Unspoiled Delta In Kenya Threatened By Plan To Grow Cane Biofuel

Despite widespread opposition from environmentalists and many local residents, the Kenyan government is moving ahead with a plan to convert 2,000 square kilometers of the renowned Tana River delta into sugarcane fields for biofuel. The $373 million biofuels project, which is being backed by Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki, threatens a delta that is home to 350 species of birds, lions, elephants, rare sharks, and reptiles. The delta also is the only dry-season grazing area for cattle farmers in the area, conservationists say. Originating in Kenya’s central highlands, the Tana River flows into the Indian Ocean, forming a delta that is 40 kilometers (25 miles) wide. Conservationists say that lost revenue from farming, fishing, tourism, and other livelihoods will reach $59 million over 20 years, more than cane cultivation is expected to generate.