The recent furore over the Kyoto protocol pertaining to global climate change, as well as the rising prices of fossil fuels has led India and other developing countries to look for an ecological and economically viable alternative. Several initiatives have been taken in recent times on the energy front such as large scale promotion of wind energy farms for power generation, blending of ethyl alcohol with petrol and developmental efforts towards bio fuels.

Impressed by the potential of Jatropha curcas, the Government of India and the Planning Commission have been looking at the opportunity carefully. Several reports have been prepared and organizations such as the Indian Oil Corporation and Indian Railways, as well as several universities and private institutions, have initiated technology development plans. The Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh governments have introduced schemes to encourage investment in Jatropha plantations. Enthused by the government support, several individuals and organizations have already started cultivating Jatropha in a big way. Progress in India has been limited so far, though a serious effort, officials say, would cut India's import dependence by as much as 10%. Small Indian companies are already at it. Labland Biotech, for instance, has a long-term contract with the UK-based global firm, DI Oils, to supply one crore Jatropha plants a year for the next 10 years, besides supplying 10,000-50,000 tonnes of Jatropha crude oil annually over the next 15 years. Farmers in Karnataka and neighbouring states are being roped in through the contract farming route. Reliance Industries is reported to have earmarked 200 acres of land in Andhra Pradesh, which will be scaled up depending on the progress of the project.

Jatropha an indigenous oilseed tree and perennial crop, has the same characteristics as diesel, and can be used neat or mixed with conventional diesel. Jatropha, also known as the Physic Nut, is able to tolerate arid climates, grows rapidly, is useful for a variety of products, requires minimal inputs and reportedly stabilises or even reverses desertification. To top it all, this is a clean fuel option. Sounds almost too good to be true, a sustainable answer to India's peak oil problem, but is Jatropha really all it's cracked up to be? One of the chief concerns the world over is that countries will start using already scarce food producing land to grow fuel crops, causing major shortages in global food reserves. The Indian Government has allayed these fears by categorically stating that no existing agricultural land will be used to grow Jatropha or any other fuel crop. Another major international anxiety is that forests will be cut down and "reforested" with feedstock for bio fuels, causing untold damage to fragile ecosystems and large scale destruction of diverse species. The National Mission on Bio-Diesel aims at bringing 4 lakh hectares of land under plantation; sadly half of the land slated for Jatropha plantation is forested land. "Reforesting" already forested land with Jatropha will destroy much of India's rich ecological heritage.

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