Biofuel to Supplement Oil Supplies
by Tryness Tembo (Zambia Daily Mail Limited) For any economy to grow, stable supply of fuel at affordable prices should be guaranteed hence for all sectors need readily -available fuel to operate effectively. For example, Zambia, which is dependent on imported crude oil urgently need ethanol to drive the production chain.
The benefits of ethanol fuel are probably felt by the rural farming communities where various starchy -based crops are grown and processed, which means that the demand increases resulting in farmers earning more from their produce.
Several crops are used for ethanol production such as cassava, maize, sugar cane and sorghum.
In this vein, Thomro Investment Limited has started the construction of an ethanol production plant in Kabangwe area at a cost of over US$1 million, which will see value addition to cassava and other crops.
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Thomro Investment Limited chief executive officer Thomson Sinkala notes that since Zambia imports 100 percent of fossil fuels, which are petrol and diesel among others, this makes the country vulnerable to external shocks such as increases in price.
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“So if we start making our own fuel, it may contribute to the stabilisation of the economy as Zambia will not be vulnerable to any changes in the international market,” Prof Sinkala says.
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The project is also expected to benefit as many farmers as possible across the country and will initially set up 15 plants, which will have a minimum production capacity of one million each. To sustain the production, Thomro Investment Limited’s approach will be to establish micro plants across the country by following the farmers who are growing the crop to help them reduce the cost of transport.
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As Zambia moves towards diversification from mining to agriculture, the dependence on farming will be part of the production system of the project and will be empowered in the primary stage of the value chain compared to fossil fuels, which are imported.
Another farmer, Paul Chilalu expressed happiness on the implementation of the project that it will give the farming community an opportunity to sale their commodity.
“Previously, we used to move long distances to find market for our crops and at times when our produce would have gone to waste,” Mr Chilalu said. READ MORE
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