Community knowledge, perceptions and use of seed-oil plants: The case of Letlhakeng, Kubung and Mahetwe villages in Kweneng District. Botswana

Abstract

The world over, there has been increasing concern over the use of fossil fuels due to their finite availability, increasing prices and negative environmental impacts. The aim of the study was to determine the potential socio economic impacts of locally available or indigenous oil seed plants as biodiesel feedstocks. A household survey and a focussed group discussion were conducted in village of Letlhakeng and two settlements (Mahetlwe and Kubung), respectively, in Kweneng district in Botswana, to study residents’ knowledge, perceptions, use of and willingness to grow local seed-oil plants which could support biodiesel production: A number of indigenous oil seed plants, including Ochna pulchra, Pappea capensis, Ximenia caffra, Ziziphus mucronata, Mimusops zeyheri and Bauhinia petersiana were identified as potential biodiesel feedstocks. The reported seed-oil plants were generally perceived to be abundant where they grow. Generally, respondents expressed a willingness to commercially gather the seed-oil plants as well as grow the plants in own farms or in marginal land under community based natural resources management (CBNRM) arrangement to supply biodiesel production. The willingness stemmed from the perceived socio-economic and environmental benefits that include employment creation, diversification of income sources, enhanced resource value and conservation and sustainable use of resources.