Posted on 04/04/2011 3:46:32 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
The French Development Agency (AFD) has granted Malian firm Jatropha-Mali Initiative (JMI) 170.5 million FCFA (260,000 euro) to promote the growth of the plant, sources at the Malian Agriculture Ministry told PANA. The seed of Jatropha can be used to produce biofuel, as well as oil comparable to diesel. More than 3,250 hectares have already been planted by 3,500 farmers, under 24 cooperatives, from the circle (prefecture) of Kita. Some 12,000 more hectares are to be planted in the next few years. JMI is a subsidiary of the French group Eco-Carbone set up in 2007.
Its objective is to sustainably develop the production of Jatropha-based agro-fuel in the circle of Kita and that of Bafoulabé (West).
The grant convention has been signed by the AFD director in Mali, Hervé Bougault, and the managing director of JMI, Français Girandy.
(Excerpt) Read more at afriquejet.com ...
Jatropha-based agro-fuel
In 2007 Goldman Sachs cited Jatropha curcas as one of the best candidates for future biodiesel production.[2] It is resistant to drought and pests, and produces seeds containing 27-40% oil,[3] averaging 34.4%.[4] The remaining press cake of jatropha seeds after oil extraction could also be considered for energy production.[5] However, despite their abundance and use as oil and reclamation plants, none of the Jatropha species have been properly domesticated and, as a result, their productivity is variable, and the long-term impact of their large-scale use on soil quality and the environment is unknown Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/jatropha-1#ixzz1IbrDlYrq
Of course as soon as the scientific community finds the failures of Jatropha the Big Ag lobby in the Francosphere gets a huge subsidy to expand production...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/21/us-eu-africa-jatropha-idUSTRE70K4VU20110121
There is a Professor in Belgium who has been a pretty straight arrow in his blogging on Jatropha...
https://desertification.wordpress.com/category/ecology-environment/energy/biofuel/jatropha/
Anyone interested can follow a Walloon Belgian Professor Marc Pille, he seems to be a sharp lobbyist of Jatropha production in the Francosphere.
h/t to whichever freeper first posted a link to desertification blog many years ago.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
