1. General discussions and information about the Global Biofuels Ltd including its activities (feedstock farm development, ethanol factory building, Camp site buildings, assistance to farmers to develop and grow farms and scheme), benefits, expectations and concerns, were held in series.
With the Obas and Chiefs of Akoko Land
With the Governor and Government Ministries and Parastatals of Ondo State in Akure
2. Detailed information about the company and its activities together with benefits, as they relate to the communities around Arigidi, Imo, Ajowa, Agbaluku, Oke-Agbe, etc; the villages and farmers, provided to the stakeholders.
3. Continued detailed discussions with the Farm Owners and Heads of Farm Families and other stakeholders on:
Farmland procurement
Jobs scenario
Family land and peasant farming areas for food crops
Development of core farm, model farm and outgrowers scheme for sweet sorghum production
Development of the Ethanol Integrated Factory
Development of the Camp Site
4. Formal agreement was signed with the heads of farm owners families for the provision of land (approx. 3000ha) to Biofuels Company Ltd. To carry out its activities.
5. Description of follow-up activities with the Heads of Family Land Owners, including:
Clearing of the 1st 50ha farmland (far away from identified peasant farms and family farm areas which were demarcated to continue to produce food crops for the family household needs) using bulldozers.
Areas to be cleared were not easily accessible to farmers and were mostly uncultivated before now.
Follow-up ploughing and planting of the cleared farmland leaving few of the scattered economic trees like palm trees and locust beans trees
mmediate need for few hardworking casual labour and semi-skilled labour from the immediate vicinity of Arigidi and Akokoland, and their initial employment
6. All stakeholders (Governors, Obas, Chiefs, farm families and farmers) invited to a grand Groundbreaking and Foundation Laying Ceremony in Arigidi.
7. Identification and awareness of benefits accruing from the biofuels project using sweet sorghum as feedstock to produce ethanol: discussed and understood with farmland family heads, farmer groups, Government of Ondo State and other stakeholders.
I. Environmental Benefits
i. Planting of poor soils, which otherwise are left to weather away with wind or water erosion
ii. Rejuvenating and improving soil quality and fertility through crop rotation with cowpeas and or groundnuts
iii. Cultivation of farmland that is not accessible to the people for peasant farming
iv. Cash income from sale of cowpeas (beans) for food
v. Nutrition for the people from consumption of cowpeas (beans)
vi. Feeding of small and large farm animals from crop resistance (cowpea dried leaves and stalk after grain harvest, fresh sweet sorghum leaves stripped from stalk as harvest) for meat and milk
vii. Sweet sorghum as C4 species (refreshes the air more than other C3 crops by capturing more C02 (carbon dioxide) for photosynthesis and conversion to sugar and carbohydrates) enhances more the reduction of climate change magnitude.
II. Employment Benefits
i. 8,000 direct employment of farm/factory and related workers from immediate Akokoland and each of participating states
ii. Up to 50,000 indirect employment of agro-industrial and related workers in each of the participating states
iii. Involvement of farmers in outgrower schemes for feedstock (sweet sorghum) production to generate cash income and jobs in each participating state
III. Spillover Profits from By-Products and Rotational Crops
i. Forage/fodder – from striped green leaves of feedstock at harvest for animal feed
ii. Bio-fertilizer – from ploughing-in the stripped leaves and crop residue of rotational crops into the soil; it rejuvenates the soil, improves the soil structure and enhances crop productivity through in-situ fertilizer incorporation into soil
iii. Bargasse – the crushed sweet sorghum stalks in very large tonnage quantities, used for co-generation of energy and power for furnaces and electricity
iv. Molasses/sorghum syrup – a speciality product for confectionaries and food.
“Sweet Sorghum is a rich man’s choice of a poor man’s crop” (Frank A. Hilario,
05 May 2007.)
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