Threat to major Kenyan wetland from biofuels

The project, to turn 50,000 acres (80 square miles) of the mostly pristine Tana River Delta over to sugarcane, ignores fees for water use, compensation for lost livelihoods, chemical pollution and loss of tourism and wildlife. Consultants, commissioned by Nature Kenya and the RSPB, highlight the "irreversible loss of ecosystem services" the scheme will cause and say that some of its costs "defy valuation".

They conclude: "In the light of expected negative impacts of the project, it should be suspended. Instead, the ecologically friendly activities such as pastoralism, fishing, small-scale farming, timber harvesting, honey production, medicine and tourism should be encouraged."

The scheme was proposed by Mumias Sugar Company late last year prompting outrage amongst local people, conservationists and farmers. Their opposition has led the government to hold a three-day public hearing. The company claims the cost of sugarcane plantations, new sugar and ethanol plants on the Delta will be £19 million bringing in an annual average of £1.25 million over 20 years.

The consultants' report disputes these figures, calculating a yearly income of less than £400,000. In contrast, the value of farming, fisheries, tourism and other incomes derived from land and wildlife is already more than £30 million, the consultants say.

Tana Delta - lions & hippos

The Delta, on Kenya's northern coast, is invaluable to numerous farming and fishing communities because it is less affected by droughts. It draws livestock farmers from as far as Somali and Ethiopian borders where the dry season is harsh.

It is home to lions, hippos and nesting turtles, more than 345 species of bird and the Tana red colobus, one of 25 primates facing extinction worldwide. The area's thick vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide and its waters teem with fish.

One third of Tana River water would be needed for sugarcane irrigation but feasibility studies, published by Mumias, ignore charges for water extraction levied under Kenyan law and the damage this loss of water would cause. They also overlook the effect of the loss of grazing land and crops. That would squash livestock into a smaller area causing overgrazing and damage to land.

Paul Matiku, Executive Director of Nature Kenya, said: "We feared this project would turn much of the Delta into an ecological desert and this report shows its impact on local people, on wildlife and on the Kenyan economy would be quite horrific. The huge disparity between the scheme's value to Kenya in the future and the worth of what we have now means the government should dismiss these plans immediately."

Conservationists want the most important parts of the Delta made a national protected area so that future development proposals take account of the value of wildlife. Paul Buckley, an Africa specialist with the RSPB, said: "Africa boasts spectacular and invaluable wildlife assets with unquantified benefits for her peoples. Biofuel developments have already caused the widespread destruction of many unique habitats without necessarily cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

"Loss of the Tana Delta for another unproven biofuel and to a scheme which could well fail, would be a disaster both to hopes of tackling climate change and for those so dependent on the area for their livelihoods."

Tana River Birds It shelters birds threatened globally, including the southern banded snake eagle, Malindi pipit and Basra reed warbler, whose breeding grounds in Iraq are also under threat. The Tana River cisticola, which is close to extinction, has been seen recently. It hosts several bird species found only in a small area of East Africa, including rufous chatterer, scaly chatterer, long-tailed fiscal, three-streaked tchagra, golden-breasted starling, Fischer’s starling and eastern violet-backed sunbird. It contains one of the few, highly important water bird breeding sites in Kenya attracting, more than 5,000 breeding water birds from 13 species. These include the African darter, purple squacco heron and black-crowned night heron, sacred and glossy ibises, and African spoonbill.

One Third of Water Diverted
Paul Buckley, an Africa specialist with the RSPB, which has objected to the proposal, said: ‘These impacts would be extremely severe with at least one third of the Tana’s waters being diverted. There would be soil erosion, sedimentation and pollution, leaving people and wildlife competing for the clean water and productive land that remained.

‘Good practice anywhere is to assess wildlife in different seasons especially in a habitat so dominated by seasonal change. The environmental assessors have seen the Delta in only one state. They have neglected their duties and produced a report so full of flaws it should be scrapped.’

Nature Kenya
Nature Kenya, with the backing of the RSPB and BirdLife International, has urged Kenya’s National Environment Management Authority, to reject the sugarcane plan.

The groups want the most critical parts of the Tana River Delta and floodplain – a tract of land designated an Important Bird Area – made a national protected area so that future development proposals take account of its value to wildlife.

They have also proposed that the government draw up a master plan for the Delta to include an economic assessment of its local, national and global environmental worth.

Paul Matiku said: ‘This is a brilliant opportunity to create a truly green development by supporting the protection and proper management of large parts of the Delta as conservation areas. Development schemes must be limited to those that will benefit local people and retain the integrity of one of Kenya’s most important natural assets.’