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Gota Verde in brief
The first phase of the Gota Verde project lasted from January 2007 until December 2009. Most information on this wesite relates to this period. From January 2010 onwards, the project entered its second phase, under the coordination of FUNDER.
The project is mainly funded by 3 donors:
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In addition to various European organizations which contribute in kind to the project.
The area of intervention covers 6 municipalities in the department of Yoro, Honduras, where it is expected to involve at least 250 farmers. In total, the project aims at planting 700 ha of oleaginous crops, with special emphasis on piñón (Jatropha Curcas).
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The project covers 6 components:
1. Coordination
2. Business Development
3. Agriculture Development
4. Processing.
5. Adaptation of diesel engines.
6. Divulgation of Information.
Counterparts
The diversity of Gota Verde`s partners has brought together a wide range of highly trained professionals. The different partners involved with the project can be divided into three main groups:
(a) Coordinator
The STRO Foundation is responsible for an overall coordination of the project
(b) Co-beneficiaries
6 European organizations, including STRO, are responsible for implementing the project.
(c) Subcontractors
They are made up of 3 Honduran partners and 2 European partners who perform specific tasks within the project.
(a) Coordinator
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- STRO (Social Trade Organization) |
The Social Trade Organization (www.strohalm.nl) develops, tests and systematises innovative Local Economic Development methods. STRO intervenes in two areas: monetary innovations (local currencies); and the application of appropriate technology, both with the aim of stimulating the use of local resources for local consumption and investment.
STRO was founded in 1970 and started to work in Latin America in 1999. Activities in Central America, including Honduras, started in 2003.
STRO is the coordinator of the Gota Verde project and has a staff of 3 persons in Honduras and 3 more in Costa Rica and El Salvador.
STRO supervises directly the Coordination Team of the Gota Verde project that consists of 3 persons (2 technicians and a coordinator). The intention is to participate in the creation of a more permanent structure (e.g. Gota Verde Foundation) that will take care of promoting new small-scale biofuel project and serve as a knowledge centre in Central American.
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| Gota Verde office in Yoro, coordinated by STRO | Part of the STRO Centro América team |
(b) Co-beneficiaries
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HIVOS |
HIVOS is a Dutch NGO of excellent reputation with many years of experience in development administration. HIVOS is equally a large development organization (www.hivos.nl) with a network of more than 750 partners in Latin America, Africa and Asia, which shares expertise on the administration of funding to local organizations. HIVOS is responsible for the administrative part of the project (payments, M&E etc). HIVOS has a regional office in Central America which is endowed with a specialist in durable/ sustainable economic development projects.
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Raquel Chacón (HIVOS Costa Rica) and Harrie Oppenoorth (HIVOS Holanda), during a field visits in Yoro – IIIrd Cosultative Committee in April 2008, Yoro. |
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IEEP |
The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), through its senior consultant Malcolm Fergusson, has shown great interest in the potential of biofuels. A second expert, Jason Anderson, has several years of experience in Honduras and is well aware of the local context. The extensive experience and expertise of IEEP in policy development is expected to accelerate the creation of a favourable environment for small-scale biofuel development. The IEEP also plays an important role in translating the Honduran experience into WP 4.
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FACT Foundation |
The FACT Foundation is an international organization created with the objectives of uniting and promoting worldwide knowledge on biodiesel in developing countries. FACT has been carrying out an extensive research on the possibilities of biofuels, specifically with the production of Jatropha, in Honduras. FACT is responsible for the work package 3: Knowledge transfer on cultivation of oil yielding crops.
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Winfried Rijssenbeek (derecha) de FACT inspecciona un campo de soya recien sembrado (Yoro, febrero 2008) |
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Dajolka |
Dajolka is a small Danish enterprise established in 1997. Since 1999 its owner, Niels Ansø, has been working intensely to promote Pure Plant Oil (PPO) as a diesel substituting fuel.
Through a number of demonstrative activities and practical implementations, Dajolka (co-)organizes and conducts conversion workshops for auto mechanics and private persons.
Workshops are carried out twice per year since 2002, each time involving 10-25 cars and 20-50 participants. Since 2005 Mr. Ansø works exclusively for his enterprise, Dajolka.
At the political level, Mr. Ansø has also been active to assure the incorporation of PPO in the biofuel directives of the EU and Denmark.
Regarding Jatropha, he has worked with the Folk center in Mali and also made some practical test with Jatropha, including quality test.
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Niels Ansø of Dajolka checks the oil quality |
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AGERATEC |
AGERATEC is a medium-sized Swedish company with 24 employees in Sweden and some 30 persons abroad. AGERATEC was established in 2005 although its founders have been active in building biodiesel equipments since 1996.
At the moment AGERATEC has branches in Australia, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, The Netherlands/Belgium, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Ukraine, USA and Zimbabwe.
Equipments have been sold to many developing countries among which are Mali, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Colombia.
Since 2008, AGERATEC focuses on medium and larger scale equipment that produce biodiesel for the national and international market. Small scale equipment shall be produced on a continual basis by a daughter company of AGERATEC.
In 2008, a proposition shall be made to transfer the Co-beneficiary of AGERATEC to its daughter company.
Contact person: Johan Godschalk, johan(a)ageratec.com.
(c) Subcontractors (SC)
European Sub-contractors
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PPO Groeneveld |
STRO and PPO Groeneveld have worked in Honduras since 2005, providing training and advice to technicians in local organizations on the adaptation of diesel vehicles to use locally produced palm oil as a fuel (Pure Plant Oil). PPO Groeneveld will supply the knowledge for engine adaptation with appropriate techniques through local technicians, as well as knowledge on filtering techniques for bio-fuel processing and the use of sub products.
Contact person: Ger Groeneveld: gergroeneveld(at)gmail.com
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Fokkink |
Fokkink is an experienced designer and provider of small-scale oil presses which aims at transferring its knowledge to the Honduran market. In March 2008, with the technical assistance of Joost Fokkink, a press was built locally in Yoro, Honduras. Contact Person: Joost Fokkink, info(a)plantaardige-olie.nl. http://www.plantaardige-olie.nl/
Contact person: Joost Fokkink, info(a)plantaardige-olie.nl
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FUNDER: |
The Foundation for Rural Enterprise Development (FUNDER) is a Honduran capacity building foundation that transforms farmers into competitive rural entrepreneurs. FUNDER has been a subcontractor to the Gota Verde project since January 2007, with the mandate of giving technical assistance to farmers, assisting technically in the creation and follow-up of a biofuel enterprise.
FUNDER started its activities in 1993 as a project (PROCORAC) and converted in 1998 into a foundation. At the moment, it works in 14 out of 18 departments of Honduras.
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FHIA: |
FHIA (Honduran Foundation for Agricultural Investigation) undertakes agricultural research with the aim of generating and transferring new technologies to the benefit of agricultural communities in Honduras.
FHIA assists the project with knowledge transfer, indispensable in growing energy crops with maximum result and minimal investments. It also runs a research scheme for the re-use of bio-mass (feedstock) after oil extraction as animal fodder, fertiliser and insect repellent.
FHIA contributed to the preparation of this project through the preparation of its proposal, covering mainly the agricultural aspects (work package 3).
Contact person: Ing. José Alonso: josealfonso9166(a)gmail.com
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Ayasta Consultores |
Ayasta Consultores gives a follow-up to all projects which involve HIVOS in Honduras.
In the case of the Gota Verde project, it functions as the administrative arm of HIVOS in the country. Ayasta administrates the budget of the Coordination Team, including the labour contracts of its staff.
Contact person: Marisa Martinez, ayasta(a)ayasta.hn
Contact information:
Proyecto Gota Verde
Field Coordination (FUNDER):
Carlos Rodriguez
Direccion: Bo. santiago esquina opuesta al campo de futbol la Lomita, Frente a Bodega Mirna
Yoro, Yoro, Honduras
E-mail: crodriguezfunder(at)gmail.com
Tel: (504) 671 23 72
General coordination (STRO):
Peter Moers
Fundación STRO
Colonia Castanos Sur, Paseo Virgilio Zelaya Rubi,
Edificio Maritere, apto. # 101,
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
E-mail: moers(at)socialtrade.org
Tel. +504-235 77 23
Vacancies
Gota Verde is a collective effort to generate the know how on the production of biofuels in a local scale and its local use. Students or academic profesional that are interested in developing voluntary personal researches in one of the fields covered by the project are invited to contact the project coordinator.
