The Rural Trading Point Model is a social enterprise project focussing on Feedstock Development and Security for key stakeholders in the bio-fuel Industry in Mozambique and Southern Africa.

Large quantities of feedstock (the raw material used for vegetable oil production) are secured via an integrated community involvement program.  This program focuses on utilizing available community resources by stimulating economic and social activities in previously forsaken rural communities via the establishment of rural Trading Points. These points create rural agricultural business hubs where local communities and farmers can either sell their local produce, or purchase basic household goods and products.

The Rural Trading Point Model will empower small-scale but widespread rural labour based farming communities by providing them with a sustainable market for their rural coconut and vegetable oil produce, as well as other agricultural products. This in turn will provide these farmers with the means to increase their production of plants and trees from which vegetable oil can be produced.

In addition the project aims to assist poor rural farmers to develop and grow agri-businesses that produce the feedstock required to make biodiesel and the associated down-stream by-products and co-products. Self-Sufficient Agricultural training schools will be established which will focus on practical agricultural education in order to develop skills relating to these products.

The Rural Trading Point Model will provide a rural agricultural and business footprint from where further businesses can be developed. The model promises to support further agricultural development, eco-tourism, micro-lending and banking, telecommunications, healthcare and education.

The Rural Trading Point Model is the brainchild of three key stakeholders in the bio-fuel industry in Mozambique and Southern Africa, namely Hende Wayela Energia, Ecomoz and Sunfuel Energia.

These companies combined technical expertise, human resources, political support and financial resources in  order to launch the project. In addition Educating Africa, a leading social upliftment organization, has made substantial funds available to launch and develop the project.

All bio-fuel raw products collected at the trading points  (typically coconut copra and jatropha seed) are sent to centralised crushing facilities where the crude vegetable oil is extracted.

The crude oil is then further refined and distributed by the stakeholders based on each company’s individual business model.

The guaranteed purchase of all raw products by the stakeholders will ensure the future sustainability of the model.

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