RICHARD MNGAZIJA, 12th October 2009 @ 12:40, Total Comments: 1, Hits: 1550
TANZANIA is blessed with plant resources such as oil palm, maize, sugar cane, cassava and jatropha which can be processed into ethanol and biodiesel.
However, recent development in biofuel production in the country has led to calls on government to develop a comprehensive policy on biofuel production.
Analysts are worried that the large scale land acquisition by foreign companies for the production of biofuel threatens the livelihood of local farmers as well as the environment.
They say that their stance is neither anti-biofuel nor anti-investment, but that they are only insisting that both investment and biofuel production must be executed responsibly and ethically.
In their opinion, the fact that a majority of Tanzanian earn their livelihood from agriculture implies that allowing large multinational companies unrestricted access could undo some of the country's gains in the fight against hunger and poverty, as lands which are currently being used for food production would be converted to use for fuel production.
Tanzanian small scale farmers, particularly women, are facing displacement from their farm lands.
In recent times, especially Tanga, Morogoro and Coast regions are said to be witnessing an influx of foreign companies engaged in jatropha and sugar-cane plantation for biofuel production. These companies are acquiring large tracks of land for large scale production.
Regrettably, some of these companies that are investing in biofuel production acquire large track of land but only pay the farmers for the portion of the land they utilize, in spite of an existing contract.
Current trends in the biofuel production, with major policy thrust globally points to many motivations. Some analysts have reckoned that it has been difficult to estimate the costs and benefits of production of biofuel.
Energy crisis and high cost of fossil fuel have given rise to the quest for alternative energy source of biofuel. Sadly, women as social and economic constituencies are often marginalized in most economic policies, even though they are most pinched by such policies.
In a developing country such as Tanzania, biofuel production entails the use of productive lands and not marginal lands at the expense of food production for food and livelihood security.
The use of crops such as maize, soya bean, sugar cane, oil palm, sorghum for biofuel production also have serious implications for food security.
It is exactly the areas that women congregate such as agriculture which has long been an important source of income for them, that will be under attack amidst biofuel production craze.
According to an expert of food security policy people are crying because they do not have their livelihoods concerns being met."There is no policy guideline by government. What will happen to our land, food security in future if we leave our land to the production of jatropha for fuel?" he inquired.
Studies on biofuel production in Tanzania and its implications for livelihood and food security of small scale farmers, especially women, and the environment, revealed that the widespread practice of monoculture biofuel has caused destruction of forest with its effect on biodiversity.
It discovered that biofuel promotion in Africa is largely driven by foreign concerns with foreign interests largely to meet external demands on biofuel.
It recommends among others a comprehensive policy framework that incorporates the views of all stakeholders, and clearly indicating sectoral linkages need to be put in place by policy makers and the government.
With regard to the production models, it proposes that biofuel production should be driven by local or community energy needs, rather than foreign driven or external energy needs.
Further, it stated that companies investing in biofuel production in various communities should be compelled by legislation to make full disclosure of their plans for the use of the lands and other resources in order to improve the knowledge of the local communities to make informed decisions.
Lead researcher in Tanzania stressed that food security is about accessibility of food to a whole nation, household and every individual, although there are differential access to it.
He bemoaned that Africa is largely agricultural but a net food importer and so must sit up, and wondered what will happen if it let out it lands for fuel production.
There have been several fora by different stakeholders to discuss ways of improving the production of biofuel in the country in the wake of the dwindling energy resources worldwide as well as the sporadic escalating world oil prices.
Natural gas, hydrogen, bio fuels, biomass liquid fuels and liquid gas have all been identified as alternatives to fossil fuels.
The main resource required for the production of biofuel is land and that is available in Tanzania compared to other African countries. Tanzania has abundant arable land and a stable climate good for growing energy crops and food.
Thus, third world advocacy organizations worry about the biofuel projects in Tanzania and other third world countries. Their beef is that, these projects will benefit advanced countries to the detriment of the developing countries.
One of such organizations, the Institute of Science in Society, based in London states that various European countries have established goals to increase their use of biofuels as a substitute to gasoline and diesel.
For instance, the European Union (EU) has established that by the year 2010, six percent of fuels will be biofuels and hopes that by 2020 the percentage will increase to eight percent.
Critics say it is unlikely that Europe will dedicate its soils to the growth of these types of crops and as such third world countries will provide the land and cheap labour and the environmental effects caused by large plantations from which the biofuels are grown and refining.
"We have supplied developed countries with raw materials to the detriment of ourselves," said the researcher.
The expert, recounted that just like mining, those companies came in before the government had a clear policy and that
Tanzania should not allow the same to happen to her agriculture.
Biofuel companies and supporters argue that the employment created by biofuel production would offer compensation to displaced farmers and their families."What good is money when there is no food?" the researcher asked.
He continued, "We are not self-sufficient in the food sector, and replacing food producing land with fuel producing land only makes the problem worse."
The expert argued that creating a comprehensive national policy on biofuel production is vital if Tanzania is to maintain control of its resources in the face of economically dominant foreign interests.
They also believe that relevant government agencies should work with traditional land owners on zoning and mapping lands in order to minimize competition between small scale local farmers and large multinational companies.
In addition to the social issues associated with biofuel production, the expert also voiced his concerns about biofuel's impact on the environment, and called on the environmental division under the Vice-President’s Office ensure that before projects are approved, there is proper environmental impact assessment.
"This issue is just as important as any other development issue," said the expert. He added, "by creating a policy now the government of Tanzania will be better equipped to avoid problems later."
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does any of the so called waheshimiwa care about this problem? i can't believe that they are not aware of what's been going on, yet they wan't our votes.
tanzanians will never make a significant progress if this kind of injustice is left unchecked. land-grabbing is rampant, is this the face of kilimo kwanza?
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