April 2010: The World Agroforestry (ICRAF) has released a working paper on “Economic viability of Jatropha curcas plantations in Northern Tanzania: assessing farmers’ prospects via cost-benefit analysis.” The paper notes the possible use of Jatropha seeds for biodiesel production, and examines the economics of the evolution of jatropha seed production in Tanzania.
The paper highlights […]
April 2010: The World Agroforestry (ICRAF) has released a working paper on “Economic viability of Jatropha curcas plantations in Northern Tanzania: assessing farmers’ prospects via cost-benefit analysis.”
The paper notes the possible use of Jatropha seeds for biodiesel production, and examines the economics of the evolution of jatropha seed production in Tanzania. The paper highlights a negative net-present value for five year investments in jatropha when 2000kg of seeds are produced per hectare. It notes that jatropha is not competitive with sunflower cultivation on fertile soils, and cautions against investment in the use of jatropha on these soils. It says that jatropha hedges can be a complementary source of income. ICRAF is a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). [Press release]