Finally, the Jatropha trees are in the ground! Bedford’s dream of producing commercial quantities of Jatropha biodiesel is finally coming to fruition.
The land clearing and preparation at Kitangale Ranch took place during the month of September. Preparations at Bedford Biofuels’ nursery began at the end of July and when transplanting began on October 17th, the plants were nearly two feet tall. The transplanting process took just over two weeks. John Mitchell, General Manager – Kenya, said it has taken a lot work and patience to get the company to this point in Kenya. “Everything in Kenya takes longer than we anticipate,” said Mitchell. “We are doing everything by the book and with support of the community and that takes time. It’s incredibly gratifying to now see the fields of Jatropha trees flourishing.”
In the spring, Bedford Biofuels received its much anticipated Environmental Impact Assessment license from NEMA (National Environment Management Authority) Kenya and started nursery preparations in late July. Bedford holds 45-year leases for 160,000 hectares of land in the Tana Delta District in East Kenya. Mitchell, along with Bully Dunn, Agriculture Manager, Harry Hayden-Payne, Plantation Manager and Ed Connolly, Nursery Manager, have worked tirelessly to clear land, manage local nursery workers, oversee nursery progress and begin planting. “Our team is second to none,” raves Mitchell. “The efforts and passion of Bully, Harry and Ed, combined with the great work continuously being done by David Kombe (VP Public Relations) and Joel Ruhu (VP Human Resources) are what earn the respect of the people and governing officials and will ultimately drive the success of this project.” Bedford’s efforts in Kenya have not been without the odd hiccup. Some opposing parties have circulated false rumours that the company’s NEMA license is being revoked and that Bedford is planting in the wetland. David McClure, President and CEO, travelled to Kenya in September to put those rumours to rest and to confront the groups responsible for the lies. “I feel absolutely renewed because of that trip,” said McClure. “Our project is full speed ahead. We have the support of the people, the government and the regulating bodies. The people of the Tana Delta are behind this project and they aren’t about to let anyone with self-serving motives take the promise of a better future away from them.”
