Mainstreaming Sustainability in the Biofuel Sector in Mali

Sustainable Access to Sustainable Energy: 27 Sept – 1 Oct 2010, Moshi, Tanzania

Funded by the Global Sustainable Biomass Fund and ANADEB

MFC Nyetaa

MFC Nyetaa has >10 years experience. Its mission is to work towards sustainable development for Malian society.

Mission

MFC Nyetaa

1. Good governance2. Local economic

development3. Environmental protection

3 programmes:

ANADEB:National Agency for Development of Biofuels

◀ The government, through the National Directorate of Energy created National Biofuel Strategy in 2008

◀ This refers to MDGs (it should contribute to achieving 5 of them, particularly the protection of the environment)

◀ Mentions the need for sustainability, to protect food security, and improved living conditions for the population.

◀ In 2008, ANADEB was created as a national agency to implement the National Biofuel Strategy.

◀ ANADEB lacks the tools required to analyse different biofuel options, and hence has no way of differentiating between sustainable projects which support local economic development, job creation and environmental protection, from other projects which are not done in a sustainable way and which put the environment and people’s livelihoods at risk.

MFC’s approach to Jatropha

Intro to MFC1. Local productionNew source of income combats povertyUsing intercropping & sustainable agriculture techniquesMinimise irrigation or chemical fertiliserMinimise risk to food security

2. Local TransformationLocal added value

Local job creation

Press cake used as organic fertiliser

3. Local UseMeet local energy needs

Adds value & stimulates concrete local economic development

Mainstreaming Sustainability in the Biofuel Sector in Mali: Project Goal

The project is funded by Global Sustainable Biomass Fund & AMADEB, and partners are MFC (Applicant), and participants FACT Foundation (Netherlands) & WIP Renewable Energies (Germany) .

The overall objective is to work with all stakeholders at all levels to develop acceptable sustainability criteria and certification to promote sustainability in future biofuel sector development. This will create a win-win situation for all parties – local populations, government, local authorities, civil society, & the private sector, creating economic growth (MDG 1) while protecting those local populations & the environment (MDG 7).

Results

A. Sustainability criteria and certification scheme developed & adopted by ANADEB leading to more sustainable biofuel production, and added value for certified biofuel

B. Reduced undesired effects of biofuel due to more sustainable practice being promoted and adopted, through legislative support and working with policy makers

ActivitiesA. Sustainability criteria and certification

scheme an interactive and participatory multi-stakeholder consultation process which will lead to the development, with local & national stake holders, of Malian sustainability criteria relevant in the local context (taking inspiration from the Dutch Testing framework for sustainable biomass, & other international initiatives); adoption of the sustainability criteria by ANADEB; setting up a certification scheme at ANADEB.

B. Reduced undesired effects of biofuel The consultation process will bring in high level decision makers from government (including ministries responsible for energy & water, agriculture, environment, land tenure, employment, economy & finance, industry and trade, women, children and the family), parliamentary commissions on rural development, energy & water, environment and trade, and will thus support wider policy development in Mali & the sub-region.

StrategyA. Create Cross Sector Multi-Stakeholder

Working Group on Biofuel Sustainability in Mali Members include: parliamentary commissions on energy & water, environment, and on rural development, the Malian Ministry of Energy & Water, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Land Tenure, the Ministry of Employment, the Ministry of Economy & Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Women, children and the Family, the Chamber of Agriculture, the Chamber of Trade and Industry, the Camber of Trades, the High Socio-Economic Council, the Association of Municipalities of Mali, the National Directorate of Energy, the National Centre for Solar Energy & Renewable Energies (CNESOLER), farmers’ associations & cooperatives, enterprises, private sector, the Malian Jatropha Network (and its research institute members like IER & IPR), other NGO networks, & ANADEB

B. Bring international biofuel sustainability experience to Mali (Cramer Criteria NT8080, COMPETE*, RSB, etc)

C. Local focus – Mali imports oil (4500 bbl/d in 2007)

* Competence Platform on Energy Crop and Agroforestry Systems for Arid and Semi-arid Ecosystems

Progress so far…

Consultation to identify stakeholdersKick-off workshop with all stakeholdersCreation of the cross sector multi stakeholder working group on sustainability criteria for biofuel in Mali, including 4 sub-groups:

◀ The parliamentary group ◀ The technical services of the state ◀ The private sector group ◀ The civil society group (including farmers groups)

International workshop with FACT Foundation to present the Cramer Criteria (Dutch experience) Visit to Mali Biocarburant (Dutch-Mali Biodiesel joint venture)

Difficulties encountered

Consultations to create working groupsespecially at National Assembly level (2 parliamentary groups “environment-energy” and “development of rural areas”, but in the end there was mediation with MFC & ANADEB and they decided that it should be environment-energy.

Some bureaucratic headaches working with government institutions. In order for technical services of the state to participate in the working groups, they need to have official documentation. ANADEB has requested a Ministerial Decree to officially create the groups, which is needs to be signed by the Ministry of Energy.

Thank you!(Photo shows Jatropha intercropped with sweet potato – a sustainable production which puts priority on food security)

Sustainable Access to Sustainable Energy: 27 Sept – 1 Oct 2010, Moshi, Tanzania