CLIVE RICHARDSON's Page

Hi, Clive, sorry for not giving you any feedback uptil now.
Biodiesel is a "hot potatoe" in Norway these days and there was nearly a political "crises" in the Parlament last week because of adding tax on biofuel from our Government.
I very much agree that something has to be done with the fuel"crises" in Africa, but we like to start with household energy in a small scale and do some pilot projects to find the "right" way forward.
How far have you come so far?
GreenRescourses Ltd is also doing some projects on biofuel and biomass in TZ.
Have you been discuessing your project with them?
We, Miombo, could be very much interested to be involved, espescialy on the biomass energy program based on householdenergy.
Otto Formo
Forester

Hi Clive, this sounds interesting. Allow me a couple of days to assess the model in more detail.

Cheers

Well Chala is beautiful and has been crying out for some investment for a very long time. It could become a great weekend getaway from Nrb and Aru and we have nowhere good to go fishing or boating nearby.

We are on the Arusha Park boundary and so above the coffee although there was some around, but it has almost all gone from up here now. Ripped out when the prices where too low a couple of years ago.

Calliandra may not be the best tree legume for the semi arid areas but for much of the sub-humid tropics and humid tropic. The whole value chain is important, but often the whole thing is not in place at the same time, or no step is taken to start with. It is important people can try a new crop at a small scale with out risking loosing much land, money, or seeds. Direct seeding gives longer lasting and more drought tolerant Jatropha than cuttings. Good agro-industry in Africa often combines intensive and extensively grown areas, and seek lowest possible costs with moderate or high out-put. Price fluctuatioons should not be fatal. Low-cost, pro-poor technologies can be knowledge intensive and require good research to be efficient. See e.g. my articles on how low cost and high output can be combined for young tree legumes at least. If many peasants do not benefit without being highly dependent or risking much, then many will be against taking land out of food production for fuel.
PS I do not understand why you often write about sub tropics, when you mention tropical countries (sub humid and semiarid areas).

Do you think you could be interested in applied research collaboration with me on the issues I mentioned. From what I have read about Jatropha seeds and direct seeding I think I can improve their germination sufficiently to make direct seeding work well.
I also have suggestions for a very cheap new type of oil extractor for farmers trying and starting at a scale too small yet for a conventional one. A Kenyan sunflower oil specialist was very interested in my idea, which have not been tried.

Need for new approaches to Jatropha cultivation Thank you for your good comment on my wall. I agree one should use experience from e.g. tea and coffee organizations, but not in copying their present approach. I recently advised a consultant to a Tanzanian tea production centre, and I think all agreed that agronomic innovations and a farming system approach should be used more. Collaboration with centres of Excellency is important too, and I was a research associate of ICRAF for two years and learned much. However, they and others, have done very little else directly on new practical solutions to reducing tree establishment costs in the tropics or improving management options for hedges. These issues are essential for the poor to benefit, and for erosion to be reduced rather than increased. Cultivation, particularly of tall plants like cassava and probably Jatropha on degraded land, increases erosion if the soil surface is not covered near it, at least in many contour belt. The energy per square metre of the bigger rain drops joint on the leaves increases. However, adding value permanently covered contour strips is important. Integration with long duration legumes appears promising if they are easy to establish and handle.

There always are houses for sale as the area is booming. We need to sell our cottage so that we can build a bigger house as we have outgrown it. We had a little surprise love child a couple of years ago! So we now have three kids. We live up near the Arusha National Park boundary. How big a house would you need?

Please do stay in touch as I find your KBC-JCL alternative energy projects interesting. You talk of Lake Chala, the last time I was there it had been turned into an illegal brewing zone and not a very safe place.

Stay in touch as I am a farmer as well as a safari guide and I am sure we can co-operate on some of your stuff.

I know the Foxes a little and will connect with him.

Thanks once more. I agree that the jatropha projects I know have not reached the commercial size that is necessary to create a (local) jatropha oil based energy sector. It would be interesting to know what the critical factor is: financing?, availability of degraded land?, growing/ harvest characteristics of jatropha, processing, etc. I still think that very valid information can be collected from research institutes and practical (pilot) projects. This are the partners to give body to the "centres of excellence". I am happy you already know Diligent and please feel free to contact them and refer to me - I informed them about our contact.