The Local Social and Environmental Impacts of Smallholder-Based Biofuel Investments in Zambia

German, Laura; Schoneveld, G.C.; Gumbo, Davison

doi:10.5751/es-04280-160412

Cited by 62 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Because the subsidies in the first 2 years are more or less equal to the returns farmers now get for their regular crops, it appears that farmers are opting for jatropha as an experiment. It could be argued that they are bearing the cost of trialing an unproven crop (as in the Zambian case study in this collection; German et al 2011) as they do not yet have a clear view of the input costs, the probable yields, or the selling price of seeds. However, evidently they expect at least to break even in the first 2 years as a result of the subsidy, and planting jatropha does not limit their options in the future, so they have adopted a "wait and see" position.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Jatropha in Mexico: Environmental and Social Impacts of an Incipient Biofuel Program

Skutsch¹,

Rios²,

Solis³

et al. 2011

E&S

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ABSTRACT. Three case studies from Mexico are presented in which the impacts of the recent introduction of jatropha cultivation for biodiesel production are examined. In Chiapas and Michoacan, local social and environmental impacts were assessed using interviews with key informants and questionnaires directed at three groups of stakeholders: jatropha cultivators, farmers in the same areas who are not cultivating jatropha, and laborers on jatropha farms. Results show that the farmers are primarily motivated to participate by the subsidies offered in a government program in the first 2 years, rather than any proven economic benefit. Our farm budget study indicated that profits would be marginal for these farmers. However, no cases of land alienation were involved, and impacts on food security and deforestation are currently not significant. Employment opportunities for landless laborers have increased in areas where jatropha is now grown. The program is only in its third year currently, so these outcomes would need to be reexamined as it develops. In Yucatan, production is mainly in the hands of commercial companies, using estates formerly under low-intensity grazing and secondary forest. A carbon balance analysis indicated that there may be a significant loss of carbon stocks associated with jatropha plantation establishment on these estates. Depending on the maturity of the forest regrowth and the intensity of jatropha production, the carbon payback period varies from 2 to 14 years, although, in some scenarios, the carbon debt may never be recovered.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Jatropha in Mexico: Environmental and Social Impacts of an Incipient Biofuel Program

Skutsch¹,

Rios²,

Solis³

et al. 2011

E&S

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“…The Biofuels Association of Zambia actively promoted jatropha during these early stages while the past president of Zambia, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, was rumoured to be a board member of Marli. He actively supported jatropha growing and gave the project credibility with small-scale farmers [60,61]. Marli began planting jatropha in 2004.…”

Section: A Reconstruction Of Early Jatropha Initiatives In Southern Amentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The growers signed long-term contracts, and in return these companies were to provide agricultural inputs and funding until seed production started. By 2009, they were claiming extensive areas planted, however field visits found that farmers had typically planted only 1.6 hectares on average, while much of the initial support they had received from the companies had ceased [3,61]. A number of other companies also initiated projects, e.g., Southern BioPower and D1, but most projects used only a portion of the allocated land, with some not even progressing beyond the planning stage [23].…”

Section: A Reconstruction Of Early Jatropha Initiatives In Southern Amentioning

confidence: 99%

The Rise, Fall and Potential Resilience Benefits of Jatropha in Southern Africa

2014

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Jatropha is the latest in a list of "miracle crops" that have been promoted in southern Africa for their perceived development benefits. This was based on promises of high yields, low water requirement, ability to grow on marginal land and lack of competition with food. In less than 10 years, tens of thousands of hectares were acquired for jatropha plantations and thousands of hectares were planted, most of which are now unused or abandoned. Overestimations of jatropha yields coupled with underestimations of the management costs have probably been the prime contributors to the collapse of most jatropha projects in southern African. However, a few projects still survive and show signs of possible long-term sustainability. We consider two such projects, a smallholder-based project in Malawi and a large-scale plantation in Mozambique. Though their long-term sustainability is not proven, both projects may increase resilience by diversifying household income streams and contributing to national fuel security. By identifying what seems to be working in these projects we provide insights as to why other projects may have failed in southern Africa and whether there is still place for jatropha in the region. In essence can jatropha still enhance local/national resilience or are jatropha's benefits just a myth? OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2014, 6 3616

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“…In doing contractual farming and in order to obtain meaningful results, [47] recommended proper management and consultation with farmers. Inability by the promoters to fully consult other stakeholders and engage farmers wholly brought about a lack of meaningful management of the plants, abandonment of Jatropha growing after investing so much in form of labor and time and consequently a possible precursor to the failure of the project and the development of the biodiesel sector in Zambia [48]. This is contrary to the view of the Biofuels Association of Zambia that promotes involvement of smallholder farmers in Jatropha production for poverty reduction and to meet the market demands for liquid biofuels [41].…”

Section: Lack Of Compensatory Incentives Markets and Market Informationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Economic Impact and Challenges of Jatropha curcas L. Projects in North-Western Province, Zambia: A Case of Solwezi District

Kalinda

Moses²,

Chama

et al. 2015

Sustainability

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Forest products, wood and non-wood, remain vital among smallholder households in Zambia with charcoal being the most sought after product. This has led to increased exploitation of forest trees to meet the needs for fuel wood, among others. However, Jatropha curcas plant has been identified as a potential fuel source. In the early 2000s, profit-making organizations encouraged smallholder households to grow Jatropha for use as an alternative fuel source. This paper reports on a study conducted in Solwezi between 2011 and 2014 to evaluate the impact of Jatropha cultivation for biofuel production. A sample of 100 small-scale farmers involved in Jatropha cultivation and key informants were interviewed to evaluate the impact of growing Jatropha at the small-scale level. Results show that farmers lost out on time; income from sale of edible non-wood forest products; and experienced reduction in maize (Zea mays) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) production, worsening household economic conditions. Farmers attributed this loss to unclear policy alignment on biofuel production by government. We therefore recommend that project implementation should involve interactions of all legislative bodies and any other concerned stakeholders. There is also a need to promote the value chain, from production to marketing, which focuses on minimizing detrimental effects on the livelihood of small-scale farmers. OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2015, 7 9908

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The Local Social and Environmental Impacts of Smallholder-Based Biofuel Investments in Zambia

Cited by 62 publications

References 17 publications

Jatropha in Mexico: Environmental and Social Impacts of an Incipient Biofuel Program

Jatropha in Mexico: Environmental and Social Impacts of an Incipient Biofuel Program

The Rise, Fall and Potential Resilience Benefits of Jatropha in Southern Africa

Economic Impact and Challenges of Jatropha curcas L. Projects in North-Western Province, Zambia: A Case of Solwezi District

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