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BriefCommunity-Based Biofuel Development and Environmental Rehabilitation in Ethiopia: The case of Bati in Amhara RegionAklilu Amsalu : Addis Ababa University, Negash Teklu , Mesfin Kassa and Hiwot Workagegnehu: PHE Ethiopia Consortium

Key Messages: Small-scale and community-based biofuel development is a feasible model that provides multiple benefits to rural households in the Ethiopian context.

There is a need to adopt improved varieties of Jatropha with better yields to encourage local communities to widely engage in biofuel development on degraded and marginalized land.

The market for Jatropha seeds and oils should be guaranteed with appropriate interventions to enhance and sustain community-based biofuel development.

Demand-driven research with relevant stakeholders will enable the identification of best practices related to Jatropha production and utilization.

1. Introduction

Occurring mostly over the last decade, the introduction of biofuels as an alternative

source of energy has opened opportunities and brought risks for the poor in many developing countries. There is continued discussion, both in research and policy arenas, on whether biofuels are a blessing or a curse for the rural poor in Africa and elsewhere in the world (Cotula et al., 2009 ). The debate centers on whether biofuels will satisfy the emerging energy scarcity at the cost of degrading meager natural resources and jeopardizing the livelihoods of the poor, or whether they are a win-win solution to meet ever-increasing energy needs without affecting rural livelihoods. Specific issues of concern, among many, include food security, employment generation, rural development, and the environmental impact of biofuel projects.

Biofuel development in Ethiopia is a recent phenomenon, and it has been carried out mostly through large-scale projects. The government has given out sizeable tracts of land for foreign and domestic investors for large-scale biofuel plantations in several different regions. Ambitious targets have already been set in the Growth and Transformation Plan

(GTP): the country plans to produce 1.8 billion liters of liquid biofuel by 2015 (GTP, 2010). However, there is widespread skepticism of the success of these large-scale investments, as well as the projected benefits to local communities and the country’s economy at large (Dessalegn, 2011). A study has been carried out in Ethiopia to assess the socio-economic implications of biofuels development by focusing on Jatropha (Jatropha curcas or physic nut) and castor bean feed stocks. The results indicate that large-scale production by companies can have a complex set of challenges and undesired social and economic impacts on local communities (Aklilu and Mesfin 2012). However, the study also found that community-based production is a promising model of biofuel development with enormous potential contributions to meeting local energy needs and improving livelihoods in the Ethiopian context. A case in point is the Bati woreda, where community-based Jatropha production has been promoted and developed over the past few years. This brief is based on data collected through a household survey, key informant interviews, expert interviews and focus group discussions. In addition, consultative stakeholder meetings and workshops were carried out with policy makers, implementers, and relevant development organizations to verify and enhance the findings.

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2. The Bati experience

Bati Woreda is found in the Oromia zone of the Amhara Region, roughly 420kms Northeast

of Addis Ababa. The woreda covers a total area of 124,696 ha; and the total population of the woreda is estimated at 125,300, of which about 51% are females. The woreda is dominated by a semi-arid, agro-climatic condition. Small-scale agriculture is the main source of income for residents of the woreda, and livelihoods are characterized by mixed crop and livestock production. However, agricultural production often fails to provide adequate income for families in Bati, resulting in low and unreliable income, as well as chronic food insecurity. Even during ‘normal’ years, households experience four to eight months of food deficit. Land degradation and drought are the major causes of food insecurity in the area. Hence, a significant proportion of the population of the woreda receives food and non-food assistance through the Productive Safety-Net Program.

The cultivation of Jatropha, which is locally named agulo or ayderke (because of its drought resistant nature), started in the 1970s, though its exact origins are unknown. Until recently (2008), Jatropha has been planted around homesteads as a live fence and along farm boundaries as a demarcation between adjoining crop fields. It has also been used in the school compounds, around stores and grinding mills, in kebele administration offices, in water distribution areas, and in gullies and valley bottoms. On average, farmers have about 400-600 stems of the plant around their homes, gardens, and farmlands. Recently, Jatropha has been widely cultivated for land conservation and rehabilitation, pest control, and as a medicinal plant for treating wounded livestock. Community cultivation is carried out on degraded land, on areas affected by gullies (gully treatment), and in valley bottoms as part of watershed rehabilitation

activities in the area. Cultivation in degraded areas is initiated and supported by Organization for the Rehabilitation and Development of Amhara (ORDA) and the Bati Woreda Office of Agriculture and Rural Development as part of their respective watershed rehabilitation programs. ORDA has provided the community with technical support, including the establishment of nursery sites and farmer training sessions. As a pilot project, ORDA has established a community plantation model with communities in three Kebeles.

Approximately 300 farmers were organized in a cooperative and began cultivation on degraded communal areas. In addition to the rehabilitation of degraded land, Jatropha has brought a new source of income for rural households. This initiative has been well accepted by the local community and appears to be a promising approach to sustained watershed rehabilitation and alternative income diversification for the community. The experience in Bati has drawn the attention of the government and other stakeholders. As a result, the community received a Jatropha oil-processing mill through a grant from the former Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), though it is not functional due to financial constraints prohibiting the completion of the installation. Jatropha seed and oil could potentially serve as a substitute for charcoal and firewood to meet household energy needs. There is encouraging progress in the development of efficient and affordable household cooking technologies that utilize Jatropha seed or oil.

3. Opportunities and challenges

Jatropha cultivation in the Bati area offers potential opportunities to local communities,

as well as to the regional and national level.

Figure1: Jatropha planted around a water point, Bati

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The practice shows promise in helping to curb the high rates of annual deforestation and soil erosion. Reversing deforestation and soil erosion through tree planting is challenged by low plant survival rates due to moisture stress, as well as the requirement of close management during planting. However, planting Jatropha on valley bottoms, gentle slope areas and in some degraded land has shown promising results in the Bati area: a total of 209 million Jatropha were planted on 28,000 hectares of degraded and marginal lands in the eastern part of the region. ORDA has been responsible for 13 million plants on 5,400 hectares of land. This study shows that Jatropha planted in micro basins, and on hillside terraces and trenches has performed better than plants in pits in terms of both survival and vigorosity. Direct sowing of Jatropha on a physical structure was found to perform better and to be more cost effective.

The pre-existing culture of Jatropha cultivation, which has resulted in abundant plant stocks and associated products in the Bati area, presents a significant development opportunity. Moreover, the existence of rugged terrain, prone to soil erosion in the Woreda offers the potential for further expansion of Jatropha cultivation since the plant can adapt to various land topography with minimal management. The community-based approach to biofuel development could therefore be a sustainable option that will contribute to improving the livelihoods of farmers, fostering rural development throughout the area.

The community-based model faces several challenges to wide engagement in Jatropha cultivation. The main challenges include low yield performance of the feedstock and the low market price of the seeds (4.0 Birr/kg on average) due to poor market linkages. Low Jatropha yield is a major concern for local communities in Bati woreda. This requires the adoption or

generation of new varieties that provide better yield and suit the local agro-ecology. Although there is a market for Jatropha seeds, current prices and the market system do not encourage famers to engage widely in production. Despite initial anticipation fostered among Jatropha seed producers by the government during the initiation of the Jatropha-Biogas projects, lack of market caused the community to lose trust in the project. The main problems related to the market for Jatropha seeds in the area include the lack of an efficient supply chain, a high number of intermediaries in the chain, and absence of coordination among different stakeholders to address the existing multi-faceted and interconnected issues and challenges. Strengthening producers’ cooperatives might help to directly link to competitive markets. The incomplete installation of the seed processing machine, coupled with the absence of trained technicians to operate and maintain the machine, have presented obstacles to oil production.

4. Concluding remarks

Biofuel development can be important for Ethiopia to meet local energy demands,

improve rural livelihoods, and rehabilitate degraded watersheds. Past and present experiences with large-scale biofuel projects in the country have very limited success that calls for the need to adopt alternative models of production such as small-scale and community-based plantations. Jatropha production in Bati woreda by organized local communities presents a promising approach to biofuel development in the country. Community-based production has the potential to improve livelihoods, rehabilitate degraded areas, and stimulate rural development.

Figure 2: Valley bottom rehabilitation with Jatropha, Bati

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An enabling environment that encompasses financial and technical support needs to be created to encourage small-scale farmers to contribute to national energy security and diversify their sources of income. This may include the development and promotion of alternative technologies, such as less costly seed processing machines (for example, a handheld press), which can reduce the cost of processing, as well as appropriate cookstoves, which can make use of the unprocessed seeds as a source of energy and increase its marketability with a diversified application. Moreover, demand-driven research on community-based Jatropha cultivation the value chain process, from production to utilization, including the economic feasibility of the process, the rehabilitation of degraded land and valley bottoms, and implications to household energy security needs to be strengthened in collaboration with Universities and other stakeholders in the area in order to identify and scale best practices in the use of Jatropha nationally. To this end, the issues of Jatropha development in Bati area require close and coordinated follow-up and support from the regional and Federal level government bodies such as Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF), the Ministry of Water and Energy (MoWE), and the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). In addition, all relevant stakeholders, including community cooperatives, local decisionmakers,

Figure 3: Jatropha on degraded and marginal land, Bati

sector offices and bureaus, and universities and NGOs working in the area, all need to work towards the development of Jatropha for biofuel use in integrated manner. Most importantly, to bring these people and organizations together for coordinated and informed action, a national and local multi-sectoral forum should be established that addresses joint challenges and solutions for comprehensive success in livelihood developments. Finally, policies and strategies on energy, livelihoods, agriculture, and environment should be integrated to maximize the social, economic, and ecological benefits of biofuel investment in the Amhara region and in Ethiopia.

Reference

Aklilu Amsalu and Mesfin Kinfu (2012). The socio-economic implications of industrial biofuel development in Ethiopia. CoCoon research reports, NWO, the Hague.

Cotula, L, S. Vermeulen, R. Leonard and J. Keely (2009). Land Grab or Development Opportunity? Agricultural Investment and International Land Deals in Africa, London: IIED and FAO.

Dessalegn Rahmato (2011). Land to Investors: Large-Scale Land Transfers in Ethiopia. FSS Policy Debates Series

GTP (2010). The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Growth and Transformation Plan. Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED).

PHE Ethiopia Consortium is a non-profit non-governmental organization, established in 2008, working for integration of interventions in population, health and environment for improved livelihoods, community health and a sustainable economy. PHE-Ethiopia has over 47 member organizations working in the areas of FP/RH services, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, environmental rehabilitation, ecosystem restoration, conservation of biodiversity, improvement of livelihoods and adaptation to climate change. To visit our website and find the full report from this study, go to: www.phe-ethiopia.org.

About this BriefPHE EC publishes briefs on key issues of environment and development in Ethiopia. The main objective of the briefs is to communicate research findings and interesting observations on key and timely issues related to population and environment, climate change, health, and various aspects of development activities in the country to influence policy processes and development interventions by different actors.© 2013 - PHE Ethiopia Consortium.All rights reserved.

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