Jatropha curcas news
here you find the news of the last two years. For news before this time please go to the archives at the bottom of this page!

10. 12. 2003

Jatropha biodiesel use in India: IOC to start field trials of biodiesel

NEW DELHI: Indian Oil Corporation would begin this month field trials of running buses on biodiesel - diesel doped with 5 per cent non-edible oils - IOC Director (R&D), Mr N R Raje said today. More: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/businessline/blnus/14101710.htm 
or as html-file on this website: click here for downloading

12. 9. 2003

Wound healing response of the proteolytic enzyme curcain from the latex of Jatropha curcas L.

Wound healing property of curcain, the protease isolated from the latex of Jatropha curcas Linn was determined in mice. 

More information in the article of Indian Journal of Pharmacology 1992; 24: 114 - 115

6. 9. 2003

DaimlerCrysler is starting a Jatropha biodiesel project in India

DaimlerCrysler joins CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) to use Jatropha oil for biodiesel production in Orissa and Gujarat. The objective of the project is to demonstrate the feasibility of the "Jatropha bio-diesel" as fuel in modern vehicles.

Original-Veröffentlichung von DaimlerChrysler auf deutsch

To read/download the article in the Hindustan Times of Aug 4, 2003, klick here

To read an interview about the project in the Times of India of August 21, click here, 
to read the interview offline, click here
to download the text, click here!

To read the objectives of the project, click here

29. 7. 2003

Jatropha in Tanzania

The KIUMMA-Projekt (Kituo cha Elimu na Maendeleo Matemanga) in Matemanga, near Tunduru in the South of Tanzania, is going to modify its diesel generator in a way that it can run with Jatropha oil. 

Jatropha will be planted around the air-strip ( about 3 km) and around the fields of farmers. Planting of Jatropha will start at the beginning of the rainy season in december of this year.

27. 7. 2003

Kakute-Jatropha-Project in Arusha

MAFUTA YA MMBONO KWA MAENDELEO

The Kakute-Jatropha-Project in Arusha looks very promising with its different activities:

• The workshop at the agricultural show ground in Arusha, with production of oil and soap (1.000 kg last year), production of lamps and cookers for Jatropha oil;
• Two different Jatropha plantations (outside of Arusha, and at a Teachers Training College);
• Jatropha nursery in Monduli;
• Women groups with soap production in Engaruka, near the Ngorongoro Crater.

Jatropha soap

Lamp for Jatropha oil

Cooker for Jatropha oil

see more details about the Kakute project:

15. 6. 2003

New Jatropha project in Belize

The OAS is going to finance a Jatropha agro-forestry project in Belize with the following title: Development of sustainable land-use systems on degraded tropical pastures in Belize, Central America, as a model for Mesoamerica and the Caribbean For a short project description, click here!

22. 5. 2003

Jatropha in India:  Promising bio-fuel crop for wasted lands

The important national newspaper "The Hindu" published an article concerning the potetial of the use of Jatropha. 

Click here to read the article on the website of "The Hindu"!   Click here to download the article from the Jatropha website!

2. 5. 2003

Jatropha in an "International Workshop on Underutilized Plant Species" in Leipzig, Germany, 6 - 8 May 

The workshop is organised on behalf of the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) by Capacity Building International (InWEnt gGmbH), Global Facilitation Unit for Underutilized Species (GFU) and the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ).

The Results of the workshop will be published here!

18. 4. 2003

Jatropha activities in Tamil Nadu State, India

The Government of Tamil Nadu is to implement a developmental scheme on Jatropha curcas and has a programme to cultivate in 4 lakh ha (1 lakh is 100.000). (from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University).

11. 4. 2003

Jatropha activities in Uganda

People in Uganda especially Central districts have found another use of the Jatropha plant. It is used as a stand for the Vanilla plant. Main reason is that it is a shrub, does not grow high as other plants. This makes harvesting easy. It also helps in water retension for these vanilla plants. From Michael Odie, Ughanda

8. 4. 2003

Jatropha activities in India (a short summary)

01. The Tamilnadu Government along with the Forest Department have planned a project  for cultivation of Jatropha in 150,000 hectares in Tamilnadu. Any farmer with land can make their lands available for the Jatropha project and the seedlings as well as technical assistance for grow-out will be provided by the Forest Department.

02. The Indian Railway is to raise Jatropha along the railway track and plan to plant Jatropha along 25,000 route kilometers on two sides of the track. They plan to replace 10% of their total petro-diesel consumption by Jatropha. The project has been started on a pilot scale. 

03. A Tamilnadu firm is working on a project to grow 600,000 hectares of Jatropha on lands owned by farmers in various parts of Tamilnadu. They will provide farmers with the seedlings and Rs. 3,000 per hectare for land preparation and planting. They will contract with farmers to buy out their entire production of Jatropha seeds. 

04. The Maharashtra Agro-forestry Department has been actively encouraging the raising of Jatropha in watershed development projects 

05. A similar project as in Maharashtra is being attempted in the State of Madhya Pradesh.

06. The Planning Board of Haryana Government. They are planning to grow Jatropha on 50.000 acres (5.000 acres every year) to attract farmers to Crop Cycle Diversification.

07. The Rural Community Action Centre (RCAC) in Tamil Nadu State is promoting the plantation and use of Jatropha.

08. The Gujarat Agricultural University is planning the plantation of Jatropha on wasteland for income generation.

27. 3. 2003

Jatropha oil for the Indian Railway ?

In the Suthern Railway, which covers the 4 south Indian states, plans are discussed to plant Jatropha along the railway tracks. The railways consumes 10% of the country's total diesel and is keen to blend Jatropha oil into diesel to minimise their petro-diesel consumption.

27. 3. 2003

Jatropha plantations in Tamilnadu state in India

In Tamilnadu state the government is interested to encourage Jatropha cultivation. The farmers are interested, too, but they have problems to find enough material (seedlings) to establish big Jatropha plantations.(see the Jastropha activities of RCAC)

26. 3. 2003

Jatropha as renewable source for biodiesel in Ghana

A number of organisations and individuals have shown interest in the Jatropha plant, which has several uses and could be used as fuel for domestic use. This follows an earlier story titled 'Ghana has potential for bio-diesel' published in the business page of the 12 February edition of this newspaper.

The original story was based on an interview with Mr. Robert Woode, a mechanical engineer and Managing Director of Fateco Ltd., who threw more light on how the Jatropha plant can produce oil for Ghana's domestic needs. By developing the plant Woode said the country could reduce her dependence on petroleum products and save the huge foreign exchange used for importation of crude oil.

26. 3. 2003

Jatropha is spread in Gambia, but biodiesel will be produced from ground nuts

The Independent (Banjul), November 11, 2002, Posted to the web November 11, 2002, Paschal Eze, Banjul

An American company, Global Bio-En ergy Inc., plans to kick off a bio-diesel project in the country in March 2003 as its contribution towards the country's poverty alleviation efforts.

The company hopes to set up a plant that will convert groundnut oil into diesel fuel, which can be used in any diesel engine without modification and without any adverse effect on engine performance or life. It can also be mixed with regular (petroleum) diesel or used in a pure form.

25. 3. 2003

Jatropha cultivation in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
Jathropa is taking off like wildfire in KZN. There are as many as (possibly) 1000 growers in KZN already involved, and growing daily.

18. 3. 2003

Big Jatropha Initiative in India by Government
The Government of India plans a big national effort for Jatropha plantation. The plan is that Indian Railways (owned by Govt of India) will do plantation on waste land available with Railways and along the track. (hundreds of kilometers) Indian Oil Corporation will setup facility for Fuel Oil extraction and supply back to Railways with 10% blending with regular Diesel Oil.

10. 3. 2003

Jatropha in Somalia
Jatropha in Somalia for food protection and as a source of energy is proposed by an Irish non-profit organisation Progressive Interventions The photo comes from the Jatropha website. See the BuySomali.com website: Fence Your Garden for Profit & Home Lighting

7. 3. 2003

Jatropha in Sri Lanka 
After visiting Sri Lanka, Dorothea Schmidt wrote that she saw substantial quantities of Jatropha as living fences araund fields. She is going to start Jatropha activities together with Forest for People (FfP). To read more about FfP on their website, please click here!

8. 2. 2003 The National Agricultural Research Institute,  (NARI)  of Papua New Guinea shows interest in the Jatropha System Visit their website

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