Food versus fuel

Energy Africa (EA Ltd.) geographic focus area is from Shimba Hills in Kwale district, and southward towards the border with Tanzania (Lunga Lunga). The area is characterized by large tracts of un- or underutilized land. The reason being lack of market, lack of labour, lack of interest in farming and poor soil for food production.

Jatropha curcas has been welcomed by farmers as an alternative because it requires less labour, and is less needy in terms of soil and input than food crops. Thus the fuel vs food challenge is not one that applies to the Shimba Hills setting. Farmers are eager to engage in new cash crops, and have hope that producing fuel, will put them in a better situation than food crops. The current food crops have not helped them overcome poverty.

Energy Agriculture Uganda (EAU Ltd.) main focus area is the West Nile area. The area used to have tobacco as a cash crop. This cash crop has since gone down, and no new crop has replaced it. Large tracts of land are unutilized and farmers are eager to start with a new cash crop. Food crops have grown, but as a cash crop the markets are too far away, and prices disappointing.

Both EA Ltd. and EAU Ltd have focus on small-holder outgrower farmers. The choice to start growing Jatropha curcas is left to the farmer. Farmers are encouraged to continue to grow food, and only grow Jatropha as a secondary crop. In any case farmers in Africa make rational decisions and would not substitute food production for fuel, without ensuring food security.

Ultimately the questions is what right do outsiders have to chose the crop of preference for a poor farmer in East Africa? African farmers have a right to decide based on their own assessment, and nobody in the world like being told what to grow. If they want to grow fuel, we should respect that choice.

Diani - March 2009

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