A varsity is taking help from farmers to produce biofuel
With oil reserves depleting in the Middle East, a university in Bangalore is working overtime to produce alternative energy. Scientists at the University of Agricultural Science (Gandhi Krishi Vignyana Kendra), Bangalore, are involved in a project that would make India self-reliant in fuel consumption.
The visionary project was started in 2006. Farmers have also been roped in to help scientists produce alternative fuels. Under this programme, the university established a Bio-fuel Park Project in Madenur near Hassan — 200 kms from Bangalore. Besides, scientists have unleashed a campaign to identify plants that can be used to produce bio-fuel. To date, some 300 plants have been identified. However, scientists are not homing in on edible oils.
Says Dr. Balakrishna Gowda, professor of the UAS: “The project is destined to achieve its goal without having an impact on the food security of the state. The positive thing about the whole programme is that we are getting help from farmers”.
He further added: “In European countries research is also going on to find out alternative fuels. But they are far ahead in research. All told, the problem there is that they are using agricultural land to cultivate bio-ethanol crops. Whereas in India, we are not touching agricultural lands. We use only waste lands, bunds, public lands and degraded lands.”
Under this project, seedlings are distributed among the farmers to be raised on bunds, backyards and waste lands. And it has been successful. With farmers’ cooperation, the university has been able to establish 325 Biofuel Seed Farmers’ Association (Jaivika Indhana Beejagala Belegarara Sangha) in the state. The domestic and large-scale oil expelling units, designed by experts, have been distributed to farmers. And they use it to extract oil from seeds. Every care is taken that the oil cakes, which are available after extraction of seeds, are not wasted. Farmers are encouraged to use them as manure in their farms. In Hassan district, more than 8 lakh bio-fuel species have been planted in thousand acres. Some 57 villages have been declared “Complete Bio-fuel Village” and scientists involved in the project have organised more than 900 awareness meetings across the state.
Says Dr. Gowda: “Today five per cent bio-fuel is being blended in conventional petrol. But this will be increased with the production of oil crops. We are gratified with the success rate. So far, it has been above 65 per cent.”
With oil reserves depleting in the Middle East, a university in Bangalore is working overtime to produce alternative energy. Scientists at the University of Agricultural Science (Gandhi Krishi Vignyana Kendra), Bangalore, are involved in a project that would make India self-reliant in fuel consumption.
The visionary project was started in 2006. Farmers have also been roped in to help scientists produce alternative fuels. Under this programme, the university established a Bio-fuel Park Project in Madenur near Hassan — 200 kms from Bangalore. Besides, scientists have unleashed a campaign to identify plants that can be used to produce bio-fuel. To date, some 300 plants have been identified. However, scientists are not homing in on edible oils.
Says Dr. Balakrishna Gowda, professor of the UAS: “The project is destined to achieve its goal without having an impact on the food security of the state. The positive thing about the whole programme is that we are getting help from farmers”.
He further added: “In European countries research is also going on to find out alternative fuels. But they are far ahead in research. All told, the problem there is that they are using agricultural land to cultivate bio-ethanol crops. Whereas in India, we are not touching agricultural lands. We use only waste lands, bunds, public lands and degraded lands.”
Under this project, seedlings are distributed among the farmers to be raised on bunds, backyards and waste lands. And it has been successful. With farmers’ cooperation, the university has been able to establish 325 Biofuel Seed Farmers’ Association (Jaivika Indhana Beejagala Belegarara Sangha) in the state. The domestic and large-scale oil expelling units, designed by experts, have been distributed to farmers. And they use it to extract oil from seeds. Every care is taken that the oil cakes, which are available after extraction of seeds, are not wasted. Farmers are encouraged to use them as manure in their farms. In Hassan district, more than 8 lakh bio-fuel species have been planted in thousand acres. Some 57 villages have been declared “Complete Bio-fuel Village” and scientists involved in the project have organised more than 900 awareness meetings across the state.
Says Dr. Gowda: “Today five per cent bio-fuel is being blended in conventional petrol. But this will be increased with the production of oil crops. We are gratified with the success rate. So far, it has been above 65 per cent.”
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