Ghana's VP supports African biofuels fund
Ghana's Vice-President Alhaji Alui Mahama has pledged the government's support to efforts and initiatives aimed at creating a regional fund for the development and use of biofuels in place of fossil fuel in Africa.
In a speech read on his behalf by Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, at the opening of a two-day 'Regional Workshop on Financing Biofuels and Jathropha Plantation Projects with Special Emphasis on Clean Development Mechanisms' (earlier post), Vice-President Mahama noted that the dependence on fossil energy had burdened the economies of developing countries in Africa, while most of the continent's alternative energy resources remained unexploited. Indeed, a strong body of economic evidence shows the sensitivity of developing country economies to increased energy prices. In order to tackle this burden, 15 African countries recently united to form a "Green OPEC" of sorts, the PANPP (Pays Africains Non-Producteurs de Pétrole) aimed at joining forces for the development of a continent-wide biofuels industry to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels (earlier post).
Maham said even though Africa had a great potential (earlier post) and was well endowed with natural energy resources, investments on the continent for the development of renewable biofuels are still very small and need to be upped quickly. This is where the Biopact wants to be of assistance, by promoting the continent's potential in Europe.
The workshop in Accra is being organized by the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and sponsored by the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID). The workshop would culminate in the creation of a fund for investment into the expansion of jathropha plantations and the development of biofuels in West African states:
bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: developing countries :: energy independence :: fossil fuels :: UNCTAD :: Africa :: West-Africa ::
Alhaji Aliu said jathropha plantations and their resultant bio energy development would go a long way to reduce the tax burdens that came with fossil fuel importation and consumption in African economies.
"Bio diesel extracted from jathropha could be used in running stationary engines like corn mills, irrigation pumps and cottage industries - the use of biodiesel in houses would reduce harmful carbon emissions that could cause respiratory problems," he said.
In a speech read for Mr Ernest Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture, he noted that jathropha oils had an advantage over vegetable oil in terms of health and besides bio-fuels from jathropha would give African economies greater independence from the shocks of constantly fluctuating international crude oil prices.
Mr Abraham Dwumaa Odoom, Deputy Minister of Local Government, said large acreages of jathropha plantation could impact on climate change in a positive way and moreover bio fuel from jathropha would ease the burden on Ghana's hydro and thermal energy sources.
The workshop would streamline all successful initiatives, identify the role of stakeholders in development of the bio-fuel supply chain and consolidate strategies and adopt a regional approach for the promotion and development of bio-fuel in Africa.
Excerpts from a research by the Netherlands-based Fuels from Agriculture in Communal Technology (FACT) Foundation made available to the Ghana News Agency indicated that jathropha plantations had been identified as a major bio-fuel alternative for West African economies.
The research stated that to date, Brazil and Malaysia were world leaders in the cultivation of jathropha, which had several additional benefits, including cure for constipation (seeds) and malaria (leaves), healing for wounds (latex or sap).
It said the jathropha plant, besides being a major source of bio-fuel when processed, also served as an effective form of hedges around gardens, farms and fields to protect crops against roaming animals, as a wind and water shield and to reduce erosion.
The report also noted that an investment into jathropha plantation, especially in Africa promised to reduce unemployment among women because the oil from the seeds was also good for soap making.
"Although Malaysia and Brazil are the biggest investor destinations for the cultivation, production and processing of jathropha, investors will select the African region if production cost in West Africa is lower," the research said.
In a speech read on his behalf by Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, at the opening of a two-day 'Regional Workshop on Financing Biofuels and Jathropha Plantation Projects with Special Emphasis on Clean Development Mechanisms' (earlier post), Vice-President Mahama noted that the dependence on fossil energy had burdened the economies of developing countries in Africa, while most of the continent's alternative energy resources remained unexploited. Indeed, a strong body of economic evidence shows the sensitivity of developing country economies to increased energy prices. In order to tackle this burden, 15 African countries recently united to form a "Green OPEC" of sorts, the PANPP (Pays Africains Non-Producteurs de Pétrole) aimed at joining forces for the development of a continent-wide biofuels industry to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels (earlier post).
Maham said even though Africa had a great potential (earlier post) and was well endowed with natural energy resources, investments on the continent for the development of renewable biofuels are still very small and need to be upped quickly. This is where the Biopact wants to be of assistance, by promoting the continent's potential in Europe.
The workshop in Accra is being organized by the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and sponsored by the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID). The workshop would culminate in the creation of a fund for investment into the expansion of jathropha plantations and the development of biofuels in West African states:
bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: developing countries :: energy independence :: fossil fuels :: UNCTAD :: Africa :: West-Africa ::
Alhaji Aliu said jathropha plantations and their resultant bio energy development would go a long way to reduce the tax burdens that came with fossil fuel importation and consumption in African economies.
"Bio diesel extracted from jathropha could be used in running stationary engines like corn mills, irrigation pumps and cottage industries - the use of biodiesel in houses would reduce harmful carbon emissions that could cause respiratory problems," he said.
In a speech read for Mr Ernest Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture, he noted that jathropha oils had an advantage over vegetable oil in terms of health and besides bio-fuels from jathropha would give African economies greater independence from the shocks of constantly fluctuating international crude oil prices.
Mr Abraham Dwumaa Odoom, Deputy Minister of Local Government, said large acreages of jathropha plantation could impact on climate change in a positive way and moreover bio fuel from jathropha would ease the burden on Ghana's hydro and thermal energy sources.
The workshop would streamline all successful initiatives, identify the role of stakeholders in development of the bio-fuel supply chain and consolidate strategies and adopt a regional approach for the promotion and development of bio-fuel in Africa.
Excerpts from a research by the Netherlands-based Fuels from Agriculture in Communal Technology (FACT) Foundation made available to the Ghana News Agency indicated that jathropha plantations had been identified as a major bio-fuel alternative for West African economies.
The research stated that to date, Brazil and Malaysia were world leaders in the cultivation of jathropha, which had several additional benefits, including cure for constipation (seeds) and malaria (leaves), healing for wounds (latex or sap).
It said the jathropha plant, besides being a major source of bio-fuel when processed, also served as an effective form of hedges around gardens, farms and fields to protect crops against roaming animals, as a wind and water shield and to reduce erosion.
The report also noted that an investment into jathropha plantation, especially in Africa promised to reduce unemployment among women because the oil from the seeds was also good for soap making.
"Although Malaysia and Brazil are the biggest investor destinations for the cultivation, production and processing of jathropha, investors will select the African region if production cost in West Africa is lower," the research said.
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