The economic and environmental potential of bioenergy and biofuels in Africa is attracting increasing interest from potential investors. In this regard, the African Bioenergy and Biofuels Business Assessment (ABBBA) project is exploring possibilities of unleashing the economic potential of bioenergy and biofuels in East Africa.
ABBBA is a three year project implemented by the Co-operation Arena for Sustainable Development in Africa – Kenya (CASDA) and Global Challenge based in Stockholm, Sweden. The project seeks to foster investments in forestry and African biomass and bioenergy sector that meet high sustainability standards.
Experts drawn from Government departments, Non-Governmental Organisations and the private sector converged in Nairobi, Kenya, on 11 February 2014, to explore investment opportunities in bioenergy and biofuels with special attention to Kenya. At the meeting were 15 experts from Government institutions  represented by Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA); NGOs represented by Green Africa Foundation; and the private sector represented by Western Biofuels and Sugar Company Ltd.
Specifically, the workshop set-out to gauge ABBBA progress and also gather more information on the latest opportunities and constraints for bioenergy and biofuels expansion in Kenya. During the meeting, presentations were made on various aspects of bioenergy and biofuels followed by  a brief panel discussion on emerging issues. Key presentations during the meeting included:

progress update on ABBBA – Global Challenge provided,
regional policies on biofuels and bioenergy – Kenya Forest Service,
main needs and constraints for bioenergy and biofuels expansion in Kenya  – Global Challenge,
main opportunities within the bioenergy sector – Green Africa Foundation.

 
AFF was represented at the workshop by the Senior Programme Officer, Yonas Yemshaw who provided input into the discussions based on AFF’s on-going study entitled, ‘Biofuel production and utilization in East Africa’. Participants expressed interest in getting a copy of the study upon completion.
The meeting also created an opportunity for CASDA and AFF to explore potential  for continued collaboration.