Saturday, November 1, 2008

Guidelines to regulate bio-fuel operations


Fortune, EthiopiaJUNE 8, 2008, WUDINEH ZENEBE
Mekonnen Manyazewal, state minister for Finance and Economic Development appears to be making calculations on the feasibility of Bio-Fuel Development Strategy while Abera Deressa (PhD), state minister of Agriculture and Rural Development judiciously looks at the documents. Perplexed, Eleni G. Madhin(PhD), CEO of the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange, closely observes the two.

Ethiopia eyes biofuels, says no risk to crops


ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopia said on Monday it planned to produce biofuels to cut high oil import bills, but dismissed fears the strategy could hit food production in a country suffering a severe drought.


Some 4.5 million Ethiopians need emergency food aid due to failed rains and high food prices, reviving grim memories of the country's 1984-1985 famine, which killed more than 1 million. But the government also faces an annual fuel bill of up to $900 million, and aims to reduce that over time using biofuels.