Disadvantages

The Jatropha Curcas nut and oil are inedible, but its price is not distorted by competing food uses.

Potential gender conflicts.

Second income to make soap

If there is too little water, the plant will not produce the nut.

• Jatropha needs at least 600mm (23in) of rain a year to thrive. However, it can survive three consecutive years of drought by dropping its leaves
• It is excellent at preventing soil erosion, and the leaves that it drops act as soil-enriching mulch
• The plant prefers alkaline soils
• The cost of 1,000 jatropha saplings (enough for one acre) in Pakistan is about £50, or 5p each
• The cost of 1kg of jatropha seeds in India is the equivalent of about 7p. Each jatropha seedling should be given an area two metres square.
• 20 per cent of seedlings planted will not survive
• Jatropha seedlings yield seeds in the first year after plantation

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