Jatropha Farming and Oil

The Jatropha Lifecycle

  • Seed distribution
  • Planting
  • The harvesting process
  • Crushing and oil extraction
  • Additional products

Jatropha Curcas is a nonedible plant that produces seeds containing up to 40 percent oil. Jatropha oil can be used to produce very high quality and energy-dense diesel fuel while the residue of the seeds can be used as biomass to generate electrical power. The plant is extremely hardy and is resistant to drought and pests, which allows it to be grown on otherwise non-productive land.

Jatropha is a valuable multi-purpose crop that alleviates soil degradation, desertification and deforestation. The species is considered a candidate to become the most important feedstock for biodiesel production and is being planted around the planet as awareness of it increases. Once the plant is mature, its seeds can be harvested for many years providing income and employment on previously marginal lands where human needs have been consistently underserved.

Sirona is partnering with farmers and cooperatives that have been or will be planting Jatropha in the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and India. By offering long-term contracts for their Jatropha production, Sirona helps create a stable source of income to some of the world's most economically depressed rural communities.

Sustaining lives and giving people the independence that comes with economic empowerment is an integral part of Sirona's mission. The combination of revenue and hope generated through Jatropha farming plays a central role in achieving that mission.