I am working with several projects in South America with small farmers who are interested in ethanol production.

The situation is right in a place such as Liberia where people want to work and where the feedstocks is a price low enough to make it profitable to produce ethanol. It would be of interest to form a youth corps to start a sugarcane plantation for the poorer in Liberia so that they can make ethanol out of the sugarcane. Or, would the abandoned program left by the Chinese be available so that farmers and local people could form a cooperative to build an ethanol facility?

With the cost of gasoline at $5.00 per gallon, there is enough to be made with ethanol to make a handsome profit after paying the expenses. The feed stock in Liberia would be in the area of less then $1.00 per gallon. The expenses would range in the area of $.40 per gallon and the cap. ex.[distillery part] would be in t he range of $.20 per gallon for a total of$1.60 per gallon. Double that figure if I am off and that amounts to only $3.20 per gallon of ethanol. That would produce handsome profits to pay off an ethanol facility very quickly.

I think this is a great idea. Liberia cannot develop in the same way the US and Europe did. We will need to use our ingenuity and our human capital to foster development which provide for our people without degrading our society or our environment. I would urge Liberians involved in the sciences and engineering as well as those in leadership positions in other fields to pay close attention to the new green processes for development and infrastructure which are being developed in the rest of the world. The era of dirty fossil fuels is coming to an end, if we don't begin to plan for that future Africa will once again be left behind developmentally.

GREAT!,Liberia of course is very suitable for sugarcane -ethanol production so successful in Brazil where all gas stations carry alcohol(ethanol) for ethanol or flexible-fuel cars and also all gas sold in Brazil contains 25% of ethanol safe for any gas engine,amounting more than half of fuel consumption in that country last year ,third year they did not have to import any oil,saving $billions.Now they started the biodiesel program mandating 2% in all dieselsold in the country,this is also very posible for Liberia ,an oil palm producer ,best source for biodiesel production,this last one has also a very good market in Europe,USA ,China and India Liberian goverment should encorage private investment in oil palm,sugarcane,sugarcane bagasse -electricity production and biofuels destilleries to speed up economic development ,look to what is doing for China,India and Brazil

I appreciate your comments and emails on this matter of ethanol production in Liberia. I have been a commercial real estate broker in New York City for nine years and currently a consultant for a fertilizer and petrochemical supplier from Russia. I've reached a point in life where I should start my own empire as they say.

My family owns a very large amount of land in Liberia - we own an entire village actually, which our people used to farm as they were known as rice farmers before the war. They have given me ownership control of all the land. The land is very arable, favorable farm land, not currently being used. I am planning to return with business plans for agriculture and aquaculture farming and any other cash crop potential for export / creating local jobs.

I am aware of the vast potential Liberia has. Unfortunately, Liberian mentality is lazy when it comes to big projects. They would rather have foreigners do the work and control their agricultural wealth / natural resources. I was born in Liberia as an American citizen and still retain my Liberian citizenship. I come from the Kpelle tribe originally, but you would never believe it if you met me. My intention is to use my village land as an example to all Liberians of the possibilities they have. We also have plenty of rubber trees, marijuana, cocoa on our lands, but they have not been maintained due to the war.

If any of you have contacts, technical capabilities or perhaps interested in the possibility of serious projects / discussions with me, I would appreciate any communication and or research help. I am one entrepreneurial individual with alot of determination and resources available.

I will be returning to Liberia April 2009 for the first time since 1979. My mission is to "lead by example" regarding the concept of agricultural trade / export, sustainable cash crop development.

I would appreciate any help, new business-minded friends and, or imput. Thank you.

Hi Since I left Liberia after serving with UNMIL in 2006 I have thougt about Liberia and how I can help futher it´s development. Ethanol production came to mind early but I do not have the resources and contacts to start a project. The base of my idea is the lion part profit of the company will stay in Liberia. By exporting part of the ethanol produced a program for refitting vehicles can be funded. The program aims to create more work and to transform the vehicle fleet to a localy produced fuel therby reduce Liberias need for expensive imported oil. I´m very keen on participating in a project like this.