Operational Themes -
Clean Energy Production
Technical card
Location: Mali
Dates: 2008-2013
Technical partners: Institute of vocational training of Koutiala (IFP), IRAM (Institute for development research), AMEDD (Sustainable Development Association), SSD Yéelen Kura, Koutiala Professional Training Institute (IFP), ENEA Consulting, Biofuels National Development Agency (ANADEB)
Financial partners: Prince Albert II de Monaco Foundation, Nicolas Hulot Foundation, AFVP, Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), Daey Ouwens de Agentschap NL Funds(ex Senter Novem)
Description
The cotton production area of southeast Mali is facing a rural economic and industrial crisis following the crash affecting cotton, the region's main cash crop. At the same time, unstable hydrocarbon prices have unfortunate repercussions on the cost of energy services using that resource. Rural household budgets are seriously affected.
Consequently, since 2007, GERES has been looking into the feasibility of setting up local biofuel supply chains with a twofold objective: generating a new source of income for local communities and improving their access to energy. This supply chain relies on the production and consumption of Pure Vegetable Oil (PVO) made from Jatropha Curcas, an oilseed plant which grows locally.
As a result, GERES has launched a pilot "action research" project, as a consortium venture with IRAM, in 2 countries: Mali and Benin. The aim is to construct a "replicable scheme" of access to sustainable energy for rural communities in West Africa.
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