Miyerkoles, Setyembre 19, 2007 12:21:03 PM

18 - Villar asks DA if jatropha is right for Filipino farmers

Tuesday, September 18 2007 @ 03:30 PM BST

Agriculture



Senate President Manny Villar has urged the Department of Agriculture
(DA) to issue an official statement on the practicality and
feasibility of growing "Tubang Bakod" or jatropha trees in the
Philippines following the assertion of the agriculture scientists that
the tree variety jatropha curcas is not suitable for the country.

Villar's question to the DA was aired during a press conference held
at the Marco Polo-Davao, in this city before he enplaned back to
Manila after a one-day visit here.

"While we look at this as an important source of fuel which clicked in
India, we should be guided by research findings on biofuels, Villar
pointed out.

Villar made the appeal after Dr. William Dar, an agricultural
scientist, said in a recent interview that an assessment of jatropha
planting in the Philippines should be first done, adding that right
varieties and its economic feasibility should be studied anew.

"Filipino farmers are expecting that Jatropha tree-planting will
improve their livelihood, thus, truthful information by relevant
government agencies on its viability and feasibility should be
earnestly made so as not to bring false hopes," Villar said.

He said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has
also cautioned that seeds of Jatropha curcas can cause vomiting and
violent inflammation of the mucuous membrane with a burning sensation
of the throat.

"We should take into consideration the experience of other countries
on Jatropha, where some of them indicate that this is not the 'miracle
tree' as it was reported to be," Villar said.

"The adaptability of Jatropha trees should be thoroughly checked
because what thrives in India will not necessarily thrive in the
Philippines," Villar said.

Oil from Jatropha curcas seeds is used for making biodiesel fuel and
is promoted as an easily grown biofuel crop in hundreds of projects in
India and other developing countries.

A hectare of Jatropha produces 1,892 liters of fuel.

The rail line between Mumbai and Delhi is planted with Jatropha and
the train itself runs on 15 to 20-percent biodiesel.

At the same time, Villar filed a resolution in the Senate urging the
Senate committee on energy to study the rationality of the recent
policy of government directing the massive planting of Jatropha trees
for the last two years, citing that it may be a solution to the
country's continuous and growing dependence on imported oil.

In filing proposed Senate Resolution 110, Villar said the Senate study
on Jatropha should be made with the end in view of formulating a
long-term and more economically feasible energy program for the
country. (PNA)

-- Scanned for viruses and and believed to be clean.

http://www.bayanihan.org/html/article.php/20070918153020328

[Comments: Ths news is having many positive and negative points. It is
matter of appreciation that expert is requesting government to adopt
Jatropha after studying its viability. In India it was done without
this basic need and as result now farmers as well as plantations are
in great danger. As claimed in several reports that Jatropha is
successful in India is not true. It is not more than hype and it is
really surprising that in this era of advanced communication system
the planners of many countries are fooling their citizens by
presenting India's story as grand success.

In this news, it is mentioned that trains run by 15-20 percent
Jatropha biodiesel in India. It is false claim. Please see previous
posts. In India railway stopped using Jatropha oil even after using 5
percent as this oil was damaging their engines. Indian newspapers have
published it many times.]