The objective of the project implemented by GERES and its partners in Zou District, a rural area of Benin, is to provide energy-based services (gensets, mills, and various motorized services) with a locally produced fuel (Crude Jatropha Oil (CJO)).
Three main activities are:
1) Development of Jatropha plantation
Locally collected seeds from various existing indigenous varieties are distributed to selected farmers in the communities. In order to minimise economical risks and avoid substitution of food production by energy-crop production, Jatropha is intercropped within the existing cultivation system or planted as natural fences. The project promotes organic fertilizers such as manure, and Jatropha cakes when oil production starts. Farmers’ organizations based on Jatropha cultivation will be encouraged at the local scale to enhance institutional capacity building and insure the sustainability of the project in the long term.
2) Local production of Crude Jatropha Oil (CJO)
In order to reduce seed transportation costs and oil production costs, the plantation strategy will establish “clusters” with hotspots of seed production linked to permanent extraction units (10 km or less between fields and extraction units).
3) Local use of Jatropha oil: market development and engine conversion
CJO blended with gas-oil, to an extent of 10% to 30 %, can be used in diesel engines without conversion, especially in mills’ engines. However, to use CJO as the main fuel engine adaptation or conversion is necessary. The project will facilitate a local dynamic to develop the CJO market and offer technical assistance for the conversion of genset, multifunctional platforms and local mills. Moreover, capacity building activities will be addressed to the local population regarding fuel handling and use.
The project will generate a minimum of 6128 tCO2e emission reductions over a 7 years crediting period starting from 2013. Within this estimation there is considerable scope for larger reductions based on the adoption of argo-fuels. Leakage emissions are considered as null (no chemical fertilizer or pesticide used).
Furthermore, inadequate access to energy constrains development in rural Benin. Jatropha oil production will ensure reliable access to affordable fuel for at least 20 multifunctional platforms and to existing mills or similar small energetic services in rural districts of Zou. Around 3000 people will be direct beneficiaries (producers and processors and women doing food process activities).
Moreover, CJO price will not be dependent on fossil fuel speculation. Affordable and available energy is a sine-qua-none condition to develop income generating activities and better family-based production systems, and thus supports local development in rural areas. So, rural development is strengthened through substitution of fossil fuel for energy-based services.