Present Jatropha Activities in India

In Erode the NGO CDRC is promoting integrated farming and sustainable development since
several years. A medical doctor is founder and head of this NGO, sometimes working as well
as a veterinary doctor. He is using herbal medicines and promoting natural means of
agricultural production, thus integrating agro-forestry, on-farm energy production and use of
herbs for medicinal and nutritional purposes to support healthy and sustainable living
conditions in rural areas. There is an impressive record of accomplishment on past
development and promotional activities on sustainable agriculture, including commercial
production of biodegradable food plates from banana leaves through local women.
One CDRC member is head of a nursery mainly for fruit and oil trees and ornamental plants.
Since about two years, the nursery is focussing Jatropha in cooperation with Coinbatore
Agricultural University, who is getting Government support for this purpose in preparation of
the planned program and has since produced up to 500.000 plants (ca. 200 ha) from seeds and
cuttings. Seedling production takes 60 days and cutting production 45 days, before being
given to the farmers. There is no preference for none of the methods yet. 50 thousand
seedlings went to Government bodies so far, about 40.000 to Indian Railways and roughly
400.000 to private owners (small and medium farmers).

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Labels: Jatropha-Cultivation

posted by Sudha @ 7:52 PM