Eni has inked an accord with Congo to jointly develop its agro-biofuel sector which will provide raw materials for the Italian major's bio-refineries, create jobs and expand agriculture in the country, Eni said Monday in a statement.
"The MoU sets the framework for the industrial scale production of castor oil to provide feedstock for Eni’s bio-refinery system, while also creating employment opportunities and expanding agricultural activities to marginal and abandoned lands, avoiding impacts on agricultural areas and activities currently destined for food production," the statement said.
The pilot phase is set to begin this month, with castor bean sowing activities on over 200 hectares of land, while the industrial development phase is expected to see cultivations on 150,000 hectares with 90,000 estimated beneficiaries by 2030, said the statement.
The accord opens a new area of activity for Eni in Congo and builds upon Eni’s commitment to contribute to the decarbonisation of African countries, leveraging the contribution that biofuels can make to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, according to the statement
Eni chief executive Claudio Descalzi, Congo's premier Anatole Collinet Makosso, agriculture minister Paul Valentin Ngobo and other cabinet members attending the MoU's signing, the statement noted.
An Eni delegation led by Descalzi later met Congo's president Denis Sassou Nguesso to discuss agricultural projects and gas valorization, "ensuring the country’s development and economic diversification within the framework of the global energy transition," the statement said.
Eni has operated in Congo for over 50 years and is the only company developing its considerable gas resources. Eni currently feeds gas to the Céntrale Electrique du Congo (CEC) power station which guarantees 70% of the country’s power production.
