Flora Courts Resettled Oromia Farmers for Bio-Fuel
Addis Fortune - April 23, 2008

The local wing of Flora Eco Power, the Germany giant bio-fuel producer, is keen to work with 60,000 resettled farmers in the west Harerghe Zone of the Oromia Regional State. The company wants the farmers to cultivate castor seeds on a 22,000hc plot of land.

The Oromia Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (ODDPC) envisages resettling 108,000 farmers by providing them 2.5ht of land each, in the east and west Harerghe Zones in its five year resettlement programme. Flora wants the farmers to devote a hectare of their holdings to the growth and supply of castor seed, which is an input in the making of bio-fuel, an energy source that is increasingly gaining global popularity these days.

Having discussed the outreach scheme planned by Flora, the Oromia Investment Commission and ODDPC appear to have been swayed into supporting the project. Read More.