Project Bio-One Moringa is a farming and production operation on 10,500 ha of land that will entail the planting of Moringa trees (Moringa oleifera) and Vetiver grass.
The land usage will be as follows:
1) 9,000ha – Moringa Trees For The Production Of Edible Oil
These trees will yield 4,000l/ha of edible oil, in total 25.6 million litres or 20,000 ton, per year. This quantity represents about 0.017 per cent of the estimated 1.2 million ton of edible oil consumed in South Africa annually.
2) 600ha – High-density Moringa Trees For The Production Liquid Fertilisers And Bio Char
A total of 99 million Moringa trees will be planted on 300ha that will be harvested every 90 days for the production of:
a) Liquid Fertiliser – The harvest will produce 400-ton wet biomass/ha/year with a 75 per cent moisture content. After extraction of the moisture 7,500-ton liquid fertiliser will be delivered monthly.
b) Biochar (“Charcoal”) – The offal/agricultural waste from both the production processes of edible oil and liquid fertiliser will be processed into biochar using flash carbonisation technology. This process will result in 10,000 ton of biochar that will be both waterproof and dust free, meaning that the product can be stored and transported in bulk like coal. It also says that the product can be sold without the need for packaging.
3) 700ha – Vetiver grass
The Vetiver grass will be used for both the production of biochar briquettes and for mulching purposes of the oil plantation.