Zambia's opposition condemns reported Chinese biofuels project

Lusaka - Zambia's main opposition leader Michael Sata has strongly opposed a
reported request by China to plant 2 million hectares of the jatropha plant in
the southern African country for the production of biofuels. During a discussion
programme on local radio Thursday, Sata said such a move would disadvantage
Zambians, who are scrambling for land to grow food.

Earlier this week, Biofuels Assocation of Zambia (BAZ) head Tyson Chisambo was
quoted as saying that China had made a request for 2 million hectares of land to
produce the non-food crop, whose oil is used to produce biodiesel.

The deal would be the biggest lease of land in the country, which faces food
shortages following severe flooding and drought during last year's growing
season.

The staple food - maize - has shot up in price, in part because of the global
economic slowdown, which has weakened the local currency, the kwacha, rendering
imported machinery more expensive.

Sata, a longtime critic of China's involvement in Zambia, said the project would
only benefit the Chinese labourers he expected would be brought in to work on
the plantation.

Government officials argue that Chinese companies are the best-placed to invest
in Africa in the current economic climate.

Chinese companies already own a number of copper mines in Zambia. China is also
developing economic zones in the north-central Copperbelt and the capital
Lusaka, where Chinese manufacturing, technology and trading companies will
operate tax-free.

The government of Africa's largest copper is looking to biodiesel, among other
things, to solve the country's biting energy shortages.

Mines rely on diesel-powered generators to keep critical equipment running
during frequent power outages.

The reported Chinese project follows a bid by South Korean company Daewoo to
obtain a 99-year lease on 1 million hectares of land on the Indian Ocean island
of Madagascar to produce corn and palm oil.

That project, which had also caused controversy, has been called off by
Madagascar's new leadership.

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ted-chinese-biofuels-project.html