Jatropha, Jatropha curcas also called physic nut, is a tree of 7 meter heigh growing on poor degraded soils in subtropical and tropical habitats around the world.

Jatropha at a glance : •     Jatropha reduces CO2 in the atmosphere •     Drought-resistant tree which survives with minimum water inputs •     Requires no fertilizer or pesticides •     Create local income and employment in poor rural regions

•     Produces seeds for 40 years with a vegetable oil content of around 35% which can be used for high quality carbon neutral biofuel for transportation or electricity production •     By-products are pressed cake which is a good organic fertilizer and it also contains an effective organic insecticide •     Annual vegetable oil yield per hectare is superior to Soya and rapeseed cultivation

All in all, Jatropha has a considerable environmental potential, especially if the ecological and physiological advantages of the tree are made use of to the full extent.