Eni, an Italian multinational oil and gas company, completed the oilseed collection & pressing plant (agri-hub) and started the first vegetable oil production for biorefining. The agri-hub will extract vegetable oil from castor, croton, and cottonseeds. In addition, the facility will produce feed and bio-fertilizers derived from the protein component of the seeds for livestock and food production, thereby contributing to food security. The center will also serve as a farmers’ training and technical assistance center. The agri-hub has an estimated installed capacity of 15,000 tons and an expected production of 2,500 tons in 2022.
Eni is the world’s first company to certify castor and croton for biofuel use under the ISCC-EU scheme. It has also enabled an African cotton mill to achieve such certification standards for the first time, providing local farmers with new market opportunities for the fiber. Eni Kenya’s goal is to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050, operational excellence, social development, and employment.
