Imagine Haitian

ImagineHaitian.org is assisting Eben-Ezer Mission of Gonaives and Haitian American Agro Industries of Miami in their efforts to establish a biofuels industry in Gonaives. The fuel will be manufactured on site in Haiti from jatropha, castor, and other oil-producing trees.

We hope to provide an alternative to charcoal fuels while simultaneously reforesting the land. By planting oil-producing trees, Haitians can harvest the seeds for fuel while leaving the trees in place to prevent erosion, mitigate flooding, and serve as living fences and windbreaks.

Jatropha, which is native to the American tropics, has recently gained much attention as a biofuel feedstock due to its high oil yields, ability to grow on marginal lands, and inedibility, which prevents direct competition between food and fuels. Nonetheless, jatropha biofuel is still an emerging industry, so research is necessary to develop cultivation and processing methods that are environmentally and economically sustainable.

At Eben-Ezer Mission, we are establishing several tree nurseries and plantations in the environs of Gonaives, which will serve as trials for wider tree cultivation. We are also collaborating with Haitian American Agro Industries, a Miami-based corporation that is designing biofuel stoves to suit Haitian needs. Ultimately, we hope to establish biofuel production facilities and stove manufacturing plants in Haiti.