Developing jatropha projects with smallholder farmers

Based on the observation, the analysis and the comparison of four smallholder based jatropha projects developed by Eco-Carbone, located in distinct climatic and socio-economical conditions, this paper aims at drawing on the operator’s experience to show what are the social, technical and economical prerequisites and the necessary management strategies, for such projects to be a success, both for the project operator and the farmers. Beyond the climatic and soil conditions which need to be present, the existing dynamics of the farming system should be assessed in order to establish whether and how, jatropha can be integrated in the existing farming system. Jatropha shall represent only a complementary income to farmers’ existing agriculture income; therefore, the time, capital and land that farmers will be ready to dedicate to this crop will be proportionate to the revenue they yield. It is also necessary to assess the government’s energy policy in terms of subsidies and tax. The sale price of the oil and fertiliser will define the purchasing price of the grain from the farmers and therefore, the profitability of establishing jatropha plantations for the farmers and developing the whole project for the operator. A jatropha project will thrive if the mass of grains purchased from the farmers reaches the expected targets. Adapted cultivation practices and improved genetics shall be introduced to optimise the technical potential of jatropha. However, once the trees start producing, the purchasing price is a fundamental variable in the success of a jatropha project. It needs to be interesting enough for farmers to harvest, shell, dry and sell their grains. However, this level of price can be maintained as long as the project developer can ensure or anticipate sufficient value extraction from both oil and seedcake commercialization on the market. Until the trees reach full production, short-term revenue strategies need to be devised for the farmers and for the project operator. These include the production of annual cash crops intercropped with the jatropha which provide an income for the farmers and in some cases, they would also benefit from a share on the sale in advance of sequestration carbon credits generated by jatropha plantations that the project developer will conduct in order to finance the first years of the project.Cet article repose sur l’observation, l’analyse et la comparaison de quatre projets de jatropha développés par Eco-Carbone dans de petites exploitations agricoles situées dans des régions distinctes en termes de conditions climatiques et socio-économiques. Son objectif est d’identifier, à partir de l'expérience du responsable de projet, les pré-requis sociaux, techniques et économiques et les stratégies de gestion nécessaires à la réussite de tels projets, à la fois pour le responsable du projet et pour les agriculteurs. Outre des conditions climatiques et de sol propices à la culture du jatropha, une évaluation de la situation actuelle du système agricole est nécessaire afin de déterminer si le jatropha peut être intégré dans le système existant et, le cas échéant, de quelle manière. Le jatropha ne doit constituer qu’un revenu de complément pour les agriculteurs ; par conséquent, le temps, le capital et la terre que les agriculteurs sont prêts à consacrer à cette culture sont proportionnels au rendement attendu. Il est également nécessaire d’évaluer les subventions et les impôts applicables dans le cadre de la politique énergétique gouvernementale. Le prix de vente du pétrole et des engrais détermine le prix d’achat du grain auprès des agriculteurs et ainsi, la rentabilité de la mise en place de plantations de jatropha pour les agriculteurs et du développement de l’ensemble du projet pour le responsable. Un projet jatropha ne peut réussir que si la masse de graines achetée aux agriculteurs donne les résultats attendus. Des pratiques de culture adaptées et des améliorations génétiques doivent donc être introduites afin d‘optimiser le potentiel technique du jatropha. Cependant, une fois que l’arbre commence à produire des fruits, le prix d’achat est une variable essentielle à la réussite d’un projet de jatropha. Il doit en effet être suffisamment attractif pour que les agriculteurs soient prêts à récolter, récupérer, faire sécher et vendre les graines. Ce niveau de prix peut être maintenu tant que le responsable de projet peut assurer ou anticiper des revenus suffisants de la commercialisation de l'huile et de tourteaux sur le marché. Tant que les arbres n'ont pas atteint leur pleine production, il est nécessaire d'élaborer des stratégies d’optimisation des revenus à court-terme à la fois pour les agriculteurs et pour le responsable du projet. Ces stratégies incluent la production de cultures commerciales annuelles intercalées avec le jatropha afin d’assurer un revenu aux agriculteurs. Dans certains cas, les agriculteurs se verront verser une part de la vente par anticipation des crédits carbone générés par le piégeage du carbone par les plantations de jatropha. Cette vente, conduite par le responsable de projet, permettra de financer les premières années du projet.Basándose en la observación, el análisis y la comparación de cuatro proyectos con jatrofa basados en la agricultura a pequeña escala desarrollados por Eco-Carbone, ubicados en distintas condiciones climáticas y socio-económicas, este artículo pretende recurrir a la experiencia del desarrollador para mostrar cuáles son los prerrequisitos sociales, técnicos y económicos y las estrategias de gestión necesarias, para que dichos proyectos sean un éxito, tanto para el desarrollador del proyecto como para los agricultores. Más allá de las condiciones climáticas y del suelo que es necesario que estén presentes, debe evaluarse la dinámica existente del sistema agrícola para establecer si y cómo, puede integrarse la jatrofa en el sistema agrícola existente. La Jatrofa debe representar solamente un ingreso complementario a los ingresos de la agricultura existente de los agricultores; por lo tanto, el tiempo, el capital y la tierra que los agricultores estarán dispuestos a dedicar a este cultivo serán proporcionales a los ingresos que producen. También es necesario evaluar la política energética del gobierno en términos de subsidios e impuestos. El precio de venta del aceite y el fertilizante definirá el precio de compra del grano pagado a los agricultores y, por lo tanto, la rentabilidad de establecer plantaciones de jatrofa para los agricultores y desarrollar todo el proyecto para el desarrollador. Un proyecto de jatrofa prosperará si la masa de granos adquirida a los agricultores alcanza los objetivos esperados. Se introducirán prácticas de cultivo adaptadas y genética mejorada para optimizar el potencial técnico de jatrofa. Sin embargo, una vez que los árboles comienzan a producir, el precio de compra es una variable fundamental en el éxito de un proyecto con jatrofa. Es necesario que sea lo bastante interesante para que los agricultores recojan, pelen, sequen y vendan sus granos. Sin embargo, este nivel de precio puede mantenerse mientras el desarrollador del proyecto pueda garantizar o anticipar la extracción de valor suficiente de la comercialización tanto del aceite como de la torta de semillas en el mercado. Hasta que los árboles alcancen la producción completa, es necesario diseñar estrategias de ingresos a corto plazo para los agricultores y para el desarrollador del proyecto. Éstas incluyen la producción de cultivos amortizables de forma anual intercalados con jatrofa que proporcione ingresos para los agricultores y en algunos casos, también se beneficiarían de una parte de la venta por adelantado de bonos de secuestro de carbono generados por plantaciones de jatrofa que el desarrollador del proyecto realizará para financiar los primeros años del proyecto

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Developing jatropha projects with smallholder farmers

Based on the observation, the analysis and the comparison of four smallholder based jatropha projects developed by Eco-Carbone, located in distinct climatic and socio-economical conditions, this paper aims at drawing on the operator’s experience to show what are the social, technical and economical prerequisites and the necessary management strategies, for such projects to be a success, both for the project operator and the farmers. Beyond the climatic and soil conditions which need to be present, the existing dynamics of the farming system should be assessed in order to establish whether and how, jatropha can be integrated in the existing farming system. Jatropha shall represent only a complementary income to farmers’ existing agriculture income; therefore, the time, capital and land that farmers will be ready to dedicate to this crop will be proportionate to the revenue they yield. It is also necessary to assess the government’s energy policy in terms of subsidies and tax. The sale price of the oil and fertiliser will define the purchasing price of the grain from the farmers and therefore, the profitability of establishing jatropha plantations for the farmers and developing the whole project for the operator. A jatropha project will thrive if the mass of grains purchased from the farmers reaches the expected targets. Adapted cultivation practices and improved genetics shall be introduced to optimise the technical potential of jatropha. However, once the trees start producing, the purchasing price is a fundamental variable in the success of a jatropha project. It needs to be interesting enough for farmers to harvest, shell, dry and sell their grains. However, this level of price can be maintained as long as the project developer can ensure or anticipate sufficient value extraction from both oil and seedcake commercialization on the market. Until the trees reach full production, short-term revenue strategies need to be devised for the farmers and for the project operator. These include the production of annual cash crops intercropped with the jatropha which provide an income for the farmers and in some cases, they would also benefit from a share on the sale in advance of sequestration carbon credits generated by jatropha plantations that the project developer will conduct in order to finance the first years of the project

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