Biofuel for Development and Communal Energy Self-Supply ADPP Farmers Clubs, Northern Mozambique Photo Report - November 2007

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1 Biofuel for Development and Communal Energy Self-Supply ADPP Farmers Clubs, Northern Mozambique Photo Report - November 2007 The main element of the biofuel project in Northern Mozambique is to build up Farmers Clubs, such as this one in Nanjua, to ensure sustainability. The farmers are assisted and trained - and train each other - to improve production and improve access to markets for their products, e.g. from this garden in Nanjua.

2 Visit & Training by Partners Jan de Jongh from FACT and Rory Petre from Solidaridad visited the project in Oct-Nov. Jan spent some days improving the production of rope pumps, such as this one. Christian Fenger from The GAIA-Movement at a training session of project technicians and field officers. They are the main link to the clubs and conduct most of the training.

3 Production of Well Rings Water is a crucial issue for the farmers, and the project therefore makes wells. In order to avoid well collapse in the sandy soils, low-cost well rings are made from split bamboo and cement. The dried well ring is carried to be placed in the hand dug well. The women, who form a large part of the club members, take part in all the activities.

4 Providing Water for Irrigation The rings are placed in the well and it is now possible to dig deeper without any danger of the sides collapsing. More rings will then be placed on top. The wells are mainly used for irrigation - here a garden in Lianda - but many also provide water for the households. They are therefore covered to reduce the danger of contamination.

5 Income Generation from Gardening The irrigated gardens provide a much needed additional income source for the farmers. The region has a dry season of 5-7 months and there are few rivers or ponds. Most gardens are run jointly by the club members. But they can also choose to divide the land around the pump, so that each household has a certain area.

6 Production of Jatropha Seedlings The club members in Cagembe building the shed where jatropha seedlings will be produced. All is made from local materials - bamboo, straw and ropes of bark. These women members in Cagembe are filling polypots with soil to prepare them for jatropha seeds.

7 Fencing with Jatropha The jatrophas will be used to make live fences around the gardens and fields - to reduce losses to wild animals, such as duikers, warthogs and wild pigs. Petolha and all other FACT Farmers Clubs are located within the National Park of Quirimbas, established in About 100,000 people live within the park area - mainly farmers.

8 Problems with Animals Henderson, co-project leader, examines jatropha seedlings in FC Muaguide. A few (in the front) have been pulled up by baboons, before they found out that they were not good food. Elephants are a serious problem in certain clubs, such as here in Sitate, where they have damaged young jatrophas. Two clubs have decided not to start gardens because of elephant problems.

9 Training of Farmers injatropha Cultivation The GAIA-Movement facilitated a training session on jatropha cultivation and uses for selected farmers and club committee members - here discussing experiences with insect damages. The farmers first planned to grow jatropha fields, but opted for fences when learning that these give good yields of seeds, use less land and still provide protection. Here discussing pruning systems.

10 Uses of Jatropha Oil One obvious local use of jatropha oil is to provide light instead of using kerosene. The farmers learned how to make a lamp using a glass, a floating slice of wood and a wick from cotton fibres. Another use of the oil pressed from the jatropha seeds is to make soap. The farmers learned how to mix oil, water and caustic soda safely to produce the soap.

11 Pressing Oil from Jatropha Seeds Jan from FACT Foundation had brought a mini oil press, which was tested - much hard work and little oil. The project is now acquiring a large manual press and later a mechanical press. A part of the biofuel project is to adapt existing engines, such as this grinding mill in Quissanga, to run on plant oil. Jan is here collecting information to determine what system can be used.

12 Ajuda de Desenvolvimento de Povo para Povo - ADPP Mozambique - Farmers Club Project, Cabo Delgado ADPP Mozambique and the many members of the Farmers Clubs, such as these women in Sitate, hereby wish to thank all the partners for making this project possible. Partners: THE GAIA-MOVEMENT TRUST LIVING EARTH GREEN WORLD ACTION The GAIA-Movement Maison de l Environnement II, Chemin de Balexert 9, CH-1219 Châtelaine, Switzerland Tel: Fax: Mobile: info@gaia-movement.org