Jatropha Curcas is a “desert adapt” plant originally from Central America and is proving to be a major business and contributor to the global energy mix in parts of India, Nicaragua, and Africa.
The 3-4 meter shrub is desert adapt, lives for 50 yrs, can be harvested up to three times a year, grows well in poor soils, only needs 200mm of rain per year and from its fruit or total nut weight you can extract about 31%-37% oil. This oil can produce bio diesel which burns 10 times cleaner than petro-diesel and doesn’t cause acid rain or contribute to global warming!
Employment Benefits
Jathropha Curcas plantations increase local employment in any community:
Primary:
- Botanist
- Planters/Pickers
- Crushers
- Maintaining Crop
Secondary:
- Collecting honey
- Making Bio-diesel
- Making soap
- Making Candles
- Making Varnish
Watch the Full Belly Project Sustainable Energy Farming here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GWZbhZZQxY
