Thanks for sharing your views. It is wrong to promote few species in
the name of Biodiesel. Today everyone is running behind Jatropha
blindly without considering other species. Indian scientists have
listed over 300 species having potential to be used as Biodiesel.
Jatropha is one of these sources. Jatropha may be useful for the
regions from where it has originated. But it is wrong to plant any
exotic species like Jatropha in thousands of hactares without
thinking of native flora. Yes it is good point that farmers can grow
their biodiesel in their field. I support it. But seeing the
demerits of Jatropha specially related to public health I am not in
favor of planting it near human population. In my state the
incidence of accidental poisoning due to Jatropha seeds in case of
children are becoming common. I am not in favor of encouraging
farmers to handle *Hell oil* i.e. Jatropha oil having well known
carcinogenic properties or to touch it for their own use. In India
due to pressure of human population our villages are loosing
pastureland. Planners are planting Jatropha in remaining land.
Jatropha is poisonous for cattle, as world literatures also describe
it. Your suggestion is really useful for safe biodiesel sources not
for poisonous Jatropha.

More clearly I am in favor of promotion of different biodiesel
sources in different parts as per preference of farmers and other
native people. There must not be any 'pressure' for preference like
our farmers are facing in case of Jatropha. These sources must be
economically viable. Jatropha is not profitable crop for fertile
lands. Even Jatropha supporters in India are not in favor of its
cultivation in fertile fields. Also before promotion of any
biodiesel crop or plant there must be open discussion. In India few
planners decided Jatropha and without asking from different
components of society planting was started. Today it is becoming a
case of *grand failure* in different parts of India and no one is
coming forward to take responsibility. It is really matter of shame
that by hiding the failures in India, Jatropha promoters are
influencing planners of other countries by presenting false stories
of Success in Jatropha.


Pankaj Oudhia



--- In jatropha@..., Ueli Scheuermeier
<uscheuermeier@...> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> I am new on this list. I am Swiss and I work in many
> countries as a consultant and business man.
>
> I have always thought that large plantations
> specifically for growing biofuel on cultivated land
> are an exceptionally ill-advised investment given the
> volatility of the energy market, even though I would
> expect oil-prices to generally increase and that the
> recent slump is only of a temporary nature. On a
> time-scale of 20 years I expect diesel prices will
> fluctuate. The price will bounce up and down but in a
> general upward direction. So biofuel does make a lot
> of sense per se. But not necesseraly large industrial
> plantations.
>
> The alternative is to aim for Jatropha or Pongamia
> production within the prevailing farming systems of
> villagers. Think of villagers producing their own fuel
> for their own tractors and generator-sets, and at the
> same time using these perennial plants for
> rehabilitating degraded lands. And let's not forget
> the edge effects in the hedges which have obvious
> interactions with the livestock-management systems. Of
> course that will usually mean lower yields per
> surface, but the low inputs and overall systemic
> effects would suggest that villagers will be able to
> produce seeds at lower prices than plantations.
>
> Question: Does anybody know of instances where this
> has been explored and looked into in any detail?
>
> Thanks
> Ueli Scheuermeier
>