As evidenced by the title, Project Jatropha is bringing good and bad news from our project site in India.
The good news: The premonsoon rainfall occurred for a day and during that time, the enthusiastic farmers managed to plant 5000 seedlings.
The bad news: The one day of premonsoon rainfall has been followed by an extended period of time with no rain whatsoever. This is a rare occurrence, and monsoon rainfalls have been delayed significantly (they were supposed to have already started). Ironically enough, the latter is due to climate change, which wreaks havoc on delicate weather systems such as monsoons. Although the Jatropha plants are very hardy, lack of water will hurt other crops that the farmers grow. This problem applies to any farmer, especially subsistence farmers, who depend on yearly weather patterns at certain times to grow crops. The problems created by climate change affect even those who contribute nothing to it.
To end on a more optimistic note, the farmers are very eager for the monsoon rainfalls to arrive as they want to plant the remaining Jatropha seedlings from Phase II as soon as possible. We're sure that the monsoon rains will occur, but the time and duration of the rains are uncertain. The farmers can only cross their fingers and pray for the monsoon rains.
Sincerely,
Adarsha
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Hi Supreme Overlord!!,
ReplyDeleteSo, your parents named you Adarsha? May be if you could talk when you were born, may be you could have insisted that your real name be Supreme Overlord!!
On a serious note, I had read an article about the effect of global warming on monsoon rains. I can't pinpoint the Journal/newspaper. How do the farmers feel about the sturdy nature of Jatropha? When you are in India, get lots of pictures and post it.
On a regular basis, do these farmers grow any other crop other than Tobacco. During off season what do they grow? Good luck with the project work. Hopefully I get to see Supreme Overlord!
Subanna.
Hi Apoorva,
ReplyDeleteThis is Prutvi from Bangalore, India. I am in first PUC this year. I wanted see if I can help you with Project Jatropha. I like to help save the environment. I am doing little bit of reading about the biofuels.Please let me know how can I jopin you. I am ready to come to United States of America. I have an Indian passport. If I join the project will you help me get visa? Please reply immediately.
Dear Prutvi,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your interest in the project. Our project is located in Hunsur, which is close to Bangalore. We come all the way from here to Hunsur, in order to carry out the project. I'm afraid that you coming here will not help Project Jatropha. I don't think I can help you with your visa situation. Sorry! But if you are interested in participating in the project in Hunsur, please let me know. Please visit our website, which will give you a detailed description of what we are doing. Thanks again for your interest in our project.
~Apoorva