FG embarks on Jatropha plant as alternative to fossil fuel – Minister

The Federal Government says it is embarking on the Jatropha value chain project aimed at producing a viable green alternative to fossil fuels.

The Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jibril, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Jatropha is the non-food plant for bio-fuel feedstock’s production.

Jibril said the project would provide an additional means of livelihood for local communities that were losing ground water and vegetation every year due to desertification.

He said the project would diversify the Nigerian economy through empowering people, taking climate action to fight desertification, reducing poverty and enhancing the nation’s socioeconomic growth.

According to him, it will be integrated into the forestation programmes of the Federal Ministry of Environment in partnership with the state governments and relevant ministries, departments and agencies.

“Jatropha has been identified by the Nigerian Bio-fuel Policy and Incentives 2007 as the most preferred non-food plant for bio-fuel feedstock for production in the country.

“The policy and the NNPC’s Renewable Energy Division were set out to link the agriculture and energy sectors and promote job creation, technology acquisition attract foreign investment in the bio-fuels industry,” he said.

Against the backdrop, the minister said the ministry would hold a two-day National Conference on the production of Jatropha in the country.

He said the conference was to strategise for the production of Jatropha in Nigeria in order to reap the huge environmental dividends that came with the production, processing and marketing of the plant. (NAN)