Dear Readers Welcome to the 30Th Issue of Produce Vegetable Oil
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Dear readers Welcome to the 30th issue of produce vegetable oil. The oil is not We continue to feature APANews! This issue includes several only rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and developments in agroforestry interesting articles on recent potassium, but can also be education and training through the developments in agroforestry. We converted into industrial biodiesel. SEANAFE News. Articles in this issue also have several contributions This article is indeed timely as recent of SEANAFE News discuss about presenting findings of agroforestry research efforts are focusing on projects on landscape agroforestry, research. alternative sources of fuel and and marketing of agroforestry tree energy. products. There are also updates on Two articles discuss non-wood forest its Research Fellowship Program and products in this issue. One article Another article presents the results reports from the national networks of features the findings of a research of a study that investigated the SEANAFE’s member countries. that explored various ways of storing physiological processes of rattan seeds to increase its viability. agroforestry systems in India. The There are also information on The article also presents a study focused on photosynthesis and upcoming international conferences comprehensive overview of rattan other related growth parameters in agroforestry which you may be seed storage and propagation in that affect crop production under interested in attending. Websites Southeast Asia. tree canopies. and new information sources are also featured to help you in your Another article discusses the In agroforestry promotion and various agroforestry activities. potential of integrating Burma development, the impacts of a five- bamboo in various farming systems year grassroots-oriented project on Thank you very much to all the in India. As we all know, bamboo a people’s organization are contributors, and we eagerly look culms are very much in demand as presented in an article from the forward to more of your interesting raw materials for furniture, baskets, Philippines. The results of the impact articles! – The Editors incense sticks, and many other evaluation affirmed agroforestry’s products. The article discusses the potential for increasing incomes of results of a study that integrates farmers, and at the same time Burma bamboo with ginger in terms optimizing land use. More of constraints, prospects, and importantly, the article discusses financial benefits. how the project was able to empower the people’s organization There is also an interesting article to become self-sufficient and at the discussing the potential of a biofuel- same time provide relevant based agroforestry system. The agroforestry extension services to article discusses the potential of others. integrating Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) in agroforestry systems to DISCLAIMER. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO and SEANAFE concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delineation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication are those of the contributing authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the editor(s) of FAO and SEANAFE. OUR ADDRESS. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand; Website: http://www.fao.org and http://www.fao.org/world/regional/rap; E-mail [email protected]; SEANAFE c/o World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)-Southeast Asia Regional office, PO Box 61, Bogor 16001, Indonesia; Website: http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/sea/networks/Seanafe/Index.asp; E-mail [email protected] PRODUCTION. Patrick B. Durst, Kenichi Shono, and Wilfredo M. Carandang (Editorial Consultants); Leah P. Arboleda (Editor); Rowena D. Cabahug (Editorial Assistant); Perseveranda G. Tubig and Reinelen M. Reyes (Production Assistants) COVER PHOTO. Mr. Agustin Calanao applied his learnings in agroforestry on his three-hectare farm in Barangay Nazuni, Dingle, Iloilo, Philippines, implementing various agroforestry systems. Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), gmelina (Gmelina arborea), coconut (Cocos nucifera) and several fruit trees were planted along contours with pineapple, bananas, vegetables and other cash crops in the alleys. Mr. Calanao learned the practice of agroforestry from a training conducted by the FAO-Technical Support for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (TSARRD) in the 1980s. (Photo courtesy of the UPLB Institute of Agroforestry) PRINTER. Thammada Press Co. Ltd., 86 Soi 501/1 Charansanitwong Road, Bangplad, Bangkok 10700 Thailand APANews No. 30 z July 2007 1 agroforestry research Exploring the possibility of biofuel-based agroforestry R.S. Dhillon ([email protected]) and Nikhil Singh ([email protected]) India has a huge requirement for fuel. Non-renewable fossil fuels are thus being exploited at an alarming rate to meet this demand. The country’s domestic supply can only fulfill 22% of the country’s total fuel demand. Inevitably, the shortfall is met by imported fuel. Fruits of Jatropha Potentials of bio-fuel (Jatropha curcas L.) A potential alternative to petro- based fuels is the biofuel. It can be sustainable, renewable and ecofriendly, and may substitute for fossil fuel in the future. Growing biofuel crops in an agroforestry system can bring various benefits. At present, India has about 175 M ha of wastelands which are in need of rehabilitation. These lands can potentially be Raising Jatropha planted with trees/shrubs that bear in the nursery. oil seeds. Vegetable oil derived from these plants is similar to that of palms and animal fat, and can be for integration in agroforestry was established in another block. used to produce industrial biodiesel. systems, especially when agroforestry The Jatropha-based agroforestry When refined, the oil can be is used to rehabilitate wastelands. was planted with raya (Brassica blended with petro-based diesel to juncea) in the winter season, and 20% of the volume. Biofuel-based agroforestry mungbean (Vigna radiata) during the rainy season. One such example is Jatropha Recognizing the potential of (Jatropha curcas L.). It is a shrub that Jatropha, a study was conducted in Results showed marginal differences reaches 5-6m high, with spreading Hisar, India in September 2003 to in the growth of Jatropha between branches and stubby twigs. It starts develop a Jatropha-based the two treatments. The majority of fruiting two to three years after agroforestry system. the Jatropha plants started transplanting. It bears seeds flowering and fruiting a year after continuously for 50 years. Hisar is an arid area with an average planting. This is in contrast with annual rainfall of 350-400 mm, earlier reports that Jatropha starts Jatropha occurring mostly (70-80%) during July flowering and fruiting three years to September. Aside from these after being transplanted. In northern The seeds of Jatropha contain 30- adverse climatic conditions, the soils India, flowering in Jatropha occurs 40% oil. It is rich in nitrogen, in Hisar are highly saline and have twice a year - during March-June phosphorous, and potassium. Aside low fertility. and September-December. from the oil, Jatropha produces high litter fall, thus maintaining soil For the study, six-month old nursery- Jatropha is a monoecious plant that productivity and promoting nutrient raised Jatropha plants were has separate male and female recycling. Jatropha also has hard transplanted in two blocks at flowers within the same stems, grows rapidly, is drought- spacings of 5m X 3m. Monocropping inflorescence. Thus, honeybees, ants, tolerant, and can be easily of Jatropha was done in one block, thrips, butterflies, and flies are while Jatropha-based agroforestry propagated. This is a suitable crop Continued on page 4 2 July 2007 z APANews No. 30 agroforestry research Exploring the possibility... Continued from page 3 needed for cross-pollination. Annual flowering crops may be planted between Jatropha plants in an agroforestry system to attract insects needed to ensure cross- pollination. This will help maximaize Jatropha-based the fruit yield of Jatropha. The fruits agroforestry system. of Jatropha turn yellow as a sign of maturity 2-4 months after flowering. In the study, the average seed yield obtained during the first year was 198 kg/ha. This is expected to increase up to 10,000 kg/ha when Jatropha plants reach 6-7 years old. In India, Jatropha seeds cost 5-10 Rs/ kg, depending on their quality. Thus, Jatropha in boundary a farmer can earn extra income from plantation. integrating Jatropha in his agroforestry farm. agronomic/silvicultural practices for The authors work at the Department of cultivating Jatropha. There is thus a Forestry, CCS Haryana Agricultural At present, Jatropha cultivation is dire need to standardize such University, Hisar-125004, India. still a new concept in India. Most practices, and at the same time Indian farmers are venturing into this continuously explore the integration for the first time, and they are still of other biofuel crops in agroforestry unaware of the appropriate systems. commercial plantations of rattan Studying rattan seed since the 1970s. Rattan plantations in Malaysia begin to mature in four germination and storage to five years and become ready for harvesting after 10 years in Southeast Asia and (Manokaran, 1984). The Royal Forest Department of Thailand maintains Northern