Agriculture
With over 14,000 hectares of sugarcane planted over two estates and an installed capacity of 10 million litres per month, Green Fuel (Pvt) Ltd, in partnership with the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority of Zimbabwe, is the first large-scale ethanol-producing factory in Africa.
Technical Farming
Green fuel is leading the way in technological farming and has developed a fully mechanised, sustainable approach to farming and precision agriculture throughout its estates, in line with the 2010 EU sustainable agricultural guidelines.
This approach involves the following techniques:
Land levelling is done using RTK 3D GPS. Real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS is a powerful, advanced technology that is used to provide highly accurate positioning and navigation data. Precision land leveling has been proven to be highly beneficial to agricultural production. It minimizes farming operating costs, preserves precious topsoil, saves water for irrigation, ensures uniform seed germination, improves fertilizer use efficiency and increases crop yields.
Final land levelling is done to an accuracy of within 20mm.
A Superior Crop
The agricultural department has established an on-site nursery with 22 different sugarcane varieties which have been propagated from imported tissue culture from around the world and are being tested for pest and disease resistance, drought tolerance, increased yields and suitability for our unique Zimbabwean climate. An in-house soil and leaf laboratory has also been developed where soil and leaf samples are taken and analysed daily to determine nutrients and ripeness.
All of this contributes to an impressive sugarcane crop – reaching up to 6m when fully grown. Yields range from between 110 tonnes per hectare (under flood irrigation) and 150 tonnes per hectare (under drip irrigation), which is delivered direct to the factory for processing.
The company promotes sustainable farming techniques in order to produce the world’s most environmentally friendly, renewable fuel on local soil, increasing energy security and lessening dependence on fossil fuels. Plans to increase sugarcane at the Chisumbanje estate to 15,000 hectares by 2025 and eventually 40,000 hectares, will make Green Fuel one of the largest Sugarcane estates in Southern Africa, and Zimbabwe one of the biggest Ethanol producers in the region.
Watering our Future
The irrigation system throughout the estate is extensive due to the huge infrastructure rehabilitation and development done on both the Chisumbanje and Middle Sabi Estates at the commencement of the project. Water is drawn from the Save River with the river pump station pumping 11,800 litres per second, a number that will increase with ongoing expansion.
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​107km of gravity fed canals have been developed throughout the Chisumbanje estate, all fed from night storage dams and 32 in field VSD pump stations that exist around the estate.
Drip Irrigation
In addition, 5,000 Ha of sugarcane are currently irrigated by Netafim’s drip technology system and over 1,500 hectares of additional sugarcane are being planted under drip irrigation every year.
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​Green Fuel’s drip irrigation system is in line with world standards and provides smart, water-saving technology, reaching up to 95% in water efficiency, placing the company at the forefront of sustainable, water efficient farming practices.
Water Filtration
The water goes through filtration and fertigation and is then pumped onto the fields - ensuring the efficient and targeted application of water and fertilizer through the irrigation system and directly onto the roots of the plant where it can be absorbed quickly.
Mechanisation of sugarcane harvesting has been shown to decrease environmental impacts and waste, while also increasing efficiency, eliminating the need for burning, speeding up the collection process and reducing crop wastage - thus increasing productivity in terms of energy generation.
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Our fleet consists of 21 GPS guided Case sugarcane harvesters and 100 tipper trucks make up the harvesting department at Green Fuel.
World-Class Harvesting Techniques
We harvest our sugarcane green, without burning it first. This is significantly better for the environment in terms of smoke pollution and it leaves a thick trash blanket on the ground which acts as a mulch, saving up to 40% of water consumption due to reduced evaporation and runoff. This also increases the organic carbon content of the soil and is beneficial for soil fertility, as well as reducing the risk of early shoot borer.​
A Well-Oiled Operation
Our harvesters work 24 hours per day during the harvesting season, cutting the cane and depositing it into our specially designed rigid in-field trucks that haul straight to the factory, preventing double-handling and contamination. All harvesters are operated on the same RTK GPS system as the mechanical planter so as not to cross any lines or stools and do damage.
Our average harvest to crush time is 2 hours before taking it to the mill where the cane is processed. Each harvester has the capacity to harvest up to 1000tonnes of sugarcane per day.
Skilled Craftsmanship, Lasting Impact
At Green Fuel, we recognize that our success is deeply intertwined with the skills and expertise of our workforce and the broader community. Through strategic investments in training and development, we're building a foundation for long-term growth and sustainability.
As well as producing high quality ethanol, Green Fuel has developed in-house, fully integrated machine and fabrication workshops, where local artisans are trained to maintain and build the state-of-the-art machinery used in the factory and on the estates and all of our mechanics have been extensively trained to ensure that the machines are maintained to the highest standard. This represents a significant investment into local skills development, contributing to addressing skills gaps and ensuring the alignment between skills supply and demand.
Fabricating a Brighter Future
A number of additional workshops are currently under construction to maintain and fabricate earth moving machines and implements, as well as small cars, LDVs and motor bikes. Fertiliser storage and liquid fertilizer plants are also on the horizon, among others.
Most impressive is the highly developed technical training centre that is currently being built for on-site training of local employees, interns, artisans and apprentices – demonstrating Green Fuel’s commitment to longterm, sustainable development of its workforce and local communities.