Jatropha plantation for simultaneous waste land reclamation fuel production and socio-economic development in degraded areas in India

Jatropha curcas a multipurpose drought resistant perennial plant belonging to Euphorbeacae family is gaining lot of importance for the production of biodiesel. It is a tropical plant can be grown in low to high rainfall areas either in the farms as a commercial crop or on the boundaries as a hedge to protect field from grazing animals and to prevent erosion. It is the main crops currently being promoted for biodiesel production in several countries, globally. There have been substantial political and social pressures to promote the growing of such crops in many countries of the world, as a means of economic empowerment social uplifting and poverty alleviation within marginalized communities. Jatropha is a valuable multipurpose crop to alleviate soil degradation, desertification and deforestation, which can be used for bio-energy to replace petro-diesel for soap production and climatic production and hence deserves specific attention.

Jatropha can help increase rural income self sustainability and alleviate poverty in woman elderly children, men tribal communities and small farmers. It can help as well as to increase income from plantation and agro industries. Jatropha curcas is a well established plant in India. It produces oil rich seeds are known to thrive on eroded lands and to require only limited amount of water, nutrients and capital inputs. This plant offers the option both to cultivate wastelands and to produce vegetable oil suitable for conversion to biodiesel. More versatile than hydrogen and new propulsion systems such as fuel cell technology, biodiesel can be used in today's vehicle fleets worldwide and may also offer a viable path to sustainable transportation, i.e. lower greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced mobility even in remote areas. Mitigation of global warming and the creation of new regional employment opportunities can be important cornerstones of any forward looking transportation system for emerging economies. The concept of substituting biodiesel produced from plantations on eroded soils for conventional diesel fuel has gained wide-spread attention in India. In recent year Indian Government and some state governments have expressed their support for bringing marginal lands which cannot be used for food production under cultivation for this purpose.