International Workshop: Sustainable Rural Bioenergy Solutions in Africa

In Africa, bioenergy is a main source of energy for 70 to 80 percent of population (approximately 800 million people). It has become more challenging for Africans to respond to the global demand towards low-carbon society while adapting themselves to the rapidly changing environment and increasing uncertainty caused by climate change, population growth and land degradation among others.

In cooperation with the World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF) and Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), this workshop, held in ICRAF International Conference Center, Nairobi, Kenya, provided information on how to increase bioenergy availability with improved food security while ensuring positive social and environmental impacts in rural Africa.

Presenters included good practice winners from the call for submissions IRENA collected in 2017.

Please address any inquiries and registrations to Yasuko Inoue (Yinoue@irena.org) and Miyuki Iiyama (M.Iiyama@CGIAR.org).

Download the workshop's agenda.

Presentations

Session 1: Sustainable Rural Biomass Supply

• Gender framework for bioenergy in Kenya (Dr. Linda Davis, wPower)
• Agroecology for sustainable development, food and energy security in Uganda (Mr. Ndyabandiho Saul, Center for Energy Governance, Uganda)
• Farmer Field Schools (FFS) for sustainable agroforestry in Kenya and Ethiopia (Mr.Shinji Ogawa, JICA FFS Project)
• Bio-char and food, water and energy NEXUS (Mrs. Veronica AgodoaKitti, ASA Initiative, Ghana)
• Tree breeding for enhanced bio-carbon stock in Kenya (Dr. Muturi, Gabriel M., Mr. Kariuki Jason G., Dr. Omondi, Stephen.F. and Mr. Muchiri, David. K, KEFRI, JICA)
• Firewood from tree pruning on farm and biochar producing cooking systems (Dr. Mary Njenga, ICRAF, Dr. Miyuki Iiyama, ICRAF& JIRCAS, Dr. James Kinyua, University of Nairobi & ICRAF, Dr. Ruth Mendum, Penn State University))

Session 2: Biomass to Energy Innovations

• Biomass to energy innovation: Briquette from rice husks and peanuts residues in Tanzania (Mr. Kaya Suleman Kazema, Tromso, Co. Ltd.)
• Production of Ethanol from cassava wastes in Nigeria (Dr. James Ogbonna, Nigeria University, Dr. Yoshinori Murata, JIRCAS, Dr. Hide Omae, JIRCAS)
• Resource recovery for briquettes and women empowerment in humanitarian conditions in Kenya (Dr. Mary Njenga, ICRAF, Ms. Oana Baloi, UN-Habitat, Dr. Miyuki Iiyama, ICRAF& JIRCAS, Ms. Yuka Terada, UN, Habitat, Dr. Ruth Mendum, Penn State University)
• Unlocking Potentials of New Cooking Methods with Bio-Briquettes and Efficiency Stoves for Rural Areas in Madagascar (Mr. Deepak Kumar Mohapatra, TH Köln - University of Applied Science)
• Recycled charcoal briquettes in Mozambique -Affordable and quality energy for all (Ms. Junko Arisaka, Verde Africa Lda.)
• Powering Agriculture project in Africa (Ms. Katharina Meder, GIZ) [Moderator role]
• Biogas Milk Chilling to Increase Productivity and Incomes of Dairy Farmers through their off-grid, biogas-powered milk chiller (Ms. Dorine Poelhekke, SimGas)
• Improving Coffee Production and Quality Using Infrared Technology powered by biogas generated from coffee pulp and coffee husk (Ms. Etsub Assefa, Horn of Africa)
• A mobile power plant that uses agricultural waste to fuel (Ms. Maggie Flanagan, Village Industrial Power)
• Biomass-Powered Thermal Processing of Bamboo (Mr. Dereje Worku, African Bamboo)
• Commercializing Biomass EverGreen Energy Systems for integrated food production with electrical power generation (Dr. Dennis Garrity, ICRAF)  

Session 3: Tools for Enhanced Bioenergy Sustainability

• GIS based REnergy demand-supply analysis for REDD+ in Mozambique (Mr. Joaquim Macuacua, Ministry of Environment/ex-IRENA consultant) [Moderator role]
• Challenges to create information hub and village finance in Mozambique (Mr. Atsushi Matsunaga, NBF Co.Ltd.)
• Sustainability Matrix for local investment in green energy for sustainable development of off-grid economic zones in Zimbabwe (Mr. Charles Kanyunga, Harare Institute of Technology, Zimbabwe)
• Bioenergy sustainability assessment tool with GBEP indicators for IRENA Project Navigator (Dr. Takashi Hayashi, PRIMAFF, Dr. Yasuko Inoue, IRENA-JIRCAS)
• Community biogas and clean cooking solutions for food processing in rural Ghana (Mr. Lovans Owus-Takyi. ISEES)

Panel Discussion/Plenary Discussion – Creating enabling conditions for scaling-up innovation

• Panel 2. Research perspective (Dr. Rocio Diaz-Chavez, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI))
• Panel 3. Government & community perspective (Ms. Jane Ndeti, Kenya Forest Service, Farmers Field School)
• Panel 4. NGO perspective (Mrs. Veronica AgodoaKitti, ASA Initiative, Ghana)