Sometime between May 15 and 30, the first plantations of physic nut (Jatropha curcas) will be ready in Chile as part of a project for distilling biodiesel in the northern part of the country. “The production of biofuel from this oleaginous seed of a bush that survives and thrives in eroded and exhausted soils and needs little water to grow is heeding the call for a new alternative energy source” project director Manuel Paneque told Tierramérica.

This is an initiative of the University of Chile and the governmental Foundation for Agrarian Innovation. In the first stage the plan is to plant 15 hectares in small parcels in the regions of Antofagasta and Bío-Bío. The seeds were imported from Guatemala.