The Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy announced that the ongoing efforts in tapping the rich bio-fuel resources in Ethiopia would be stepped up with a view to ensuring domestic energy security, rapid economic development and creating wealth.

Opening a two-day workshop on the two year bio-fuels development performance of five states in Ethiopia, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy Alemayehu Tegenu noted yesterday that the bio-fuel potentials of the country need to be exploited in an integrated and organized manner in a bid to bring about the desired result in the sector in the near future.

According to Alemayehu, the so far bio-fuels development activities in 18 Woredas across the country have not been fully executed towards achieving the set goals of the nationwide bio-fuels projects due to lack of quality researches, weak performance of the executing body and technology transfer.

At the event, the Minister called on representatives of Tigray, Amhara, Afar, Benshangul-Gumuz and Oromia States to exert relentless effort in planting jatropha at large and small scale farms through introducing bio-diesel and making use of latest technologies in cooperation with micro and small enterprises.

It was learnt that 24 million jatropha trees have so far been planted across the country enabling it to save 40 million USD using ethanol blended gasoline.

The workshop is expected to put a way forward in addressing today's challenges in bio fuel sector.