Biotech Updates

Jatropha Project in Botswana Receives Donation

August 22, 2013
News article: http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=4&aid=408&dir=2013/August/Monday12

In Botswana, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has donated $233,000 worth of equipment in support of a five-year research project seeking to produce biodiesel from Jatropha curcas plants.

The donation includes laboratory equipment and a weather station. The country is currently doing a research on jatropha production despite some challenges in the growing conditions.

The research project is part of a grand plan to set up a jatropha oil seed-fed processing plant that will produce 50 million liter per year of biodiesel to help reduce the country's dependence on oil imports and to curb greenhouse gas emissions while creating job opportunities.