, and provide a new revenue stream for them by selling excess produced renewable energy (biomass gas).
We will undertake our project in 3 phases/steps:
- Biomass generation: Farmers will grow vegetation to be harvested for synthesis gas production.
- Biomass harvesting: Farmers will, through a cooperative they join, deliver biomass and get paid for their produce.
- Generate and store synthesis gas for use in farm productivity. Excess gas will be sold and farmers will earn dividends based on their inputs.