What are the current government initiatives on Jatropha?
Government is taking careful, measured steps in exploring the use of jatropha as biodiesel feedstock, as the following initiatives show: The PNOC EDC has a 5-hectare pilot plantation in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, which is being carried out in partnership with D1 Oils Asia Pacific, a subsidiary of D1 Oils Plc of the United Kingdom, and the Dacongcogon Producers’ Cooperative and Marketing Association, an agricultural cooperative based in Negros Occidental. Preparatory phase of other PNOC-EDC jatropha field trials in its geothermal project sites in Leyte, Negros Oriental, Sorsogon and Kidapawan, North Cotabato are currently on-going for the agronomic requirements and site conditions of jatropha, while the DOE works to draft the implementing rules and regulations of the Biofuels Law. The Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) also sent a team to India last April 2006 to study the different agriculture and production te
