The Problem
- Vast Stretches Of Unproductive Arable Land in Central Africa are not cultivated at all due to a lack of capital and know-how by the owners.
- Massive Unemployment has resulted in the same areas due to the unproductive land.
- High Cost of Imported Foodstuff: Research indicated that the demand for both edible oil and fertilisers in Central Africa is met through importation that results in exorbitant high prices to consumers and farmers.
- High Cost of Agricultural Inputs: In 2017 South Africa imported 1,000 MT of Palm Oil (United States Department of Agriculture). In the same year fertiliser to the value of US$499.88 million (ZAR 6.7 billion) was imported.
- Charcoal “killing” Africa:
The “Global Citizen” sums this problem up as follows:
“Charcoal has put deforestation into overdrive, exacerbating already deadly climate change effects and is killing people in their homes.
The World Health Organization says smoke from fires that burn solid fuels like wood, dung, coal and charcoal are killing more than 10,000 people a day. The US government estimates “smoke from open fires and stoves claim 4.3 million lives each year. That’s more than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.”
Deforestation, in general, is a huge problem across Africa. Researchers warn that some areas in Central Africa could fully exhaust their fuelwood reserves by 2020. The situation is not any better in other African nations.”
The BioTerra Solution: The Farm
What Is Project Moringa?
It is a farming and production operation in modules of 4,000 hectares of land that will entail the planting of over 6 million Moringa trees (Moringa Oleifera) and 10% biodiversity with trees endemic to the region.
Each Moringa Project will make use of degraded, low use, low cover land in an area that is not subject to zero degree temperatures, and that falls in an area with a minimum rainfall of 400mm per year. Each farm will employ over 500 people within two years.
The farm is divided into the following sections:
- Moringa Trees For The Production Of Edible Oil, Honey and Biochar.
- Areas for planting locally, diverse trees for biodiversity.
- The Infrastructure on each project will include:
- Oil Pressing Plant
- Fertiliser Plant
- Carbonisation Plant
- Greenhouse
- Electricity Plant
- Offices
- Staff housing and facilities to meet local social responsibilities.
The BioTerra Solution: Organic and Sustainable Products:
Edible Oil
Moringa oil is edible and high quality. Standards will be maintained and certified through testing by SGS
Our oil will be exported in bulk to re-packers in Europe and the USA.
Honey
Our honey will be mono-floral, which is rare. We will be planting the Moringa in a Savannah environment with no other flowers present.
It will be sold in bulk to wholesalers,who will bottle and sell it under their own brand name.
The honey will also be certified by SGS as raw, undiluted and organic. There is a rising demand for honey.
Biochar
Biochar will used for soil enhancement and light building material.
One ton of biochar has a volume of five cubic meters which produces 2500 bricks. We get up to three carbon credits for each ton of biochar that we produce. That income covers all the costs around biochar, making our end price for brick very competitive. In addition, these bricks are so light you can load 5 times more bricks on a truck than clay bricks.
Wood vinegar
Wood Vinegar is a by product of the biochar process and is reduced to a powder resulting in an indefinite shelf life.
It has many uses, depending on dilution, including:
- A pesticide, fungicide and herbicide depending on dilution.
- Fertilizer.
- An Inorganic pesticide if used in conjunction with such a pesticide.
The BioTerra Super Advantage – Carbon Credits
The off-take of both Sequestration and Biochar Carbon Credits will ensure cash flow and a solid financial base through established and growing markets.
Moringa and Carbon Sequestration
- “Moringa trees absorb carbon dioxide 20 times more than other general trees, which means a mature moringa tree can absorb around 80 kg of carbon per year. We are planting Moringa trees and using the plantations as carbon credits banks”:
- Moringa: Highest Absorption for Carbon Emission:
- A paper on Producing Moringa with good figures on crop yields, recommends Moringa for Carbon Capture.