Biofuel Production in Promoting Sustainable Land ManagementTurning degraded community lands into fertile biofuel production sites



The Tema Cooperative Sunflowers Association (TCSA) is a multi-integrated model for rehabilitation of degraded community lands through the cultivation and processing of sunflower into oil and biodiesel. The biodiesel is used to power tractors, machines and lanterns and the cake from the sunflower oil is used for feeding and fertilizing. The initiative is based on clear and tested strategies that will help the indigenous farmers’ cooperative to metamorphose into a medium-size enterprise that will be the sole controller of the sunflower industry in the country with many players involved at different production levels. A detailed business and financial plan is in place.
Partners
Global Environment Facility/Small Grant Programme provides technical and financialsupport.
KNUST Chemical Engineering provides research into the production of biodiesel and quality control.
University of Ghana Crop Science Department provides expertise to the farmers on the cultivation of sunflowers.
Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) provides R&D support for the entire project.