Harare - THE Government has embarked on an ambitious programme that will see all the country's 10 provinces having biofuel plants by 2010, the Minster of Science and Technology Development, Dr Olivia Muchena.

Apart from producing biofuel to power the country's economy at low cost, the plants would also produce about 1 500 by products to substitute some commodities such as lubricants and soap among others that are being imported from other countries.

Dr Muchena said she had already instructed all provinces through their governors to encourage farmers to increase jatropha plantations ahead of the programme.

"By 2010, we want to make sure that all the provinces have plants that produce bio fuel. Dr Gideon Gono (RBZ Governor) informed me when we toured the construction site of a plant in Mutoko. The Governor of Matabeleland South, (Cde) Angeline Masuku, has already started work in her province. We want to prosper, let us grow these plants, which also produce fertilizer," she said.

Dr Muchena was addressing delegates during the Zanu-PF Extra Ordinary in Harare on what the Government was doing to harness local expertise to produce fuel for the country which is grappling with economic sanctions. The jatropha plant also known as black gold is grown in countries such India, where the majority of the trains are powered by biofuel.

The plant grows well in dry areas such as Matabeleland South and North and Masvingo. However, it can be grown in other parts of the country as well. Dr Muchena said that in Mashonaland East, if all farmers were to produce jatropha communal farmers on their hedges, two hectares per each A1 farmer, 10 hectares per A2 farmer, the province had the potential to produce 860 million litres of fuel.

According to Dr Gono, who also addressed the congress yesterday, the majority of farmers who produce strategic crops were going to be rewarded greatly next year, while others would be paid in foreign currency.Dr Muchena said it was unfortunate that huge quantities of jatropha seed given to farmers during the Goromonzi conference were destroyed.

She, however, said her ministry was going to send teams of experts to all districts in the country to educate farmers on how to grow jatropha. During the Umzingwani Conference in Matabeleland South in 2005, jatropha was declared tree of the year.

"The Ministry of Environment and Tourism, through the Forestry Company of Zimbabwe, has come up with a jatropha programme. So no one should say we have no idea about the plant. In January, we are actually going to step up production of the jatropha," she said.