干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Jatropha (family-Euphorbiaceae) is a genus of approximately 175 succulent plants, shrubs, and trees. Jatropha seeds have 25-40% oil content. In India, it is being promoted as a biofuel crop and as a means to alleviate poverty. Women's self-help groups are promoting Jatropha to small farmers by capitalizing on a microcredit system. The life-cycle analysis (LCA) developed for this study was carried out in a typical arid area, Panna (India), considering Jatropha cultivation on wasteland, poor agricultural land, and sparsely planted forest land. Block-wise data for land use patterns, land cover, and agricultural resources/practices were collected. The LCA of Jatropha oil processed via transesterification as well as direct mixing with diesel fuel was carried out, and a comparative analysis was undertaken vis-a-vis bio-oil from agricultural biomass (BTL (Ag)) under different cultivation conditions. The investigation's scope included reductions in CO2 emissions and economic returns to farmers. The resulting analysis is presented taking into consideration, globalization and subsidized fossil fuel supplies.