India is a country in transition with
recent high rates of economic growth propelling it towards being a
global economic power. The sustenance of this economic growth would
depend on how the country is able to take the fruits of development to
the deprived sections of society. Deprivation is borne out by the fact
that over 50 per cent of the households in the country are yet to be
electrified. These households depend on subsidised kerosene for
lighting. The kerosene is bur nt in highly inefficient devices that do
little for illumination and contribute more towards increasing health
problems. Similarly for meeting cooking energy needs, over 80 per cent
of the rural households directly burn biomass. Meanwhile, the
relatively affluent — particularly 25 per cent of urban households —
garner 80 per cent of the subsidy on LPG. The scenario demands a path
that is distinctly different from the current approach to solving rural
energy problems. It is to this end that the emphasis on the promotion
of biofuels can be useful.
While the debate continues on the benefits and impact of Jatropha
plantation, there is close to 24 million hectares of culturable fallow
land that is lying unutilised. The ownership of this type of land is
often with marginal and small farmers. Lack of a proper income often
traps these farmers in a vicious circle of debt and poverty. In such
cases, the issue of the impact of Jatropha plantation on food security
becomes meaningless. Further, the debate on the production of biodiesel
for blending with petrodiesel has overlooked the possible use of
Jatropha seed oil for meeting energy needs at the local level. Straight
vegetable oils (SVO) are used in several countries in Africa and South
East Asia for meeting local energy needs. SVO-based generators that
produce electricity and cookstoves that operate on plant oils are
already being used. Engines based on SVO for operating irrigation
pumpsets are also available and being used. Thus the plantation of
Jatropha has the potential to contribute significantly to the creation
of a local economy based on the production and use of SVO for meeting
decentralised energy needs.
One hectare of Jatropha plantation would provide at least 1.5 tonnes of
oil per annum. Farmers can individually use the oil at the household
level or can join hands to find productive use of oil for meeting
collective energy needs. They can further market the excess oil either
for local consumption or for the production of biodiesel. In this
context the focus needs to be on promoting plantations on the boundary,
fallow land and in inter-crop mode. In these modes, the plantation
would minimally interfere with the existing cropping pattern. In such a
scenario, rather than conflicting with food security the effort would
strengthen and enhance the current production. The farmer’s income from
the sale of oil or enhanced economic opportunities through energy
production will be ploughed back into improving the production of
regular crops.
The winds of change that the effort on biofuels production are bringing
can help in blowing away the scourge of poverty, including deprivation
of modern energy, for the rural masses. Hope is reflected by the
amazement and pride with which Appa Rao, a marginal farmer in a remote
village of Andhra Pradesh, looks at his lush green agriculture field of
one hectare in which Jatropha curcas has been planted. Not long ago, it
was barren and Appa Rao used to bemoan his luck for having a useless
piece of land. The land had been lying fallow for quite some time due
to low productivity of soil and lack of irrigation facilities.
There are hundreds of such farmers who have adopted the initiative for
Jatropha plantation in the West Godavari, East Godavari, Khammam and
Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh. The farmers have entered into a
buyback arrangement with Project Green, a joint initiative of The
Energy and Resources Institute and BP. They are being provided elite
planting material, technical help and training. They are also being
organised into groups for local decentralised expelling of oil. The oil
is proposed to be used both locally and for the production of
biodiesel. By the third year of the project, close to seven million
plants have been planted and a decentralised expeller is all set to
produce oil. Such efforts would require support and incentives from the
government. It is to this end that some of the subsidy of close to
Rs.30,000 crore on kerosene and LPG can be directed. Currently, the
subsidy is largely appropriated by the relatively affluent and a
significant part is diverted for the adulteration of diesel with
kerosene. The use of subsidy for sustainably resolving energy problems
and contributing to the economic uplift of the poor would lead to the
optimal utilisation of resources. The initiative would also require
facilitation in making available low-cost SVO-based cook stoves,
generators and pumpset engines that small farmers and other rural
households can afford. Since it is still early days for biofuels and
the Jatropha-based biodiesel programme, the constraints with regard to
production and direct use can be further resolved. Specifically, effort
is required to make the small-scale production processes first secure
their own energy interests and then enter into a partnership with
large-scale producers.
(Ibrahim Hafeezur Rehman is Director, Social Transformation, Rural
Extension Activity Division, TERI.)
http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/16/stories/2008091655500900.htm
Copyright © 2008, The Hindu.
