The objectives of the Forum are posted on the official web site «World  Forum on Sustainable Development». Objectives 2 and 3 read as follows :

2 - Make an inventory and comprehensive assessment of the financial development opportunities that climate change could bring ; carbon trading ; adjustment ; international co-operation, exploration of new and renewable clean energy, the Kyoto protocol; green employment opportunities related to climate change.

3 – Enable economic operators to acquire a good understanding and use of international instruments and mechanisms, so that they can enter the carbon world market by forming partnerships.

Is carbon   trading an opportunity or a threat for Africa? Who will benefit from it? Why grow jatropha?

Whilst Burkina could seize this opportunity to develop its solar energy, the risk is great that it will turn to jatropha.

Indeed, the risk is great because jatropha cultivation is a recognised technique for reducing green house gases by fixing carbon dioxide to the soil. This technique has a monetary value, set out in the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto protocol.

Yes the risk is great that jatropha will invade Burkina. All across the country people sing the praise of this plant, already named “the green gold” (despite the fact that it has yet to prove its merits as an industrial crop): “valuable, for it does not compete with food crops for soil, as it is toxic and  grows on arid land. But everybody knows that in intensive production (which is what the business companies are looking for) it is best to offer rich and well irrigated soil! It is not without justification that the Mossi  call the plant “wa-n-bãng-ma”, that is “Take a bite of me and you will understand what I am” –  pure poison!

Should the fields of Burkina be sacrificed to produce toxic plants, while our main endeavour is to feed ourselves, not the car engines of the great powers.

Indeed, the risk is great, because already at present a subsidiary of the Spanish BPR (Bio Pétrole Renouvelable) Energy division has set up its BPR Africa in Abidjan , Ivory Coast with the ambition to extend its coverage to 10 million hectares (i.e. one third of Burkina) of jatropha on our land.

Some maintain that it is possible to grow maize, sorghum or rice together with jatropha by keeping a distance of about 6 m to the jatropha hedges. To prove their point they will invite you to visit their field, where jatropha can be seen in the midst of maize or rice. But what will happen when it reaches its full size and is 5-6 m high (and wide), or even up to 8-10 m under good conditions. One just has to take a look at the serialised picture of the plant to visualise the result and realise that it is expensive to be poor!

Can anyone really believe that maize – or rice – could grow in the shadow of these trees?

Indeed, it is expensive to be poor!

The risk is great that powerful industrial corporations will buy land for a pittance from poor farmers.

We must not forget that the population of this country doubles every 25 years. Let us think about the future of our children.

Nations must protect themselves. We must not let agriculture enter a market where rights to pollute are traded.


Let us not sell our grave because we are poor!




Koudougou, September 20, 2009
Maurice Oudet
Director, SEDELAN