China negotiates biofuels hectares with Zambia
China has asked Zambia to plant 2 million hectares of jatropha for the production of biofuels.
If agreed it will become one of the biggest farming land projects by an Asian country in Africa.
Chinese markets are eager for crops grown in Africa; and this project will use the jatropha plant, which is a non-food crop whose oil can be used to produce biodiesel. It can be grown on semi-arid land and poses less of a risk to food production than other biofuel feedstocks such as grains and vegetable oils.
However debates over whether the money, jobs and expertise they bring will help or just exploit the world’s poorest continent are speculated.
‘Zambia still needs to develop proper incentives and define blending ratios and timelines. Possible incentives for the sector included putting in place duty free arrangements for machinery imports and funding incentives’. Says Tyson Chisambo director of biofuel association of Zambia’s.
If agreed it will become one of the biggest farming land projects by an Asian country in Africa.
Chinese markets are eager for crops grown in Africa; and this project will use the jatropha plant, which is a non-food crop whose oil can be used to produce biodiesel. It can be grown on semi-arid land and poses less of a risk to food production than other biofuel feedstocks such as grains and vegetable oils.
However debates over whether the money, jobs and expertise they bring will help or just exploit the world’s poorest continent are speculated.
‘Zambia still needs to develop proper incentives and define blending ratios and timelines. Possible incentives for the sector included putting in place duty free arrangements for machinery imports and funding incentives’. Says Tyson Chisambo director of biofuel association of Zambia’s.
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