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Jatropha may not be the sustainable ‘wonder crop’ for biofuels

A recent report from environmental group Friends of the Earth has raised concerns that jatropha may not be the promised ‘wonder crop’ for biofuels.

Jatropha has been hailed as good news for biofuels because it can be grown on poor quality, semi-arid marginal or waste land, which would not otherwise be used for food production.

However, the report, Jatropha - wonder crop?, reveals that although jatropha does grow in semi-arid land, the yield is unlikely to be high enough to generate a profit. Instead, watering is necessary and some farmers in Swaziland appear to be turning over food-producing land to jatropha.

“It is shameful that this so-called wonder crop is replacing food production in a country where two thirds of the population depend on food aid,” says Friends of the Earth campaigner Hannah Griffiths.

The organisation is urging the EU and the UK Government to assess the potential damage to food production being done by the development of jatropha for biofuels.

The EU has set a target of 10% of road transport fuel to come from biofuels by 2020. Jatropha originates in South America, but has been introduced into Africa and Asia where it was used for hedging and is now being promoted for biofuels.

For further information:
www.foe.co.uk/resource/reports/jatropha_wonder_crop.pdf

08 June 2009

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