An assessment of production limits of homestead and field boundary “live fence” jatropha biofuel in Malawi: A modelling approach

There are global concerns on large-scale production of biofuels on account of sustainable production, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, competition for land and water resources, food security and rising food and feed prices. For countries with limited land base and high population density such as Malawi successful production of biofuels will depend on the use of agricultural wastes (e.g. ethanol from molasses) and the growing of biofuel crops on marginal lands or field and homestead boundaries as live fences. This study sought to analyze using a numerical model the national production limits of jatropha-based (Jatropha curcas L.) biofuel production in Malawi grown as live fences on homesteads and smallholder field boundaries in order to guide investments in the biofuels sector.

Modeling results indicate that jatropha oil production from live fences from homesteads in Malawi could produce between 12 to 40 million litres of bio-diesel annually under a low yield scenario (1.75 kgs per tree per year) and between 24 to 79 million litres annually under a high yield scenario (3.5 kgs per tree per year). For smallholder field boundaries between 29 to 97 million litres could be produced annually under the low yield scenario and between 59 to 194 million litres annually under a higher yield scenario. These figures are significant and compare favourably with bioethanol production from sugarcane molasses for Malawi at 32 million litres per year and warrant financial investments in bio-diesel production from jatropha grown as live fences on field and homestead boundaries.