Growing Jatropha is not easy to eat

Jatropha trees are causing a fever in the world. Jatropha fever is spreading into Vietnam. Many provinces consider this as a 'poverty alleviation' tree and take advantage of wasteland. But in India, it is said that these things are not true.

Jatropha trees are currently grown in many countries around the world (Photo: http://biofuels2020.com )

According to the Deccan Herald, after three years of planting in many plantations in India, Jatropha trees have been certified that it is not "ideal" as loud statements of supporters of this plant. Please present the Deccan Herald article as a reviewer.

As scientists and policy makers around the world discuss ways to address global climate change, biofuels are one of the main solutions in their program. India is one of the countries that introduced the plan and started planting Jatropha as a major biofuel. Chattisgarh, Rasthan and Orissa established plantations for planting Jatropha.

When introducing this plant, proponents declared that this is a 'miracle tree' that can grow on wasteland without building irrigation systems, without fertilizer. It also does not suffer from pests and diseases.

However, Jatropha plantations have proved that these statements are not true. Productivity is very poor, in dry areas only half a kilogram is reached while in irrigated areas is 3 kilograms. Like other crops, it must fertilize to achieve higher performance.

Growing Jatropha: Not easy to eat

A Jatropha Farm (Photo: jatrophacurcasplantations)

The tree is attacked by insects as well as it becomes an 'outbreak' for insects living on it like other crops. It does not tolerate bacterial diseases.

Obviously, to control pests and bacteria must spray pesticides to protect new plants for high productivity. The actual test proved that this kind of 'magic tree' only grows successfully when it provides it with appropriate chemicals and irrigation. This increases the cost of cultivation.

The key issue is productivity and profitability that broke the myth of Jatropha. It is possible that the cost of a liter of this biofuel is up to 150 rupees (by price, equivalent to $ 3). Thus, it will be more expensive than the price of conventional diesel or oil.

Jatropha plantations in Chattisgarh also have medical problems. Children and farmers are adversely affected after contact with plants. Many plantation workers had to go to the hospital. Because Jatropha seeds are also good, children often take food and have health problems. It contains cyanhydrric acid, very toxic to humans. The oil and other parts of the plant also contain cancer-causing substances. When planting Jatropha trees near water sources, it was found to affect both aquatic ecosystems, especially bad impacts on fish populations.

Chattisgarh is famous for its diversity of plants. But due to the widespread planting policy of Jatropha, biodiversity is being threatened by invasive species. This tree is currently grown in the Sal forest, which is the "hometown" of many plants and insects that provide food and food for the tribes living in this forest. Surprisingly, the tree is also grown in Baranawapara Wildlife Sanctuary.

Adverse effects

Extract oil from Jatropha fruit (Photo: http://www.jatropha-foundation.org)

In Rajastan, Jatropha trees are grown on grazing grounds Gochar and Orans. This is detrimental to the large population of cattle because they are deprived of food resources, so they can live. Mr. Lingaraj and Tarani Sahu in the village of Ghumer, Bolangir district in Orissa had lost their land to a private company, who promised to give them money to grow Jatropha.

A research project by the non-governmental organization Vasundharra commented that: 'The policy framework promotes the development of Jatropha trees through NREGS (National scheme to ensure employment for rural areas), The Program of Distributed Waterways and other projects to establish biofuel crop plantations are causing disadvantages for farmers' lives. It is continuing to assert that 'on behalf of the State's goal of self-sufficiency in energy, promoting the biofuels program proposed by the Government is hurting farmers and leading to a crisis. national panic, causing food insecurity, loss of agricultural biodiversity and environmental degradation '.

Similarly, the planting of Jatropha in Rajasthan affects 10.56 million hectares of so-called 'wild land', for which 41% of cattle depend on food (plants) on this land. That planting also has a negative impact on the people who rely on livestock production. Many multinational companies are the main players behind the movement of establishing Jatropha plantations in the country.

Although bioenergy has been declared a solution to prevent climate change, but in the current situation, it is accelerating the crisis of destroying the livestock industry and losing biodiversity. . This is an urgent time for state planners and governments to stop promoting the impersonal solutions to fight climate change.