After some first experiments with PPO technology in 2005, sufficient interest was generated among potential partner organisations in Honduras to prepare a pilot project that aims at introducing small-scale biofuel technologies. Specifically, the following activities have been undertaken in 2006.

November 2005 to February 2006: Project identification

With financial support from the Stichting Het Groene Woudt (SHGW), a team of 3 local and 1 European experts undertook a mission in which on the basis of literature study and visits to the main biofuel experiences in Central America and area was selected for the implementation of the project: the Yoro department in the central northern part of Honduras. Moreover, a recommendation was made regarding suitable oil crops (castor oil, sunflower, jatropha) and sources to obtain reliable seeds. Finally, potential local counterparts were screened for their competence and interest in the project.

February - April 2006: Project formulation

With the input from the identification mission, a project proposal was formulated for several donors. After several months of negotiation the DOEN Foundation, HIVOS and the EU COOPENER program confirmed their contribution by the end of 2006. The project is a combined effort of 5 European partners (among which FACT, STRO and Dajolka) and 2 Honduran partners.

April 2006: Exploration mission to Brazil

In April STRO organized and financed an exploratory mission to Brazil in which 6 experts (agronomists and economists) from El Salvador and Honduras participated. During the mission the main research centres in the field of castor oil (EMBRAPA) and Jatropha (EPAMIG, Minas Gerais) were visited. The mission resulted in valuable information regarding cultivation techniques, seed sources, alternative oil crops and biofuel processing technologies. The specialists met during this mission will be of great use in giving form to the exchange network of FACT.

April 2006 - December 2006: Preparatory agricultural phase

Because all oil crops identified are new in Honduras as a cash crop, it was decided to contract the Honduran Foundation for Agricultural Investigation (FHIA) for the period of 1 year to do some preliminary experiments. Between April and December, the FHIA has installed two Jatropha nurseries (20,000 plants), guided the transplantation of some 18 ha of Jatropha and the sowing of 3 ha of castor, 0.5 ha of sunflower and small plots of Tiger nut and Nabo Forrageiro.

Thanks to the efforts described, the necessary organisational, technical and financial conditions have been met for a successful pilot project implementation. The project Gota Verde starts in January 2007, will have a duration of 3 years and plans to establish some 350 ha of oil crop plantations, an oil processing plant and a local trade system to optimise the economic impact of the initiative.