| Jatropha Curcas L. |
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Jatropha Curcas is a native shrub to Central America and the Caribbean, referred to as "physic nut" or "piñon." Recently it has won international acclaim as the Cinderella Plant of Biodiesel for its environmental, social and economic potential. Jatropha grows on degraded soils and presents an attractive option for farmers looking to reclaim over-used, nutrient-drained pastures. Jatropha acts as a green manure and restores nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and organic matter to the soil. Its vertical tap root penetrates 2-3 meters deep, loosening compacted soil, aiding aeration and adding moisture content. The tap root also makes the plant stable against hurricanes and resistant to drought in the dry season. Jatropha does not require irrigation, fertilizer nor agrochemicals, with only seasonal pruning and harvesting as maintenance. The simplicity of the agronomy makes Jatropha a good candidate for rural community projects. Jatropha is not edible and therefore its use as a fuel does not affect the world food supply in the way that biofuels such as corn, soy, and palm oil might. When the Jatropha seed is crushed, it produces a straight vegetable oil, “SVO,” which can be used as a feedstock for biodiesel or added directly into motors that have been adapted to accept SVOs. Jatropha is also used in diesel generators that can accept an SVO--Petrodiesel mixture without any modifications. |
| Who Are We? |
| TSDF is made up of tropical agriculture researchers and agronomists working in Belize on different Jatropha curcas research and development projects since 1995. The foundation had its official birth in 2005. |
| Lead Jatropha Experts: Sylvia Baumgart Laasner, Tobias Sengfelder |
| Board of Directors: Alex Laasner, Valentine Vasquez, Florencio Sanchez and Eva Maria Sengfelder |
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| Current Projects |
| Jatropha
for Biodiesel in Belize - Commercial Demonstration Plots of Jatropha
curcas. Sponsored by the Energy & Environment Partnership with
Central America (EEP).
OAS Agro-Forestry
Research Project - Intercropping with Jatropha curcas. Sponsored
by Jatropha Evaluation and Breeding Program - Int'l Study of Jatropha Seed Material. Coordinated via Wageningen University and Research Center. Belize Rural Development Project - Service Provider for Farmers Interested in Jatropha curcas Cultivation. Sponsored by the European Union. Jatropha Innovation Centers for Community Adapted Technologies - Outreach and Education Centers for Cultivation of Jatropha Curcas: Located in 3 Districts of Belize. Sponsored by the OAS. |
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| Soil Improvement Accomplishments |
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From the OAS Agro-Forestry Research Project: Intercropping with Jatropha curcas, TSDF found a 60% increase of Nitrogen and organic matter in soil samples over a four year period. Credit for this improvement goes to a cover crop called Arachis Pintoy. Visual observation of the Jatropha plants showed greener leaves and more developed fruit compared to demonstration plots without the cover crop. |
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| Growing Together |
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TSDF works with Belizean organizations and government offices as well as international organizations, ministries and universities from the USA, Netherlands, Finland and Mali to research sustainable land use techniques and to develop the renewable energy crop, Jatropha Curcas. Our education and training programs directed toward rural Belizeans, as well as extentionist support, will empower community members with a cost saving alterative to fossil fuels. Our feasibility study for commercial production of Jatropha in Belize will help to establish the infrastructure that could propel Belize into the international green fuels market. |
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| International Parnerships |
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Energy
& Environment Partnership with Central America (EEP) Comisión Centroamericana
de Ambiente y Desarrollo (CCAD) Sistema
de la Integración Centroamericana (SICA) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland Organization
of American States (OAS), USA Wangeningen
University & Research
Center, Netherlands Fuels
from Agriculture in Communal Technology (FACT), Netherlands Biocombustibles, Guatemala The
Global Exchange for Social Investment (GEXSI) |
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| National Colaborations |
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National Coordination
Committee for Agricultural Research and Development (NCCARD) Belize Sugar Industries
(BSI) Caribbean Community Climate
Change Centre (CCCCC) Belize Rural Development
Project (BRDP) Peace Corps Belize Ya'axche' Conservation
Trust (YCT) Galen University Ministry of Agriculture
and Fisheries |
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| Contact |
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Tropical
Studies & Development Foundation |
| TSDF will continue the OAS initatited Agro-Forestry Research project | |
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Organization of American States - Agro Forestry Research Projects |
| Development of sustainable land-use systems on degraded tropical pastures in Belize, Central America, as a model for Mesoamerica and the Caribbean. | |
Last Update: 18 October, 2008