Jatropha curcas in rural land use

Coordinator: Mr. R.A.B. Antwi-Bediako
Consortium partners: Antwi-Bediako (Rural Environmental Care Association, Ghana); Teferi (HOAREC, Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia), Ethiopia); Timko (Univ. Of British Columbia, Canada); Acheampong (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana); Hoogland (Both Ends, NL)

Project goal:

Assessing the socio-economic implications of industrial biofuel plantations in Ghana and Ethiopia.

Introduction:

Small farm holdings and areas of land across Africa are increasingly being acquired to grow biofuel crops such as Jatropha curcas. These may be cultivated and produced in large-scale plantations owned by private-sector, foreign or governmental organisations, resulting in radical changes to the ownership and use of rural land. Such developments tend to compromise traditional livelihoods and ways of life while depleting natural resources, for example by endangering food security and forest conservation. However, biofuels and other alternative fuel sources have enormous potential to serve both development and conservation interests by offering a sustainable solution to local energy needs. Through this study, we aim to establish how biofuels can be used in a fair and equitable manner that properly benefits local farmers and communities.

Project description:

The project objective is to contribute evidence-based knowledge to help develop policies that will mitigate conflicts and enhance co-operation on biofuels. We will therefore research the implications of industrial biofuel production in general, and those of Jatropha curcas in particular. Our focus from 2011 to 2013 will be on the socio-economic implications of Jatropha curcas for Ghanaian and Ethiopian people with regard to their land rights, livelihoods, food production and participation in governance. This knowledge will then be used to develop the capacity of local institutions and individuals to engage in making optimal use of biofuels.