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Environmental Suitability and Agro-environmental Zoning of Kenya for Biofuel Production

The objective of this study was to conduct an agro-climatic and environmental zoning of Kenya in order to produce maps showing the country’s biodiversity, variety of land uses, protected areas and sites that were suitable for growing biofuel feedstock. When produced in a sustainable and equitable manner, biofuels can increase Kenya’s energy self sufficiency,
support rural development as well as reduce deforestation and GHG emissions compared to fossil fuels. The output of this study is intended to assist the national authorities of Kenya in better planning of the land use and assessment of the land resources and feedstocks suitable for production of biofuels.The study aimed at determining suitability areas of twelve biofuel feedstocks in Kenya and to identify high value biodiversity areas as well as areas of high socio-cultural values to be recommended for exclusion
in biofuel production. The overarching goal of the study is to ensure that,
when properly implemented, biofuel development will be economically productive alongside equitable
land use, environmental preservation and reliable food production. Feedstocks covered in this study are sugar cane, sweet sorghum, cassava, Jatropha curcas, Croton megalocarpus, caster, cotton, sunflower, canola (rapeseed), coconut, oil palm and Crambe abyssinica.