‘Interest in jatropha high’

By ANCILLA WRAKUALE
THERE is a growing interest in the jatropha bio-fuel project but not enough money to start it, a bio-fuel engineer said.
Thompson Benguma is calling on the government and relevant state departments to help him start the project.
“Interest on the project is high … we need seeds and funds to set up offices.
“We need help from the Climate Change Office and the government.
“Supplying seeds to the people is like putting money in the pockets of ordinary Papua New Guineans,” Benguma said.
He said he would be conducting jatropha training in Momase and New Guinea Islands regions, with the first training to be held on Jan 30 at the Lae International Hotel and in Madang and Wewak afterwards.
Benguma said for East Sepik province, training would be held in the Yangoru-Saussia electorate.
Training in the New Guinea Islands will be held in Kimbe, West New Britain followed by Kokopo in East New Britain province.
It will cover jatropha cultivation, value chain of jatropha and harvesting.
Benguma said he would be charging a fee of K600 per person for the training, with K500 as training fee and K100 as registration fee to become member of Jatropher Bio-fuel Industries Corp, which is registered with the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA).
He said he was charging fees so he could set up a proper office for the project either in Lae or Port Moresby.