Rwanda: Shifting to biodiesel production

To reduce energy dependency on wood and oil, Rwanda is embarking on the production of fuels derived from plants such as “moringa”, “jatropha” or “palm oil”: this is the objective of the Government of Rwanda. The first factory began producing biodiesel and bio-ethanol. The Rwandan Minister of Education, Charles Murigande, has confirmed that his duty vehicle is using bioiesel for four months now. This plant will produce also biodiesel from palm oil coming in complement, from Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, the General Director of the Rwandan Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (RIST) said.

Thus, the RIST agents crisscross the country to inform local authorities, the public and the private sector on the benefits of farming biodiesel crops, such as soybean, “jatropha” and “moringa” plants, to reduce the cost of petroleum products, affecting the citizens’ daily life in the urban as well as in the rural who must buy imported kerosene to light their houses, NDUWAYEZU said to convince people. The residents of Kivu province, in the south, seem to be convinced. If we grow these plants and could find the carburant that would replace wood, it would be useful for our daily lives. Today, in Mulindi, a liter of biodiesel costs 1.38 dollar, while diesel in gas stations is costing 1.55 dollar. The state is encouraging the development and the cultivation of these supplying energy plants. Each family has to grow at least 100 trees in its plots, mixed with other crops and / or by the roadsides, the Ngororero district Mayor, Cyprian Nsengimana, said. He is determined to make it a priority, but some are skeptical. Because the residents of the east have grown the “Moringa” in 2003, hoping to make a big with this plant, as we had told them, unfortunately and due to uncontrolled and wild vendor’s trade, it was banned. They thought they were saved by the new plant, but their hopes just fanned. Other farmers complain that many new agricultural policy measures just turn also into difficult choices. “Here in the east, people grow the fodder for livestock. Moreover, we must apply to the new policy of Land consolidating and culture of the same species in the same area. The country must first ensure food security for its citizens, and given these concerns, the Department of Forestry said that these plants can be grown in the fields with food crops, near roads or along the erosion control ditches. Energy is becoming a crucial problem and most households in the city as in the rural areas, depend on coal or wood. The price of oil, whose consumption is increasing, is very high. According to Eric Kanshahu, responsible for the “RIST” vulgarisation, he declared that growing biodiesel plants in 225 000 hectares , which represents only 8% of the total national land, Rwanda would not need to import diesel. Until then, diesel and biodiesel can be mixed, the RIST officials have said, but there are objections. Many large lands are already occupied by the coffee and tea plantations, sources of income for the country. Half of the country’s budget is dependent on foreign aid and the other half is coming from taxes. Therefore, Would the State accept the lost all taxes on gasoline? If yes, then what would be done to replace the budget deficit?