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Intercropping of jatropha
Beverage giant Nestlé Philippines is promoting an agricultural initiative that will enable Negrense farmers to intercrop robusta coffee with jatropha.
Both are 50-year crops, Glicerio Joel Lumagbas, the company's head of agriculture services, said yesterday at a livelihood forum at the Provincial Capitol where he discussed the need to increase the country's coffee production and, at the same, provide additional income to farmers by planting jatropha, considered a viable alternative fuel source.
"We are introducing jatropha as a companion crop of coffee," he said at the forum on jatropha, coffee and organic fertilizers organized by the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Negros Occidental Business Development Center. Lumagbas said the intercropping of coffee and jatropha is an environmentally-friendly and sustainable initiative that could also be a model for a "sustainable agriculture cum alternative fuel development" for farmers.
Nestlé uses the robusta variety in manufacturing its Nescafe coffee product. He said that because of low production, the country has to import more than 50 percent of its coffee requirements every year, costing the local industry P1.5 billion in annual imports. Production is only 28,000 metric tons in 2005 to 2006 while domestic consumption is 60,000 metric tons and is growing by a minimum of three percent every year. He said that farmers can earn from planting jatropha as early as the first year while for coffee, on the second year. "So these crops will complement each other." Lumagbas said Nestlé is offering technical assistance to those who are interested in planting coffee and jatropha, which includes free training in coffee production and assistance in sourcing of planting materials. The company has an open market policy in buying coffee beans, he said, wherein it procures from as little as half a sack to as much as a shipload as long as it passes Nestlé's quality acceptance standards. www.visayandailystar.com
Jatropha is a genus of approximately 175 succulents, shrubs and trees (some are deciduous, like Jatropha curcas L.), from the family Euphorbiaceae. Plants from the genus natively occur in Africa, North America, and the Caribbean. Originating in the Caribbean, the jatropha was spread as a valuable hedge plant to Africa and Asia by Portuguese traders. Currently the tree is widely used as a poverty reduction measure in Tamil Nadu, India. The rail line between Mumbai and Delhi is planted with Jatropha and the train itself runs on 15-20% biodiesel. Useful in drought conditions the trees provide watershed restoration, permaculture, oil for generators and water pumps, and compost and enclosures for gardening. This method is called the "Jatropha System". The mature small trees bear male and female inflorescence, and do not grow very tall.
Here are some selected species, with use:
- Jatropha aconitifolia, leaves of this tree were boiled and eaten by the Maya.
- Jatropha cuneata, stems are used for basket making in Mexico.
- Jatropha curcas, also called physic nut, is used to produce the non-edible Jatropha oil, for making candles and soap, and as an ingredient in the production of biodiesel. The trees produce 1600 liters of oil per hectare. The cakes remaining after the oil is pressed out can be used for cooking, for fertilizing, and sometimes even as animal fodder, while the seed husks can be used to fuel generators. Large plantings and nurseries of this tree have been undertaken in India by women's Self Help Groups, using a system of microcredit to ease poverty among the nation's semi-literate population of women. Extracts from this species have also been shown to have anti-tumor activity. The seeds can be used as a remedy for constipation, wounds can be dressed with the sap, and the leaves can be boiled to obtain a malaria and fever remedy.
- Jatropha gossypifolia, also called bellyache bush, its fruits and foliage are toxic to humans and animals. It is a major weed in Australia.
- Jatropha podagrica, was used to tan leather and produce a red dye in Mexico and the Southwestern United States. May also be used as a house plant.
The jatropha tree is of significant economic importance because of its numerous industrial and medicinal uses. Jatropha can be grown in areas of low rainfall, low fertility, marginal degraded land and survives on poor, stony soils while being resistant to drought. Intercropping is also possible. Oil yield per hectare is among the highest of tree borne oil seeds. It is not browsed by animals, easy to establish, grows quickly and is hardy. Being rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potash, the seed cake is excellent source of plant nutrients. Improved germplasm, joint venture, option for buyback of seeds are available.
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