Comments on: Biofuels and biodiversity in Africa http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/ News from the WildlifeDirect team Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:34:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Jatropha News http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-313 Jatropha News Thu, 13 Mar 2008 07:27:40 +0000 http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-313 [...] Biofuels and biodiversity in Africa By Baraza Just last year we were calling Jatropha and other species miracle crops because they weren’t competing with food crops for production of biofuel . …well except one person, this writer in Zimbabwe called jatropha a red herring … Baraza - http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org [...] […] Biofuels and biodiversity in Africa By Baraza Just last year we were calling Jatropha and other species miracle crops because they weren’t competing with food crops for production of biofuel . …well except one person, this writer in Zimbabwe called jatropha a red herring … Baraza - http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org […]

]]> By: sheryl, washington dc http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-312 sheryl, washington dc Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:17:30 +0000 http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-312 Thanks for checking into Seal Alert, Paula. I think they'd make a great addition to WD, if you can get him on board. s. Thanks for checking into Seal Alert, Paula. I think they’d make a great addition to WD, if you can get him on board.

s.

]]> By: Paula http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-311 Paula Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:32:16 +0000 http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-311 Hi Robert My sister Su is much too deep in manure and worms to put her thoughts down on paper or website but check out her site http://organic.co.ke/ she recently started an NGO Prep Aid - an organization that aims to educate and supply start up seed packs to avert famine...this little envelope of seeds contains indigenous and popular species that can be easily sown and will be ready for initial harvest in 6 weeks .. for a family of 8. I wish I was that clever and effective sometimes. Don't hesitate to Email her on info at pre-aid.org Hi Robert My sister Su is much too deep in manure and worms to put her thoughts down on paper or website but check out her site http://organic.co.ke/ she recently started an NGO Prep Aid - an organization that aims to educate and supply start up seed packs to avert famine…this little envelope of seeds contains indigenous and popular species that can be easily sown and will be ready for initial harvest in 6 weeks .. for a family of 8. I wish I was that clever and effective sometimes. Don’t hesitate to Email her on info at pre-aid.org

]]> By: Dipesh Pabari http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-310 Dipesh Pabari Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:26:51 +0000 http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-310 And to join the campaign to push for global biofuel standards, please sign the petition and forward to as many people as possible: http://www.avaaz.org/en/biofuel_standards_now/2.php?cl=60170809 And to join the campaign to push for global biofuel standards, please sign the petition and forward to as many people as possible:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/biofuel_standards_now/2.php?cl=60170809

]]> By: Robert Williams http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-309 Robert Williams Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:53:21 +0000 http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-309 I'd love to learn more about your sisters efforts, so keep talking about that family of yours! I'm a big proponent of buying organic and manage to do so 95% of the time -- thanks to how well Boulder supports organic farming. Maybe there is a way for us to encourage local growers to grow a mix of fuel oils and organic produce. I'm sure there are some hungry bugs in Congo that would like nothing more than to chow down of some fresh organic produce, but there are natural ways to discourage them from the food table. As mentioned earlier in the Ending Charcoal blog, we've been looking into moringa oleifera as a fuel stock. It has an incredibly long shelf life so a producer isn't forced to sell to some low-baller trying leverage "the sell it now or it will spoil" line. And then there are grass pellets... Whatever we do, it has got to be a holistic approach. Otherwise, it's just another plate of half-cooked spaghetti! I’d love to learn more about your sisters efforts, so keep talking about that family of yours! I’m a big proponent of buying organic and manage to do so 95% of the time — thanks to how well Boulder supports organic farming. Maybe there is a way for us to encourage local growers to grow a mix of fuel oils and organic produce. I’m sure there are some hungry bugs in Congo that would like nothing more than to chow down of some fresh organic produce, but there are natural ways to discourage them from the food table. As mentioned earlier in the Ending Charcoal blog, we’ve been looking into moringa oleifera as a fuel stock. It has an incredibly long shelf life so a producer isn’t forced to sell to some low-baller trying leverage “the sell it now or it will spoil” line. And then there are grass pellets… Whatever we do, it has got to be a holistic approach. Otherwise, it’s just another plate of half-cooked spaghetti!

]]> By: Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-308 Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:21:33 +0000 http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-308 Yes, anything is possibe, good for your sister, she has my admiration! Just to give you an idea what man is capable of...ENN reported yesterday that a new ornamental grass has been engineered to curve over, therfore cutting down on the frequency of it needing to be mowed, absolutely amazing! Yes, anything is possibe, good for your sister, she has my admiration! Just to give you an idea what man is capable of…ENN reported yesterday that a new ornamental grass has been engineered to curve over, therfore cutting down on the frequency of it needing to be mowed, absolutely amazing!

]]> By: admin http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-307 admin Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:41:30 +0000 http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-307 Greetings Robert, the politics of biofuels are like spagetti to me. And spagetti in Kenya costs about $2 Theresa! I hear what you are saying about food vs biofuel crops .....my sister (I know I keep talking about family but I've got 8 amazing siblings!) is creating an organic farming culture in Kenya - not just rich buyers, but poor farmers many of whom today produce crops that they don't eat anyway like asparagus. Biofuels can be integrated into agro forestry and it's this sort of holistic approach that could have a future no? Greetings Robert, the politics of biofuels are like spagetti to me. And spagetti in Kenya costs about $2 Theresa! I hear what you are saying about food vs biofuel crops …..my sister (I know I keep talking about family but I’ve got 8 amazing siblings!) is creating an organic farming culture in Kenya - not just rich buyers, but poor farmers many of whom today produce crops that they don’t eat anyway like asparagus. Biofuels can be integrated into agro forestry and it’s this sort of holistic approach that could have a future no?

]]> By: admin http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-306 admin Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:36:19 +0000 http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-306 Thanks Chris, hope to see more of you on WildlifeDirect. Sheryl, thanks for your comments and link - I have visited and like the way you think. If you have a project in mind we're always interested. I actually have been in touch with these guys of seal alert - but we somehow fell out of contact. I'll try to pick up on it again. Thanks Chris, hope to see more of you on WildlifeDirect. Sheryl, thanks for your comments and link - I have visited and like the way you think. If you have a project in mind we’re always interested. I actually have been in touch with these guys of seal alert - but we somehow fell out of contact. I’ll try to pick up on it again.

]]> By: Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-305 Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:16:40 +0000 http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-305 Washington post.com did an editorial today on the crisis in Zimbabwe, people there are starving...mega inflation. I have serious reservations about the use of some bio fuels, mainly corn. The cost of wheat has drivenmany to shear desperation. In Italy, when the cost of pasta skyrocketed, they protested. In the US, a box of spaghetti a year ago cost 99 cents, today it costs $1.49! In Zimbabwe, people can't afford to buy a loaf of bread as it now costs as much as they paid for their house, unbelievable! Washington post.com did an editorial today on the crisis in Zimbabwe, people there are starving…mega inflation. I have serious reservations about the use of some bio fuels, mainly corn. The cost of wheat has drivenmany to shear desperation. In Italy, when the cost of pasta skyrocketed, they protested. In the US, a box of spaghetti a year ago cost 99 cents, today it costs $1.49! In Zimbabwe, people can’t afford to buy a loaf of bread as it now costs as much as they paid for their house, unbelievable!

]]> By: Robert Williams http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-301 Robert Williams Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:01:28 +0000 http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2008/03/12/biofuels-and-biodiversity-in-africa/#comment-301 Very sobering post. This points out one of the challenges that we will face in bringing alternative stove technologies to the Congo. It is unfortunate that we will have to struggle with the "profiteer" stigma that is now attached to growing biofuels in Africa. Unlike the unscrupulous people who are working to get Africans to grow their "green" crops -- and by green I mean $$ -- the effort in Goma is purely for the benefit of the local population -- and the mountain gorillas and other species being devastated by deforestation. As discouraging as this development is, I believe that it is possible to grow biofuels for local consumption without doing it at the expense of food crops or the local population. Indeed, will will not proceed if our project is detrimental to the people of Goma. Very sobering post. This points out one of the challenges that we will face in bringing alternative stove technologies to the Congo. It is unfortunate that we will have to struggle with the “profiteer” stigma that is now attached to growing biofuels in Africa. Unlike the unscrupulous people who are working to get Africans to grow their “green” crops — and by green I mean $$ — the effort in Goma is purely for the benefit of the local population — and the mountain gorillas and other species being devastated by deforestation. As discouraging as this development is, I believe that it is possible to grow biofuels for local consumption without doing it at the expense of food crops or the local population. Indeed, will will not proceed if our project is detrimental to the people of Goma.

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