Kenya’s intensive dependence on import petroleum-based fuels may be reduced, as it plans for a large scale biodiesel production project with Japan using Jatropha as raw material. Japanese company, Biwako Bio-Laboratory Ltd., is cooperating with the Green Africa Foundation, the lead office coordinating biodiesel industry development in the country. In a recent press conference, Mitsuo Hayashi, chief executive officer of Biwako Laboratory, Ltd, mentioned that the company plans to initially establish 30,000 hectares of Jatropha curcas trees. Establishment of tree plantations is said to be the first step, as Isaac Kalua (of Green Africa Foundation) mentioned that Kenya has only 5,000 hectares of Jatropha plantations, which would not be sufficient to support commercial biodiesel production. The 30,000-hectare plantation, which is expected to have an annual biodiesel production of 200,000 tonnes per year, will be expanded to 10,000 hectares within 10 years..