The Extraordinary Collapse of Jatropha as a Global Biofuel

[Carol Ellison]

I thought I would share with you this Viewpoint, recently published in Environmental Science & Technology. Do Jatropha growers out there agree with this worrying conclusion?

 

Carol Ellison

 

Kant%20and%20Wu%202011%20Collapse%20of%20Jatropha.pdf

[Dr. Kins Varghese]

Hi Carol,

I agree with the views to some extent. However , please note that Jatropha was given this mileage without conducting proper research and validation of the climatic and fertiliser requirement over an extended period of time. In Asia, Especially India, it was orally communicated as a plant with least requirements for water and fertilisation. This Lobby in India destroyed the credibility of Jatropha whereby farmers were no longer interested and went to the extend of uprooting the entire plantation.
However, a silver lining in the form of some good research organisations and companies trying to reinvent and resurrect Jatropha to its potential glory still exists.It is these researches , which will help. This research in the form of good improved varieties with higher yield and responsiveness to inputs will help the future of this plant.
Waiting for that day... Let's take a step forward.

Regards
Dr. Kins Varghese