Graham von Maltitz

Jatropha cultivation in Malawi and Mozambique: impact on ecosystem services, local human well-being, and poverty alleviation

Jatropha-based biofuels have undergone a rapid boom-and-bust cycle in southern Africa. Despite strong initial support by governments, donors, and the private sector, there is a lack of empirical studies that compare the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of Jatrophas two dominant modes of production: large plantations and smallholder-based projects. We apply a rapid ecosystem services assessment approach to understand the impact of two Jatropha projects that are still operational despite widespread project collapse across southern Africa: a smallholder-based project (BERL, Malawi) and a large plantation (Niqel, Mozambique). Our study focuses on changes in provisioning ecosystem services such as biofuel feedstock, food, and woodland products that can have important effects on human well-being locally. Qualitative information is provided for other regulating and cultural ecosystem services. Although at this stage no impact is tremendously positive or negative, both projects show some signs of viability and local poverty alleviation potential. However, their long-term sustainability is not guaranteed given low yields, uncertain markets, and some prevailing management practices.

Potential impacts of biofuels on deforestation in southern Africa.

Southern Africa has been identified globally as one of the areas with high potential for extensive biofuel production. Unlike most commodities, biofuel is not market-limited. Instead, access to feedstock—and more particularly the land on which to grow the feedstock—is the main constraint for biofuel production, and hence the greatest competition in the industry is to acquire land. Countries in southern Africa have taken very different policy stances on biofuel. South Africa is taking a conservative approach; concerns about potential invasiveness of Jatropha curcas have led to a moratorium on planting, and maize-based bioethanol is banned due to possible food security impacts. On the contrary, Mozambique sees biofuel production as one of the key strategies to obtain foreign investment in the agricultural sector, which it is actively trying to revive. What remains unclear is to what extent primary and secondary forest and woodland will be cleared to enable this biofuel expansion. Although early indications suggested that extensive deforestation would occur, more recently companies seem to be taking more conservative approaches to deforestation due to concerns over certification requirements.

Reducing the costs of landscape restoration by using invasive alien plant biomass for bioenergy: Reducing the costs of landscape restoration

Copyright: 2017 Wiley. Due to copyright restrictions, the attached PDF file only contains the abstract of the full text item. For access to the full text item, please consult the publishers website.

Survey of local impacts of biofuel crop production and adoption of ethanol stoves in southern Africa

The two datasets outlined in this paper contain information related to (a) the local impacts of biofuel feedstock production, and (b) the factors that influence the adoption and/or sustained use of ethanol stoves in southern Africa. The first dataset was generated through extensive household surveys around four operational jatropha and sugarcane production sites in Malawi, Mozambique, and Swaziland. This project aimed to examine the local impacts of the most prominent modes of existing or intended biofuel feedstock production in southern Africa. The resulting dataset contains information about impacts on rural livelihoods, ecosystem services, food security and poverty alleviation. The second dataset is the outcome of research into factors that influence the adoption and sustained use of ethanol stoves. This dataset was collected through a household survey in Maputo city where the only large-scale ethanol stove dissemination programme in Africa has been implemented.

Southern African Arid Lands: Current Status and Future Prospects

Southern Africa south of 150° S latitude includes all or part of several countries. The situation in the dryland portion of each of them is described and the underlying factors are explained. Land degradation affects significant areas of most of the countries. Measures taken to arrest and reverse land degradation are explained. Climate change, trends and projections are discussed. Various scenarios are offered.

Biofuels technology development in Southern Africa

ABSTRACT The benefits of biofuels depend on the feedstock, conversion pathway and local context. This paper assesses biofuels technology readiness and developments to provide foresight to biofuels development in Southern Africa. Efficient conversion pathways, coupled with biomass from waste or high-yielding energy crops, will reduce both the costs of biofuels production, and the environmental impacts. Compared to petroleum fuels, the current commercial biofuels (ethanol, biogas and biodiesel) typically offer carbon emission reductions of 30–50% but are marginally more expensive. The extent of biofuels market penetration will therefore be influenced by mandates (blending targets) and subsidies (green premium). Advanced biofuels promise greater efficiencies and carbon emission reductions at reduced cost but will require further research and development to reach commercialisation. If developed appropriately, biofuels can reduce carbon emissions and improve energy security, while enabling sustainable agriculture and improved natural resources management.