Energy is an essential element for human development yet the fulfillment of energy demands poses increasing challenges to all countries. At the same time, energy demands are growing as industrialization hits its climax. The limited access that rural people have to adequate, affordable and convenient energy sources possibly ranks amongst the greatest impediment to their social and economic well being and development. Some of the challenges associated with access to and use of rural energy sources and the solutions offered by the Green Africa Foundation, Jatropha plant system initiative are:
| Challenges Associated with Energy | Current situation | GAF Jatropha System Remedy |
| Climate change | Need for a shift from fossil to renewable sources of energy | Use of Jatropha plant to produce bio-fuel offers a solution to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and provide sustainable livelihoods. |
| Poverty | The energy options are not affordable to the poor.
Modern and improved energy is very limited in rural areas.
| As a renewable energy programme it has potential economic benefits (job creation and income generation) |
| Health | Traditional biomass have low efficiencies.
Incomplete combustion of charcoal, results in health- damaging pollutants
Indoor air pollution
| Facilitates lower smoke exposures thus
reduces the disease burden from smoke, lowers child mortality rates, and improves maternal health.
|
| Loss of biodiversity | Practice of charcoal burning has largely contributed to the mass depletion and disappearance of forest resources. | Multi-purpose crop to alleviate soil degradation, desertification and deforestation |
The Jatropha bio-diesel project is a model programme designed to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of bio-diesel technologies to arid and semi arid communities. It is thus vital to promote the growing of Jatropha Curcas tree species in these dry lands where other crops do not thrive in different ways.
- Promoting research and development on the Jatropha Curcas plant
- Promoting development and widespread awareness on utilization of biodiesel energy technologies which are yet to reach commercialization
- Packaging and disseminating information on Jatropha biodiesel energy systems to create investor and community awareness on economic potential offered by it.
- Establishing of community based Jatropha pilot projects where feasible to promote acceptance of Jatropha as an alternative renewable energy source.
