Biofuels in Zambia: Panacea or Problem?

The research paper examines the failure of the biofuels sector in Zambia, where government goals for poverty reduction and energy security were undermined by a lack of policy safeguards and infrastructure. It highlights how the drive for export-market cash crops like jatropha threatened local food security and how many foreign investors eventually abandoned their projects due to economic downturns and technical failures.

• The Zambian government promoted biofuels and the creation of farming blocks to achieve agricultural reform, poverty alleviation, and improved energy security by reducing oil imports.
• The promotion of non-food crops like jatropha curcas for biodiesel created a risk to food security, as small-scale farmers were incentivized to convert food crops to cash crops for the more valuable export market.
• The biofuels sector in Zambia suffered from a lack of policy safeguards, inadequate rural infrastructure, and technical failures, leading many foreign investors to abandon their land and contracts.
• Zambia's National Energy Policy focuses on biofuels for the transport industry but neglects household use, while a lack of foreign exchange controls allows investors to repatriate all capital, hindering local small-to-medium enterprises.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2013). Biofuels in Zambia: Panacea or Problem? https://saiia.org.za/research/biofuels-in-zambia-panacea-or-problem/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Biofuels in Zambia: Panacea or Problem? 2013. https://saiia.org.za/research/biofuels-in-zambia-panacea-or-problem/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Biofuels in Zambia: Panacea or Problem? |date=30 May 2013 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/biofuels-in-zambia-panacea-or-problem/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2013biofuels, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Biofuels in Zambia: Panacea or Problem?}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2013}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/biofuels-in-zambia-panacea-or-problem/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }