Waste biomass for local sustainable development: a case study in Kenya.

The cooperation between the Department of Management of “Sapienza” University of Rome and the Department of Sociology and Psychology of Moi University in Kenya reflects the commitment shown in the Bologna and Copenhagen processes, with particular attention to the exchange of competences between universities for promotion of an integrated society between the academic world and the working world. The collaboration between the Universities has the priority objective of enhancing natural capital as a driver of sustainable economic growth,through training and research. The project aims to focus on rural areas with the aim of promoting sustainable economic development that acts as a multiplier and accelerator of processes for improving the living conditions of the Kenyan population. In fact, the use of woody biomasses through the combustion process in order to generate thermal energy to be used for food processing, has direct implications on the environment and on human health. As far as the environment is concerned, the compromising factors concern first and foremost the deforestation for the supply of raw materials, with a negative impact on the reduction of biodiversity and the release into the atmosphere of climate-altering gases that compromise the air quality and have a tightening correlation with the climate change process. Regarding the effects of the transformation process of woody biomasses on human health, various studies show that the combustion of biomasses causes a high mortality in rural populations, especially for the most exposed categories such as women and children.