00:00:03.530 --> 00:00:08.329
In the year 2050, there will
be nine billion people.

00:00:08.330 --> 00:00:12.579
How do we feed them safely,
fairly, and well, and make

00:00:12.580 --> 00:00:14.460
sure every mouth is fed?

00:00:28.250 --> 00:00:30.419
- Where I come from, everybody's
a farmer.

00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:32.849
We've not known anything else.

00:00:32.850 --> 00:00:36.799
In the marginal areas of the
coast, there are more pastoral

00:00:36.800 --> 00:00:37.979
communities.

00:00:37.980 --> 00:00:40.389
People are also embracing
crop farming.

00:00:40.390 --> 00:00:42.329
So this is who we are.

00:00:42.330 --> 00:00:45.289
This is our lifestyle.

00:00:45.290 --> 00:00:48.419
Narrator: Meet Moses Shaha,
leader of Kenya's small scale

00:00:48.420 --> 00:00:54.579
farmers, hoeing maize on his
family farm by the coast.

00:00:54.580 --> 00:00:58.349
Now, like farmers across the
world, he's being urged: plant

00:00:58.350 --> 00:01:02.119
crops not just for food,
but for fuel.

00:01:02.120 --> 00:01:04.349
He fears the idea is crazy.

00:01:04.350 --> 00:01:06.399
But is he right?

00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:10.749
- Why feed a car in Europe
when I'm going hungry?

00:01:10.750 --> 00:01:13.919
And you're telling me to
substitute my land where we

00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:20.599
grow my small crops, however
small, with biofuel crops.

00:01:20.600 --> 00:01:22.020
To me, does not make sense.

00:01:29.210 --> 00:01:33.499
-We must choose between the
two, food or fuel, simply

00:01:33.500 --> 00:01:36.099
because Africa for a
long time has had a

00:01:36.100 --> 00:01:37.999
problem in feeding itself.

00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:41.519
Narrator: While Africa's short
of food, the world is running

00:01:41.520 --> 00:01:42.889
short of fuel.

00:01:42.890 --> 00:01:45.829
Until now, the fuels that power
prosperity have been

00:01:45.830 --> 00:01:48.159
mostly coal, oil, and gas.

00:01:48.160 --> 00:01:50.769
But these fossil fuels
can pollute,

00:01:50.770 --> 00:01:52.889
and are running short.

00:01:52.890 --> 00:01:56.529
Whereas new technology means
cars, even power grids, can

00:01:56.530 --> 00:01:59.979
run on fuels from crops,
like ethanol, from

00:01:59.980 --> 00:02:01.599
corn or sugar cane.

00:02:01.600 --> 00:02:03.389
So, farmers have a choice.

00:02:03.390 --> 00:02:05.409
Plant food or fuel.

00:02:05.410 --> 00:02:09.669
Trouble is farmers are
rarely consulted.

00:02:09.670 --> 00:02:13.199
- The global biofuels debate
is discussed at an

00:02:13.200 --> 00:02:16.469
international level in
some other countries.

00:02:16.470 --> 00:02:20.409
And then, it is thrown down
our throats to digest.

00:02:20.410 --> 00:02:24.919
They don't even bother to ask
us on the ground our opinion

00:02:24.920 --> 00:02:28.419
on the use of biofuels.

00:02:28.420 --> 00:02:32.429
It is not discussed at the level
where it is produced.

00:02:32.430 --> 00:02:33.680
These are the farmers.

00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:39.689
Narrator: The blacks seeds of
the jatropha tree, rich in

00:02:39.690 --> 00:02:42.489
fuel that can be burnt like oil.

00:02:42.490 --> 00:02:44.619
Jatropha is the biofuel
that everyone's

00:02:44.620 --> 00:02:46.609
talking about in Kenya.

00:02:46.610 --> 00:02:50.869
In theory, jatropha could mean
growing biofuels without

00:02:50.870 --> 00:02:53.749
jeopardizing food security.

00:02:53.750 --> 00:02:57.209
That's because it grows in
marginal lands, where food

00:02:57.210 --> 00:03:00.689
crops don't flourish so well.

00:03:00.690 --> 00:03:05.549
- There are particular species
of crops which grow in very

00:03:05.550 --> 00:03:08.259
marginal lands, sometimes even
saline lands that have high

00:03:08.260 --> 00:03:11.119
levels of salt.

00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:12.929
Jatropha is a good example.

00:03:12.930 --> 00:03:16.579
And in fact, jatropha grows more

00:03:16.580 --> 00:03:18.989
where the land is marginal.

00:03:18.990 --> 00:03:22.329
Narrator: So, Moses could grow
not corn, but jatropha.

00:03:22.330 --> 00:03:24.199
An oil well in his garden?

00:03:24.200 --> 00:03:26.209
He's not yet convinced.

00:03:26.210 --> 00:03:31.479
- We do have spots and places
where jatropha has been grown

00:03:31.480 --> 00:03:32.829
in homesteads.

00:03:32.830 --> 00:03:36.079
And we have been trying to see
if those seeds can produce

00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:40.399
enough oil for someone to be
bold enough to say, this is

00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:42.629
going to change my lifestyle.

00:03:42.630 --> 00:03:49.749
And what we fear is to replace
food crops for jatropha crops.

00:03:49.750 --> 00:03:53.479
Agrofuels has been touted as
the wonder crop, the liquid

00:03:53.480 --> 00:03:55.789
gold that they say it is.

00:03:55.790 --> 00:03:57.789
We're yet to discover that.

00:03:57.790 --> 00:04:00.119
Narrator: The world's increasing
demand for biofuels

00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:03.399
over the next 20 years could
need an area one and a half

00:04:03.400 --> 00:04:05.579
times the size of Kenya.

00:04:05.580 --> 00:04:08.269
So, Future Food took
Moses on a trip to

00:04:08.270 --> 00:04:10.409
help solve his dilemma...

00:04:10.410 --> 00:04:13.209
Food or fuel?

00:04:13.210 --> 00:04:15.290
He'll be in for some surprises.

00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:21.179
Moses' first stop from Kilifi,
his hometown, is just three

00:04:21.180 --> 00:04:24.620
hours away in the Tana Delta
in the village of Didaade.

00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:34.159
Moses is about to discover how
controversial biofuels can be,

00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:35.790
at least for local farmers.

00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:42.879
Abdulla Bile is a pastoralist
on a community ranch.

00:04:42.880 --> 00:04:46.729
He fears for his future if
community lands are turned

00:04:46.730 --> 00:04:47.980
over to biofuels.

00:04:50.330 --> 00:04:51.339
- [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

00:04:51.340 --> 00:04:55.419
What scares us most is the
jatropha project because they

00:04:55.420 --> 00:04:57.999
believe that our land is idle.

00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:00.759
We depend on livestock
for our livelihoods.

00:05:00.760 --> 00:05:05.979
Yet, they want to start the
project on our grazing land.

00:05:05.980 --> 00:05:07.999
We can see the signs
that they want to

00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:10.749
start planting jatropha.

00:05:10.750 --> 00:05:13.779
- Do you know why they
are planting it?

00:05:13.780 --> 00:05:15.149
- We do not know.

00:05:15.150 --> 00:05:19.009
We fear that it will be
of no benefit to us.

00:05:19.010 --> 00:05:21.760
If we have to leave, then
there'll be war.

00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:28.749
Narrator: Most land here is
community owned, and Abdulla

00:05:28.750 --> 00:05:32.709
Bile fears local leaders may
hand land over to biofuels

00:05:32.710 --> 00:05:36.699
companies, foreign or Kenyan,
without his agreement.

00:05:36.700 --> 00:05:38.979
Moses is worried.

00:05:38.980 --> 00:05:43.929
- Listening to Bile, I could
see him express his passion

00:05:43.930 --> 00:05:49.259
out that the things, the way
things are at the moment does

00:05:49.260 --> 00:05:52.349
not look all that well for them.

00:05:52.350 --> 00:05:54.819
Narrator: To find out more,
Moses is off to see the local

00:05:54.820 --> 00:05:58.659
representatives of a Canadian
biofuels company, Bedford

00:05:58.660 --> 00:06:02.049
Biofuels, who are planning
jatropha plantations in the

00:06:02.050 --> 00:06:04.069
Tana Delta.

00:06:04.070 --> 00:06:08.059
- From here, I am going to
visit a Bedford jatropha

00:06:08.060 --> 00:06:08.760
plantation.

00:06:08.761 --> 00:06:12.939
I want to relate what Bile has
been informing us, the fears

00:06:12.940 --> 00:06:14.190
that they have.

00:06:22.170 --> 00:06:24.469
Narrator: Bedford planned to
plant biofuels on up to

00:06:24.470 --> 00:06:27.049
360,000 hectares.

00:06:27.050 --> 00:06:30.779
They say they hope to "secure,"
always legally.

00:06:30.780 --> 00:06:32.899
They say they're committed to
improving the standard of

00:06:32.900 --> 00:06:36.539
living of local communities,
including education, health

00:06:36.540 --> 00:06:40.179
care, nutrition, housing,
and clean water.

00:06:40.180 --> 00:06:44.239
Moses is shown around.

00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:48.049
- We started here a
few months ago.

00:06:48.050 --> 00:06:52.119
And when we started, as you can
see the surrounding, it's

00:06:52.120 --> 00:06:55.449
nothing but bush.

00:06:55.450 --> 00:06:58.269
Narrator: Bedford says they'll
have food crops, cattle, and

00:06:58.270 --> 00:07:02.069
timber on their land as
well as jatropha.

00:07:02.070 --> 00:07:06.849
- When Bedford came, they were
looking for where they can put

00:07:06.850 --> 00:07:09.129
up this project.

00:07:09.130 --> 00:07:13.529
And jatropha requires
a lot of land.

00:07:13.530 --> 00:07:18.169
- Why did you think of putting
the jatropha pilot phase here?

00:07:18.170 --> 00:07:22.509
- They say jatropha grows
best in semi-arid areas.

00:07:22.510 --> 00:07:25.729
And when they heard that
jatropha can do well in these

00:07:25.730 --> 00:07:27.829
ranches, it doesn't need
a lot of water.

00:07:27.830 --> 00:07:29.359
Doesn't need a lot of rain.

00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:31.959
Then they said, why
don't we also try?

00:07:31.960 --> 00:07:35.429
- How long do you suggest
it'll take to

00:07:35.430 --> 00:07:38.829
give the first seeds?

00:07:38.830 --> 00:07:40.069
- I want to show you.

00:07:40.070 --> 00:07:43.419
This plant here is
eight months old.

00:07:43.420 --> 00:07:46.949
Just as short a period as it is,
you can see it has already

00:07:46.950 --> 00:07:47.750
given some fruits.

00:07:47.750 --> 00:07:48.530
- Oh!

00:07:48.530 --> 00:07:49.020
- You see this?

00:07:49.021 --> 00:07:50.919
This is the jatropha you're
talking about.

00:07:50.920 --> 00:07:51.400
- OK.

00:07:51.400 --> 00:07:51.680
- Yup.

00:07:51.681 --> 00:07:56.119
And every seed, if you open it
up, they either carry two or

00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:57.989
three of these seeds.

00:07:57.990 --> 00:08:00.449
These are the jatropha seeds.

00:08:00.450 --> 00:08:01.710
Ready for crushing.

00:08:05.640 --> 00:08:08.059
From day one, I have been
with this project.

00:08:08.060 --> 00:08:13.119
And I'm the one who took the
investors to the local people,

00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:15.329
who were the owners
of these ranches,

00:08:15.330 --> 00:08:17.749
to sit and to negotiate.

00:08:17.750 --> 00:08:22.569
We have a signed agreement, a
legally signed agreement which

00:08:22.570 --> 00:08:27.799
spells out what jatropha will
do, and what the role of the

00:08:27.800 --> 00:08:31.119
farmers will be as far as
working together as partners

00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:32.269
is concerned.

00:08:32.270 --> 00:08:40.270
- And are these fears imagined
or assumed or are they real?

00:08:40.750 --> 00:08:47.079
Are they real to feel the way
they are feeling right now?

00:08:47.080 --> 00:08:51.219
- I don't know who is assuming
they will lose their lands.

00:08:51.220 --> 00:08:54.349
Because this land belongs to
the local communities.

00:08:54.350 --> 00:08:54.660
- Yeah.

00:08:54.661 --> 00:08:59.359
- Some of these ranches were
started way back in 1975.

00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:02.819
And for the last 30 years or so,
they have not been getting

00:09:02.820 --> 00:09:07.039
any income because of that
persistent drought.

00:09:07.040 --> 00:09:11.029
And when Bedford came and
subleased the ranches, now the

00:09:11.030 --> 00:09:15.059
owners are getting annual
income, which they have not

00:09:15.060 --> 00:09:16.199
been getting before.

00:09:16.200 --> 00:09:19.209
- Do you see any future
conflict?

00:09:19.210 --> 00:09:20.419
- No conflict.

00:09:20.420 --> 00:09:23.719
And we don't see any conflict
coming yet.

00:09:23.720 --> 00:09:26.959
Narrator: About 5% of Africa
has been sold or leased to

00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:29.939
outside investors in the
last decade, much

00:09:29.940 --> 00:09:32.559
potentially for biofuels.

00:09:32.560 --> 00:09:35.369
But experts sympathetic to
biofuels say there's enough

00:09:35.370 --> 00:09:38.659
land for food and fuel.

00:09:38.660 --> 00:09:41.619
- There is certainly plenty of
land available for both food

00:09:41.620 --> 00:09:42.889
and energy production.

00:09:42.890 --> 00:09:45.199
There's no doubt about that.

00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:48.169
It's how we go about this that's
the important thing.

00:09:48.170 --> 00:09:51.699
And to some extent, it has been
demonized or in general

00:09:51.700 --> 00:09:53.879
has a bad smell about it.

00:09:53.880 --> 00:09:56.129
I think that is a false view.

00:09:56.130 --> 00:09:59.329
We've been using crops for
energy since time immemorial,

00:09:59.330 --> 00:10:02.919
and 80% of energy in Africa
comes from crops, one way or

00:10:02.920 --> 00:10:04.999
another, from the growing
of biomass.

00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:09.069
We simply need to update that
to make that efficient.

00:10:09.070 --> 00:10:12.319
And there is an enormous
opportunity presented in that.

00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:14.829
Narrator: Moses says he'll
wait to see how the

00:10:14.830 --> 00:10:18.679
opportunity in the Tana Delta
project turns out.

00:10:18.680 --> 00:10:20.609
- We need to know more.

00:10:20.610 --> 00:10:23.159
We need to interview
more farmers.

00:10:23.160 --> 00:10:26.869
So we need more time to look
into this project, into this

00:10:26.870 --> 00:10:31.199
project in Tana Delta, and
see the outcome of it.

00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:34.009
Narrator: To find small scale
farmers who've been growing

00:10:34.010 --> 00:10:36.979
biofuels awhile, Moses
heads back south.

00:10:36.980 --> 00:10:39.479
On the way, he's researching
biofuels

00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:41.289
elsewhere in the world.

00:10:41.290 --> 00:10:44.149
He particularly wants to talk
to a well-known critic of

00:10:44.150 --> 00:10:48.609
biofuels who's concerned the
USA has been turning 40% of

00:10:48.610 --> 00:10:52.089
its corn into the biofuel
ethanol, with potentially

00:10:52.090 --> 00:10:53.979
serious impacts.

00:10:53.980 --> 00:10:55.909
- David Pimentel, is it?

00:10:55.910 --> 00:10:57.969
- David Pimentel.

00:10:57.970 --> 00:11:00.909
Narrator: Professor David
Pimentel has studied both corn

00:11:00.910 --> 00:11:04.519
in the USA and jatropha
in Africa.

00:11:04.520 --> 00:11:10.019
- How do you think it affects us
here in Africa if a lot of

00:11:10.020 --> 00:11:14.129
corn is turned into ethanol?

00:11:14.130 --> 00:11:20.379
- Converting corn into ethanol
is taking large quantities of

00:11:20.380 --> 00:11:22.559
food... corn is food.

00:11:22.560 --> 00:11:29.569
And so we are converting
corn food into ethanol.

00:11:29.570 --> 00:11:36.519
And this is contributing to food
starvation, some in the

00:11:36.520 --> 00:11:39.359
US, but more internationally.

00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:42.489
- In your opinion, what...

00:11:42.490 --> 00:11:45.869
should biofuels be the
answer to solve

00:11:45.870 --> 00:11:47.340
Africa's energy problems?

00:11:50.100 --> 00:11:54.379
- No, biofuels should
not be used.

00:11:54.380 --> 00:11:56.309
And I want to emphasize that.

00:11:56.310 --> 00:12:01.879
Should not be used to try to
solve their energy problems.

00:12:01.880 --> 00:12:04.649
- Well, what I learned from
our conversation with

00:12:04.650 --> 00:12:09.569
Professor Pimentel is that he
was not encouraging us in

00:12:09.570 --> 00:12:13.779
Africa to go the way
America has gone.

00:12:13.780 --> 00:12:16.119
They need their energy
for their own uses

00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:17.859
in their own land.

00:12:17.860 --> 00:12:21.739
But for us, we need the
land to produce enough

00:12:21.740 --> 00:12:23.520
food to feed ourselves.

00:12:26.210 --> 00:12:28.879
Narrator: About a fifth of
Kenya's land is farmed for

00:12:28.880 --> 00:12:31.409
food crops, always all
by small scale

00:12:31.410 --> 00:12:33.089
farmers like Moses.

00:12:33.090 --> 00:12:37.039
So could they grew biofuels
alongside their food crops?

00:12:37.040 --> 00:12:41.049
To find out, Moses is heading
back from the Tana Delta south

00:12:41.050 --> 00:12:42.300
to the Shimba Hills.

00:12:47.160 --> 00:12:49.689
- [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

00:12:49.690 --> 00:12:51.239
Narrator: Peter Ndungu
has been growing

00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:53.479
biofuels for six years.

00:12:53.480 --> 00:12:56.799
He's found jatropha hedges
keep elephants out.

00:12:56.800 --> 00:13:00.959
But he also sells the seeds
for fuel, inter-cropping

00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:03.419
jatropha with food crops.

00:13:03.420 --> 00:13:06.979
Warnings jatropha would compete
for water, he says,

00:13:06.980 --> 00:13:09.329
unjustified.

00:13:09.330 --> 00:13:12.379
[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

00:13:12.380 --> 00:13:15.169
- This is where I plant
maize and jatropha

00:13:15.170 --> 00:13:16.420
with passion fruits.

00:13:18.740 --> 00:13:24.689
- Does the jatropha negatively
affect your food crops?

00:13:24.690 --> 00:13:29.969
- I have been inter-cropping it
with maize since 2006, and

00:13:29.970 --> 00:13:32.050
I have not seen any harm in it.

00:13:36.460 --> 00:13:39.100
Look at how healthy these
passion fruits are.

00:13:43.590 --> 00:13:45.389
- Would you advise other farmers

00:13:45.390 --> 00:13:49.049
to follow your example?

00:13:49.050 --> 00:13:52.539
- I would advise them to plant
jatropha and get some income,

00:13:52.540 --> 00:13:56.219
and also from the passion,
and the maize.

00:13:56.220 --> 00:13:58.139
They can reap the benefits
of three crops at

00:13:58.140 --> 00:14:01.349
a go from one farm.

00:14:01.350 --> 00:14:04.669
Narrator: Moses is
still skeptical.

00:14:04.670 --> 00:14:05.899
- It looks a good thing.

00:14:05.900 --> 00:14:06.600
It looks a good thing.

00:14:06.601 --> 00:14:09.969
But still, remember I say there
were very few trees?

00:14:09.970 --> 00:14:13.819
Two, the production
was very minimal.

00:14:13.820 --> 00:14:15.539
It was not convincing.

00:14:15.540 --> 00:14:21.499
Had I seen some twigs bending
under the weight of fruit or

00:14:21.500 --> 00:14:24.399
pods, then I would have
thought otherwise.

00:14:24.400 --> 00:14:27.439
Narrator: But as we pointed out,
Peter is still growing

00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:29.139
food crops, too.

00:14:29.140 --> 00:14:31.999
- His food security may
not be at risk.

00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:35.739
But still, what are his
proceeds out of

00:14:35.740 --> 00:14:38.289
the jatropha plants?

00:14:38.290 --> 00:14:44.399
Are the jatropha plants enough
to give him a livelihood?

00:14:44.400 --> 00:14:46.699
No.

00:14:46.700 --> 00:14:51.609
Narrator: So, is Moses too
skeptical about biofuels?

00:14:51.610 --> 00:14:54.699
He's come to Energy Africa to
meet the people who introduced

00:14:54.700 --> 00:14:58.709
jatropha to Peter and 100
other local farmers.

00:14:58.710 --> 00:14:59.779
- How are you?

00:14:59.780 --> 00:15:02.329
Narrator: They're a Kenyan
company who farm sustainable

00:15:02.330 --> 00:15:06.719
oil crops and food for
the tourist trade.

00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:09.619
Moses hears they started
cultivating jatropha seven

00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:12.439
years ago with high
hopes, using their

00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:13.830
own oil seed crushers.

00:15:19.540 --> 00:15:23.039
- We believe here was a
golden opportunity.

00:15:23.040 --> 00:15:26.899
Poverty reduction, clean fuel.

00:15:26.900 --> 00:15:30.509
We believed agricultural kept
people in the countryside

00:15:30.510 --> 00:15:33.699
instead of having them go into
the cities and slums.

00:15:33.700 --> 00:15:35.929
Suddenly, we have a crop
that promised to

00:15:35.930 --> 00:15:38.609
combine all those things.

00:15:38.610 --> 00:15:40.429
And that made us excited.

00:15:40.430 --> 00:15:42.719
- I'm excited to see the farm.

00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:45.209
Narrator: But other farmers
didn't stick with jatropha as

00:15:45.210 --> 00:15:47.359
long as model farmer Peter did.

00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:50.609
And Moses is about to learn
the consequences.

00:15:50.610 --> 00:15:52.969
- What are some of the
significant challenges that

00:15:52.970 --> 00:15:54.319
you may have come across?

00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:55.979
- One thing is growing jatropha.

00:15:55.980 --> 00:15:58.599
Another thing is getting
a high yield.

00:15:58.600 --> 00:15:59.769
It's a new crop.

00:15:59.770 --> 00:16:00.410
We...

00:16:00.411 --> 00:16:03.399
it hasn't been domesticated
properly.

00:16:03.400 --> 00:16:06.799
So how to get a high yield, how
to prune it correctly, how

00:16:06.800 --> 00:16:10.729
to be guaranteed a production
which makes it viable?

00:16:10.730 --> 00:16:12.399
That is still a challenge.

00:16:12.400 --> 00:16:16.629
- Would you wholeheartedly
advise small scale farmers in

00:16:16.630 --> 00:16:21.009
their small holdings to give
it all in jatropha growing?

00:16:21.010 --> 00:16:23.279
- I would ask them to focus
first on the food crops.

00:16:23.280 --> 00:16:26.099
But I'd be very cautious at this
stage of the plant, which

00:16:26.100 --> 00:16:29.379
is early stage without the
plant being properly

00:16:29.380 --> 00:16:34.619
domesticated, to recommend it
to small scale farmers.

00:16:34.620 --> 00:16:38.219
Narrator: With such uncertain
evidence, Moses is wondering

00:16:38.220 --> 00:16:41.289
about other countries in Africa.

00:16:41.290 --> 00:16:45.589
Southern Africa produces about
2% of the world's biofuels.

00:16:45.590 --> 00:16:48.159
Moses wants to know if a leading
advocate of biofuels

00:16:48.160 --> 00:16:51.329
in Zambia can offer
encouragement.

00:16:51.330 --> 00:16:55.559
- In my journey, I really needed
to know besides my home

00:16:55.560 --> 00:17:03.560
country, what is it about
jatropha and other fuel crops?

00:17:04.970 --> 00:17:07.169
So I decided to talk...

00:17:07.170 --> 00:17:09.810
Skype Professor Sinkala
in Zambia.

00:17:14.990 --> 00:17:15.980
- Hello.

00:17:15.981 --> 00:17:17.459
- Hello, professor.

00:17:17.460 --> 00:17:17.950
- Good.

00:17:17.951 --> 00:17:19.919
I can hear you now.

00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:22.249
Narrator: Professor Sinkala
tells Moses that given a

00:17:22.250 --> 00:17:25.209
choice between food and fuel,
small scale farmers will

00:17:25.210 --> 00:17:26.759
always make sure they're
growing enough

00:17:26.760 --> 00:17:28.879
food for their families.

00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:32.089
So biofuels can safely be
a source of cash without

00:17:32.090 --> 00:17:35.219
endangering food security.

00:17:35.220 --> 00:17:38.649
- For a farmer, their first
target is food.

00:17:38.650 --> 00:17:42.039
They'll sell their produce
in the food market.

00:17:42.040 --> 00:17:46.479
It's only what they can't sell
that they target, that they

00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:49.809
will now throw it into
the biofuels market.

00:17:49.810 --> 00:17:52.429
Therefore, I don't see
disruption to the food

00:17:52.430 --> 00:17:54.259
production.

00:17:54.260 --> 00:17:57.109
Narrator: The professor says
if Zambia used a quarter of

00:17:57.110 --> 00:18:00.509
its land for biofuels, it could
earn almost five times

00:18:00.510 --> 00:18:02.479
its current GDP.

00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:06.569
- We could more than transform
the continent.

00:18:06.570 --> 00:18:08.549
Kenya would be rehabilitated.

00:18:08.550 --> 00:18:10.369
I've been to Kenya.

00:18:10.370 --> 00:18:14.039
Narrator: The professor, not
quite winning Moses over.

00:18:14.040 --> 00:18:17.639
- Still, he did not
convince me that

00:18:17.640 --> 00:18:21.079
what about food security?

00:18:21.080 --> 00:18:22.409
What about our land?

00:18:22.410 --> 00:18:28.089
Because if it is the answer to
Africa's major problems, it

00:18:28.090 --> 00:18:32.979
means we have to abandon food
crops, put all our land under

00:18:32.980 --> 00:18:34.699
fuel crops.

00:18:34.700 --> 00:18:38.329
And if it is so, where are
we getting the food?

00:18:38.330 --> 00:18:39.659
- That's not true.

00:18:39.660 --> 00:18:41.959
Narrator: As our Kenyan director
pointed out, nobody's

00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:46.079
suggesting all land should
be devoted to biofuels.

00:18:46.080 --> 00:18:48.169
Couldn't we strike a balance?

00:18:48.170 --> 00:18:49.609
- There could be a balance,
you know.

00:18:49.610 --> 00:18:50.580
You could put some.

00:18:50.581 --> 00:18:54.099
Because don't forget, people
do need energy.

00:18:54.100 --> 00:18:56.789
- Yes, of course.

00:18:56.790 --> 00:18:58.899
That is the way people
look at it.

00:18:58.900 --> 00:19:00.809
Scientists look at it.

00:19:00.810 --> 00:19:02.239
Entrepreneurs look at it.

00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:05.029
That is the way they
are convincing us.

00:19:05.030 --> 00:19:11.789
But as I told you, one example
is the inter-cropping of one

00:19:11.790 --> 00:19:15.919
farmer in Kenya where I
visited, Mr. Peter.

00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:19.079
There wasn't enough to convince
me that he's getting

00:19:19.080 --> 00:19:23.079
enough to feed his family.

00:19:23.080 --> 00:19:27.179
In the same context, even in
Africa, it is the same story.

00:19:27.180 --> 00:19:31.589
Even if we inter-crop, how much
land will we need to get

00:19:31.590 --> 00:19:33.569
enough oil?

00:19:33.570 --> 00:19:37.639
It means vast, vast hectares
and acres.

00:19:37.640 --> 00:19:40.889
Narrator: Vast acres, Moses
fears, like those now being

00:19:40.890 --> 00:19:46.279
devoted to biofuels worldwide,
as the USA, the EU, and others

00:19:46.280 --> 00:19:49.469
try and move to so-called
cleaner fuel.

00:19:49.470 --> 00:19:52.309
The temptation to switch land
from food to fuel has been

00:19:52.310 --> 00:19:55.279
blamed for pushing up
world food prices.

00:19:55.280 --> 00:19:58.259
Though the UN agency which
assists small scale farmers,

00:19:58.260 --> 00:20:01.489
IFAD, is cautious
of such claims.

00:20:01.490 --> 00:20:05.959
- Most of the arguments are
perhaps in the US, where a lot

00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:09.609
of corn goes into biofuel
production.

00:20:09.610 --> 00:20:11.689
But when you look at it
globally, the problem is not

00:20:11.690 --> 00:20:14.329
the cost of price hikes
or food shortages.

00:20:14.330 --> 00:20:18.209
This year and last year, there
have been severe climate

00:20:18.210 --> 00:20:19.839
impacts on crops.

00:20:19.840 --> 00:20:21.749
We're looking at the impacts
of climate change on

00:20:21.750 --> 00:20:25.159
agricultural systems.

00:20:25.160 --> 00:20:28.309
So it's not just biofuel
production.

00:20:28.310 --> 00:20:31.389
Narrator: There's still the
key argument for jatropha.

00:20:31.390 --> 00:20:35.379
It grows in marginal lands
where little else does.

00:20:35.380 --> 00:20:38.389
Moses is driving 300 kilometers
inland from the

00:20:38.390 --> 00:20:43.109
Shimba Hills to Mtito Andei,
classified as marginal land,

00:20:43.110 --> 00:20:44.430
like two thirds of Kenya.

00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:52.479
So, can biofuels help not just
big companies, but small scale

00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:55.749
farmers on marginal lands?

00:20:55.750 --> 00:20:59.429
Boniface Muoki scrapes a living
on a five acre farm so

00:20:59.430 --> 00:21:02.599
badly affected by drought, he
rarely grows enough food for

00:21:02.600 --> 00:21:04.569
himself and his wife.

00:21:04.570 --> 00:21:07.889
They rely on food parcels
for much of the year.

00:21:07.890 --> 00:21:12.929
What Boniface does grow:
the biofuel jatropha.

00:21:12.930 --> 00:21:16.369
And on his own farm, not
some huge plantation.

00:21:16.370 --> 00:21:19.119
The drought resistant crop first
suggested to him by a

00:21:19.120 --> 00:21:21.059
private foundation.

00:21:21.060 --> 00:21:24.129
Small scale farmer, Moses,
helping his hard pressed

00:21:24.130 --> 00:21:25.650
colleague out for the morning.

00:21:27.990 --> 00:21:29.189
[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

00:21:29.190 --> 00:21:31.239
- So does jatropha benefit
you more than

00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:34.309
growing the food crops?

00:21:34.310 --> 00:21:37.499
- Jatropha is 10 times
more profitable than

00:21:37.500 --> 00:21:39.919
when I farmed food.

00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:43.569
Because when the drought comes,
we cannot rely on those

00:21:43.570 --> 00:21:46.199
food crops.

00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:49.889
Jatropha, therefore, provides
an alternative income for me

00:21:49.890 --> 00:21:51.140
to buy food.

00:21:55.390 --> 00:21:58.019
Narrator: Moses hoes
on thoughtfully.

00:21:58.020 --> 00:22:01.639
Small scale farmer saved from
hunger by biofuels?

00:22:01.640 --> 00:22:03.549
He wants to know more.

00:22:03.550 --> 00:22:07.999
- We're going to see those who
introduced this jatropha

00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:11.749
farming to the small scale
farmers here, and why they

00:22:11.750 --> 00:22:14.979
believe that this is the way
the farmers should go to be

00:22:14.980 --> 00:22:18.589
able to make ends meet.

00:22:18.590 --> 00:22:20.899
Narrator: The jatropha project's
run by the Vanilla

00:22:20.900 --> 00:22:22.459
Jatropha Foundation.

00:22:22.460 --> 00:22:25.369
The seeds are brought into
town to be processed.

00:22:25.370 --> 00:22:28.159
They're grown by the 300 farmers
the foundation's

00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:30.489
introduced to biofuels.

00:22:30.490 --> 00:22:34.089
Foundation director Lorna
Umwoudo still with some work

00:22:34.090 --> 00:22:36.549
to do to convince Moses.

00:22:36.550 --> 00:22:38.869
- This is basically how
the seed looks.

00:22:38.870 --> 00:22:40.099
We store it.

00:22:40.100 --> 00:22:42.679
We make sure that insects
are kept away.

00:22:42.680 --> 00:22:44.989
Narrator: Lorna says the
farmers are offered 20

00:22:44.990 --> 00:22:47.259
shillings a kilo, about
20 US cents.

00:22:47.260 --> 00:22:51.439
Moses politely reserves
judgment for now.

00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:55.099
Meantime, learning how easy it
is to make jatropha oil.

00:22:55.100 --> 00:22:56.389
- Open the valve.

00:22:56.390 --> 00:22:57.829
Once the valve...

00:22:57.830 --> 00:22:57.950
Narrator: Looks good.

00:22:57.951 --> 00:23:01.469
But moses isn't convinced
Boniface's success shows the

00:23:01.470 --> 00:23:04.049
whole project is working.

00:23:04.050 --> 00:23:08.459
- As we went out there to see
Mr. Boniface, he's one of the

00:23:08.460 --> 00:23:09.799
model farmers.

00:23:09.800 --> 00:23:15.219
But the indicators of success
of this project were quite

00:23:15.220 --> 00:23:16.569
absent, yeah?

00:23:16.570 --> 00:23:20.489
And do you think this is the
most viable project that you

00:23:20.490 --> 00:23:24.909
think can bring farmers
out of poverty?

00:23:24.910 --> 00:23:26.919
- What has he produced
out of that land?

00:23:26.920 --> 00:23:30.159
For 48 years, he's been
living there.

00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:33.219
And in fact, this is the first
time he's producing something

00:23:33.220 --> 00:23:34.619
out of that land.

00:23:34.620 --> 00:23:37.289
Narrator: Moses is about to
learn something that could

00:23:37.290 --> 00:23:39.809
finally dent his skepticism.

00:23:39.810 --> 00:23:44.609
Biofuel farming has encouraged
innovation in food farming.

00:23:44.610 --> 00:23:47.889
- There is a holistic angle
to this magic crop.

00:23:47.890 --> 00:23:50.429
There is the environmental
benefit,

00:23:50.430 --> 00:23:52.499
the ecological benefits.

00:23:52.500 --> 00:23:55.119
Apart from that, the improvement
on soil.

00:23:55.120 --> 00:23:57.849
They might even actually end
up, in the end of all this

00:23:57.850 --> 00:24:02.159
magic, benefiting from growing
other crops because the soil

00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:06.669
rehabilitation, the moisture,
and things like that.

00:24:06.670 --> 00:24:11.259
Biofuels, the benefit for
Africa is not exports.

00:24:11.260 --> 00:24:16.199
It is for local improvements
and needs.

00:24:16.200 --> 00:24:18.629
That's the truth of the matter.

00:24:18.630 --> 00:24:22.019
It should never make a big
industry for exports.

00:24:22.020 --> 00:24:24.649
It'll never make a big industry.

00:24:24.650 --> 00:24:28.429
But it'll improve their
lives as they are.

00:24:28.430 --> 00:24:33.159
- I saw that it takes such a
long time and such a big field

00:24:33.160 --> 00:24:37.699
to make meaningful production.

00:24:37.700 --> 00:24:42.479
And if that production is not
very high, it means you get

00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:43.959
very little oil.

00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:48.829
And when I heard about the price
they offer, 20 shillings

00:24:48.830 --> 00:24:52.489
per kilo, oh dear, I
was wonderstruck.

00:24:52.490 --> 00:24:55.099
I just don't know how farmers
are going to make

00:24:55.100 --> 00:24:57.569
it, make ends meet.

00:24:57.570 --> 00:25:03.619
If Lorna is able to give a
meaningful producer price,

00:25:03.620 --> 00:25:07.669
then I will join her to convince
farmers, right?

00:25:07.670 --> 00:25:13.109
But if it's 20 shillings a kilo,
I'm still not convinced.

00:25:13.110 --> 00:25:16.469
Narrator: Moses, now uncertain
what to advise other farmers,

00:25:16.470 --> 00:25:20.559
though not yet ready for
biofuels himself.

00:25:20.560 --> 00:25:24.299
- Moses Shaha would not
plant jatropha as yet.

00:25:24.300 --> 00:25:30.159
Because I am torn in between
the stories that I've seen.

00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:33.469
Narrator: With Kenya only
growing 12% of its own food,

00:25:33.470 --> 00:25:36.869
concerns about handing land
over to biofuels are

00:25:36.870 --> 00:25:37.840
inevitable.

00:25:37.841 --> 00:25:42.159
But despite fears of so-called
land grabbing, biofuels

00:25:42.160 --> 00:25:45.689
clearly present opportunities.

00:25:45.690 --> 00:25:48.679
- I believe that biofuels and
bioenergy represent an

00:25:48.680 --> 00:25:53.689
opportunity for farmers to
improve production, diversify

00:25:53.690 --> 00:25:54.979
their income.

00:25:54.980 --> 00:25:57.209
A lot of thought has
to go into this.

00:25:57.210 --> 00:26:00.679
It's not the case of large,
plantation agriculture.

00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:04.969
Systems have to be employed to
ensure that local farming

00:26:04.970 --> 00:26:07.149
expertise and local communities

00:26:07.150 --> 00:26:09.689
are thoroughly involved.

00:26:09.690 --> 00:26:13.229
Bioenergy is a natural
asset of Africa.

00:26:13.230 --> 00:26:15.289
And it's very much for
Africa to decide how

00:26:15.290 --> 00:26:16.899
they use that resource.

00:26:16.900 --> 00:26:20.069
And my heartfelt wish is that
it's used sensibly.

00:26:20.070 --> 00:26:24.089
And if it is, it will be a
rich resource for them in

00:26:24.090 --> 00:26:27.139
developing their agriculture and
in reducing their energy

00:26:27.140 --> 00:26:30.579
costs, and having clean,
renewable energy.

00:26:30.580 --> 00:26:32.729
Narrator: Moses is back
on his family farm

00:26:32.730 --> 00:26:34.299
on the Kenyan coast.

00:26:34.300 --> 00:26:38.259
He still has the same concern
about biofuels as many farmers

00:26:38.260 --> 00:26:40.049
he represents.

00:26:40.050 --> 00:26:43.459
Biofuels may be the future, but
this is a continent with a

00:26:43.460 --> 00:26:45.539
history of famine.

00:26:45.540 --> 00:26:49.399
So it's not surprising if this
very influential farmer is,

00:26:49.400 --> 00:26:53.599
for now, putting food
before fuel.

00:26:53.600 --> 00:26:56.869
- If you take away our land,
where do we grow our food?

00:26:56.870 --> 00:26:59.309
How do we live off our land?

00:26:59.310 --> 00:27:03.149
If you have to beg food from
other countries outside the

00:27:03.150 --> 00:27:06.719
continent, it means we cannot
feed ourselves.

00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:08.839
Then, what about that?

00:27:08.840 --> 00:27:14.399
The most important thing for us
as small scale farmers is

00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:15.280
food security.

00:27:15.281 --> 00:27:17.401
That's the most important thing.