Eni’s agricultural activities and the company’s decarbonisation initiatives in Kenya were the subject of discussion at the meeting between CEO Claudio Descalzi and the country’s president, Samoei Ruto. The meeting was also attended by Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir.
Eni said in its statement that Descalzi and the delegation illustrated to President Ruto the results of the vegetable oil production project for biorefining, which the company launched in the country in 2022.
Based on an integrated supply chain model, the project takes advantage of marginal or degraded land and crops that do not compete with the food supply chain, the statement said. The first processing plant (or agro-hub) in Makueni County has a capacity of 15,000 tonnes/year and its vegetable oil production is already feeding the Gela refinery in Italy. Eni said the second agricultural center will be commissioned in the second half of 2023, and others in the following years, to reach a production target of 200,000 tonnes by 2026.
The social impacts are particularly relevant, Eni said, noting that so far 40,000 farmers have been involved in the production of oilseeds, to which 40,000 more will be added by the end of the year, with a projection of around 200,000 by 2026.
Currently, the agro-hub employs more than 100 resources directly, which will exceed 500 when the rest of the agro-hubs are completed. In addition, 2,000 tonnes of animal feed for local consumption was obtained as a by-product of the oilseeds, the statement said.
Descalzi also shared with President Ruto the Waste & Residue initiatives, also to provide raw material for bio-refining. The collection and export of used cooking oil began in 2022 and today more than 400 suppliers participate, according to Eni.
The model has already been extended to other African countries, contributing to integrating the continent into the value chain of sustainable mobility. Descalzi and President Ruto also discussed new initiatives in the fields of electric mobility and renewable energy. There was a specific focus on solar, wind and geothermal energy and waste energy was also discussed. These programs will be finalized in the coming months, Eni said.
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