Assessment of benefits and risks of growing Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) as a biofuel crop in sub-Saharan Africa: a contribution to agronomic and socio-economic policies

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the main goals behind the development of a biofuel industry are employment creation and income generation. Jatropha ( Jatropha curcas L.) has emerged as a candidate for biodiesel production. It is a non-edible oil producing, drought-resistant plant that can be grown on m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of forestry research 2018, Vol.29 (1), p.1-12
Main Authors: Kashe, Keotshephile, Kgathi, Donald L., Murray-Hudson, Mike, Mfundisi, Kelebogile B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agriculture
Agronomy
Air pollution
Air quality management
Biodiesel fuels
Biofuels
Biomass
Biomass energy
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Crop management
Cultivation
Diesel
Drought resistance
Droughts
Economic conditions
Economic policy
Energy crops
Fertilization
Forestry
Fuel industry
Fuels
Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases
Income generation
Invasive plants
Invasiveness
Jatropha
Jatropha curcas
Land use
Land use management
Life Sciences
Natural gas
Oils & fats
Plant species
Review Article
Risk assessment
Soil fertility
Soil water
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Summary:In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the main goals behind the development of a biofuel industry are employment creation and income generation. Jatropha ( Jatropha curcas L.) has emerged as a candidate for biodiesel production. It is a non-edible oil producing, drought-resistant plant that can be grown on marginal land with limited water and low soil fertility. However, these are also attributes that typify weedy and invasive plant species. Adding to these concerns are the general questioning of whether biofuel production will reduce Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. Currently, there is limited information on the potential invasiveness of many biofuel crops, and in particular, the potential risks of cultivating Jatropha. This paper aims to assess the benefits and risks, especially risks, of growing Jatropha for biodiesel production. Jatropha should be screened through a science-based risk-assessment procedure to predict the risk of becoming invasive before it is released for large-scale commercial cultivation. The net GHG savings can be achieved through the cultivation of Jatropha, considering two main factors: no land-use change and crop management without chemical fertilization.
ISSN:1007-662X
1993-0607
DOI:10.1007/s11676-017-0460-1