The plant, Jatropha curcas
- It is a perennial shrub widely distributed in the tropics– grows in the wild in most regions of Madagascar
- Common name – Physic nut, purging nut, belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae
- It is hardy and drought tolerant – suited for dry and humid wastelands
- Dry seeds contain ~35% oil
- The oil is suitable for direct use as fuel and as feedstock for biodiesel and bio-aviation fuel
- The seedcake remaining after oil extraction is an excellent fertilizer and biogas feedstock
- The seed kernel meal of the non-toxic variety is edible and has high quality protein
- Seed productivity at maturity under rain-fed conditions: 0.4- 3 t/ha/y
- Allows intercropping
The Project Area
- The project is located in Analavelona in S. Managascar, about 650km south of the capital Antananarivo.
- Total area available for the project on this site: 3000ha
- Planted area under active management: several 100ha, age 1-6 years.
Challenges and lessons learned so far
- Proven farming methods could established
- Wild collected jatropha seeds not suitable for establishing a viable plantation
- development
- Infrastructural important
- Even low level of mechanisation maybe helpful
- Rainfall patterns for the establishment
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- Well established local project team
- Proven locally adapted cultivation practices developed
- Better quality, tested jatropha seed available from our partner Jatropower AG
Key takeaway knowledge messages so far
Jatropha plantations proven to be effective in reclaiming completely degraded, highly acidied wasteland that has remained unused for decades
Adapted best practices for sustainable jatropha cultivation developed
Non-toxic jatropha seeds successfully tested
Processing equipment capable of pressing whole seeds to produce oil and seed cake established at the project site
The raw oil sold by the project being used as fuel in stationary engines since 2016 in Madagascar, without damage to the engines
There is high demand for the raw jatropha oil in Madagascar at attractive prices
Future plans and perspectives
Expand the plantations to the available area of 3000 ha at the project site
Establish seed processing equipment for processing non-toxic seeds to produce oil, seed kernel meal and shell as fuel
In and around the project
Regional social development has been an important objective from the very beginning of the project.
Activities promoted include:
- Free medical camp for the villagers in the region
- A school for the children of the area – established in 2017 with class 1, to go up to class 12 gradually
- Chicken rearing – mainly for eggs for the local and regional market and manure production for use in the plantation
- Fish farming – income generating activity for the benet of the project
In medium term the chicken and sh feed are to be developed from the jatropha seed by-products
Jatrogreen Madagascar
Address:
Jatro Green S.A.R.L
LOT 404/AME Andaavarata Tamambao Ivato
105 Antananarivo, Madagascar
Tél. +261 1294832
Email: B.Ravaoarimanana@jatrogreen.eu