Algae for Africa: Microalgae as a source of food, feed and fuel in Kenya

Microalgae are unicellular photosynthetic organisms that inhabit diverse ecological habitats ranging from freshwater and brackish water to seawater and wastewater. They are also especially equipped to thrive in extreme temperatures and pH conditions. Decades of research have highlighted their potential as sources of biofuels, foods, feeds and high-value bio-actives. However, industrial-scale cultivation of microalgae is still not being carried out to its full potential. This review aims to shed light on the potential of microalgal-derived food, feed and fuel in developing countries and to what extent microalgae could be applied to sustainable development efforts with a special focus on Kenya. The Kenyan government has set out a development policy termed ‘Kenya Vision 2030’ that aims to transform the nation into a newly industrialised country with a high quality of life for all its people by the year 2030. Here we show that, not only does Kenya lie in an optimal geographical region for microalgal cultivation, but that microalgae has the capability to fulfil some of the ‘Kenya Vision 2030’ goals. Key words: Algae, biofuels, fertilizer, nutraceuticals, feed.