Biofuels

Research needed to cut risks to biofuel farmers
Whenever the world experiences prolonged high petroleum prices there is a search for alternatives, and in the last two years price rises have focused attention on biofuels. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), an international agricultural research institute that works to improve agricultural productivity in the drylands of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, is focusing on helping poor dryland farmers join the biofuel revolution. And in villages that have large tracts of wasteland, ICRISAT has been helping the poor and the landless grow jatropha,and sell the seeds to a company that produces biodiesel. The yield from the food crop provides livelihood and economic sustainability, especially in the initial years before the jatropha crop matures fully and generates maximum income from biodiesel. But the Centre of Excellence for Jatropha Biodiesel Promotion in Rajasthan, India, gives a much higher estimate for intensively managed plantations, of around 10 tons of seed yield per hectare or 3,400 litres of oil. Dr William D Dar is director general of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and chair of the Committee on Science and Technology of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

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