Suppliers of coffee, rice and timber husks to Hima Cement could earn sh1.5b annually, Bernard Osawa, the company’s manager for alternative fuel, has said. Osawa said at the launch of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project in Kampala that the husks would be used as alternative fuel for Hima’s generators and would eventually replace the heavy-fuel oil. The CDM project follows the Kyoto Protocol of 1997, which aims at rolling out best practices that will lead to reduction of industrial gas emissions by 5% between 2008 and 2012.

Osawa said the project would save more than euros 2m (sh5.1b) in foreign exchange through rHima to spend sh1.5b per year on coffee, timber husks educed purchase of imported fuel. "In addition to massive environmental benefits, the CDM project presents benefits to the Ugandan economy through direct job creation," he said, adding that it was expected to create 100 jobs. These practices that include the use of alternative fuel, cement extension, development of biomass plantations and better disposal of industrial by-products like husks are also geared towards achieving sustainable development."
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