There are one million hectares available in Ethiopia suitable for Jatropha development according to the Ministry of Water and Energy.
The land is to be found in the Benishangul Gumuz, Oromia, Tigray and Southern regional states according to Bizuneh Tolcha, Director of Communications and Public Relations with the ministry.
The development of Jatropha, alongside other bio-diesel plants, is already being implemented by investors on area of 85 thousand hectares of land of which 4 thousand hectares are covered by Jatropha he explained.
Jatropha plantations cover 5000 hectares of land in Oromia while more than 200 million Jatropha seedlings have been transplanted in the Amhara Regional State and 17.6 million Jatropha seedlings have also been transplanted in Tigray Regional State noted Bizuneh.However just 80 hectares of land is covered with Jatropha plantations so far in the Southern Regional State he added.
The ministry is implementing means of expanding Jatropha development in the country with the intention of fostering the plant which serves as a source of energy.
Source: Walta Info
