Article Detail

GRA field team were so happy that we worked closely with the Population and Community Development (PDA) in Buriram to promote Jatropha and ran a workshop with farmers on June 6-7 and we signed up over 50 villagers and already secured 60 rai for planting with 15,000 seedlings. Subsequent meetings in Lamplaimad and Nangrong secured 40 villagers. Both areas will be moving on with seedlings transferring and tree planting in July 2012.

GRA staffs were so enjoyed to see some Jatropha fruits were ready to harvest at Chateau De Loei. We started to harvest some fruits this month and expect to get more seeds in coming month. This fruits will be cleaned and removed all flesh then left all seeds to dry out and be ready to extract oil at our factory in Buriram!!

The Sustainable and Alternative Energy Workshop with students and villagers in Puttisong, Buriram Province was organized by Population and Development Association (PDA) Nangrong Center. GRA host one station and one presentation about Jatropha as biodiesel. After this workshop, more collaboration will be made in the future to expand more jatropha as clean biodiesel.
Furthermore, Rak Thai Foundation in collaboration with Green Rai Office hosted training about SALT Approach for local villagers at Green Rai Office, Loei.

This March 2012 GRA had a chance to join many workshops regards to Jatropha Promotion as well as welcome Population Development Association (PDA) to visit Loei Office and Station as well as to visit other partners regards to Jatropha Extension and Promotion Program.
Some conferences and workshops aim to answer the needs to fight with Climate Change. Nowadays the Airlines need to reduce the cost and pollution from the Carbon Tax. Jatropha Oil is one of the options and the market now is more open for clean energy.

Since last month, Danny and Sue worked so hard to prepare the proposal (FOREST SEED) to submit to the Governor of Savannakhet Province. Our new staff Ms. Lee also helped to translate and edit proposal in Lao Language to develop conservation project in Savannakhet, Laos PDR. We were so happy that we can submit the proposal and aim to move project forward as soon as possible.

Another trip to Savannakhet for project developing and to celebrate New Year with nice people here. The Savannakhet Governor and Department of Tourism to join their New Year Festival as well as to celebrate “Miss Savannakhet Beauty Pageant 2011” invited GRA team with warm hospitality.  This event is the biggest event in Savannakhet and broadcasted to all over the country. The contestant that we voted won Miss Savannakhet 2011.

The trip to Savannakhet, Laos P.D.R. to develop conservation with sustainable development project was made in December 2011. Green Rai team with Mr. Yai as a consultant went to visit many people as well as joined the forest survey. We were so lucky that they had the most important merit event at the time of our visit. Not only learning about how pristine of the forest is, we also learned about how beautiful of Laos cultures.. We will go back to Savannakhet again soon the end of this month to join more events and build up more partnership among Green Rai and Savannakhet Province.

Our work is moving on there in Loei Province. Not only travel around Northeastern region to promote jatropha as the renewable energy plant, we also plant our own Jatropha trees in the demonstration site at the office in Loei. 
In addition, Warin, our Jatropha Project Manager joined the Energy Festival of Northern Thailand in Phrae Province. He was there to promote Jatropha as for clean and renewable energy. A lot of interests were generated and our company aims to join with Maejo University to promote Jatropha there.

GRA welcomed a guest visits from Lufthansa to visit factory and Jatropha Plantation in Chonburi. We aimed for more collaboration in the future.
Furthermore, GRA staff also went to Savannakhet, Laos. Green Rai team joins closely with Savannakhet Province to develop a project there to protect pristine forest and also improve their livelihoods through various programs with also conserve their culture as national beauty. The MOU was signed with Director of Planning and Investment Department, Savannakhet, Laos PDR.

Green Rai Agro visits Savannakhet, Laos to survey as much as 8,400 hectares of pristine, natural rainforest and to discuss with the Governor, Dr. Souphanh Keomixay, how to protect and preserve the rainforest through environmental education programs, carbon programs, eco-tourism and job creation. We were part of an economic development team that also had interests in industrial park development, tourism, and native product promotion. Was great to see the forest in much better condition than we expected and excited to be part of a managed development plan in Laos that will benefit the her people and her environment.

GRA Team went to visit the tentative planting sites both at Chateau De Loei to check Jatropha plantation. GRA will collaborate with Chateau De Loei. Another site visit was made in Phetchaboon for Jatropha plantation with great hospitality from Dr. Krasae Chanawong.
The next and wonderful event was when GRA joined the of “Energy Sustainable and Sufficiency District” GRA joined the Jatropha Station to teach kids about Jatropha and do seed-sowing activities at Kokklang-Anusorn School as pilot program to promote about Jatropha as alternative energy .

Green Rai Agro signed up three schools in Udon Thani (Bankong, Banpuen, and Banyuak) to participate in our pilot Jatropha School Program to support underprivileged rural schools generate income and educate kids. GRA provides the schools with materials and know-how and guarantees to buy all harvested seeds to ensure the schools with a reliable and alternative source of funds year after year. GRA also donate funds to develop student-grown organic gardens that can then be used in school lunch programs. We are excited as our program promotes learning, skill development, good nutrition and environmentally friendly agri-practices in Thailand.
We are looking forward to working with everyone to build a green and better way!

Long Live the King! This self-sufficiency Integrated Farming Center is under King’s project and there are 57 centers all over the country..
Amazing and pleasant trip to Loei to move forward about Jatropha project was made in May. Danny and Sue, GRA team from Bangkok went up there to catch up with Warin to update current situation and also plan for further activities for short-term and long-term planning. We went to visit Phuluang Wildlife Sanctuary to visit “The Self-Sufficiency Integrated Farming under King’s Project” to see the efficiency of organic farming included with alternative energy in holistic way. Furthermore, we also went to Uttaradit to visit jatropha nursery and possible plantation site in the coming near future!! The whole one week excursion in Loei was so worth the long hours in bus and long way of travelling all over this area!!

GRA visited “Self Sufficient Alternative Energy Learning Center” in Buriram on 27 April, 2011. This pilot program aims to raising awareness regards to Alternative and clean Energy. The center has many stations which are including solar energy, wind power, biogas, biodiesel from jatropha and involves with organic farming under King’s Philosophy. GRA aims to partnership with Buriram Provincial Energy, Population Development Association, and other partners to make a better world and better livelihood for local people..

Wander Land in WonderLoei
Wander trip in Wonder Loei province, Thailand during the trip in March and April with Green Rai Agro team which was involved with tree planting, meet the farmers, site visit, and school program in Loei and Udornthani. Furthermore, the co-operation with government and non-government officers were the crucial part to make project moves and succeeded. Green Rai Agro opens for any support and co-operation with any agency and individual who has similar goals to improve the local livelihood and environmental friendly regards to sustainable way.

For our second wonderful trip to explore more of Mindanao, Green Rai Team worked closely with field coordinators on behalf of our customer to select Jatropha plantation sites for new plantations.  We spent a total of seven days in Mindanao, traveling the mountain roads and country highways from city to city, and from coast to coast.

Through close inspection, our team could provide important information to farmers as well as receive essential data from each location in a systematic way.  Moreover, meeting face-to-face with the farmers helped us to build more trust for future collaboration. In each location, we promoted a message of environmental, economic, and social sustainability

Jatropha curcas L. is a well-established plant in Asia. It produces oil-rich seeds, is known to thrive on eroded lands, requires moderate amounts of water, nutrients and capital inputs. Jatropha offers the dual benefit to cultivate wastelands and to produce vegetable oil suitable for conversion to biofuel and other products. Key characteristics of the Jatropha tree include:

1. Jatropha trees are slightly toxic, offering a natural resistance to many pests and insects.
2. Jatropha seeds have a high seed oil content of about 35% oil per seed by weight.
3. Jatropha grows very quickly, yielding its first fruits with 9 months of first planting the Jatropha seedling.
4. Jatropha plants yield strong harvests for 35 years to 50 years, creating multiple sustained benefits.
5. Jatropha is drought tolerant, requiring only 300 mm of rainfall to grow and sustain itself, providing a wide Jatropha belt in which the plant can successfully grow and develop fruits.
6. Jatropha is a resilient tree, able to grow in different types of ground conditions including wastelands, sandy soils, nutrient-deficient soils or rocky soils.

Jatropha acanthophylla Loefgr.
Jatropha acerifolia Salisb.
Jatropha aconitifolia Mill.
Jatropha angustidens (Torr.) Müll. Arg.
Jatropha berlandieri Torr.
Jatropha capensis (L.f.) Sond
Jatropha carthagenensis Jacq.
Jatropha cathartica Griseb.
Jatropha cathartica Terán & Berland.
Jatropha costaricensis G. L. Webster & Poveda
Jatropha cuneata Wiggins & Rollins
Jatropha curcas L.
Jatropha dioica Cerv.
Jatropha dioica Sessé
Jatropha dissecta (Chodat & Hassler) Pax
Jatropha dulcis J. F. Gmel.
Jatropha edulis Cerv.
Jatropha elliptica (Pohl) Oken
Jatropha excisa Griseb.
Jatropha globosa Gaertn. s
Jatropha gossypifolia L.
Jatropha gossypiifolia L.
Jatropha gossypiifolia L. var. elegans Müll. Arg.
Jatropha gossypiifolia L. var. staphysagrifolia (Mill.) Müll. Arg.
Jatropha hastata Jacq.
Jatropha heterophylla Pax
Jatropha integerrima Jacq.
Jatropha integerrima Jacq. var. hastata (Jacq.) Fosberg
Jatropha integerrima Jacq. var. integerrima
Jatropha janipha Lour.
Jatropha kilimandscharica Pax & K.Hoffm.
Jatropha loureiri Steud.
Jatropha macrantha Müll.Arg.
Jatropha macrocarpa Griseb.
Jatropha macrophylla Pax & K. Hoffm.
Jatropha macrorhiza Benth.
Jatropha manihot H.B.K.
Jatropha manihot L.
Jatropha messinica E.A.Bruce
Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill.
Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill. var. divergens (Pohl) Müll.Arg.
Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill. var. glabra Müll.Arg.
Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill. var. mollissima
Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill. var. subglabra Müll.Arg.
Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill. var. velutina Pax & K.Hoffm.
Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill. var. villosa (Pohl) Müll.Arg.
Jatropha moluccana L.
Jatropha montana Willd.
Jatropha multifida Desc., non L.
Jatropha multifida L.
Jatropha multiloba Pax
Jatropha pandurifolia Andr.
Jatropha phyllacantha Müll. Arg.
Jatropha podagrica Hook.
Jatropha pseudoglandulifera Pax
Jatropha spathulata (Ort.) Muell.& Arg.
Jatropha spathulata Müll. Arg.
Jatropha spicata Pax
Jatropha staphysagrifolia Mill.
Jatropha stimulosa Michx.
Jatropha tepiquensis Costantin & Gallaud
Jatropha texana Müll. Arg.
Jatropha tripartita Spreng.
Jatropha tubulosa Müll. Arg.
Jatropha urens L.
Jatropha variabilis Radcl.-Sm.
Jatropha variifolia Pax Syn.
Jatropha heterophylla Pax
Jatropha villosa (Forssk.) Müll. Arg.
Jatropha villosa (Forssk.) Müll. Arg. var. glandulosa Pax
Jatropha villosa (Pohl) Baill., nom. illeg.
Jatropha villosa Wight
Jatropha yucatanensis Briq.
Jatropha zeyheri Sond.

A team of agriculture specialists from Green Rai Agro will travel to the northeastern part of Thailand for two weeks to visit with farmers interested in Jatropha, as well as, with officials from local agriculture and community organizations.

Our trip will include visits to Khonkaen, Loei, Korat, and Saraburi.  We are very exciting about meeting face-to-face with Thai farmers to continue to build our collaboration with every stakeholder and create a sustainable agricultural approach together with Jatropha!

Green Rai Agro is an agriculture nursery, production and services company focused on developing sustainable energy and food solutions in the Southeast Asian market.

Green Rai works with like-minded organizations and individual farmers in selected planting areas to develop the Jatropha infrastructure required for sustainable operations.  Green Rai Agro has entered into production agreements with local oil expelling operations to minimize capital costs and guarantee the production of oil and related by-products from our plantations.

Our company is very much a philosophy-driven business intent on benefiting all critical stakeholders in the value chain, from the farmers and local communities to the end-product buyers to the investors who believe in our cooperative-shared benefit business model.  Green Rai’s agriculture policies center on good environmental and health practices such as (1) eliminating slash-and-burn farming, (2) eliminating the use of chemical fertilizers, and (3) restricting the use of chemical pesticides, among others.

Green Rai also works with third-party companies and organizations to develop programs for carbon credits relating to forestry or alternative energy production that support the continued development of projects that are good for the environment.

We are intent on working with individuals businesses, organizations, and government agencies to help Asian countries to shift their environmental, business and social practices to more sustainable and shared models that will benefit all nations and all people.

A well-run nursery operation is critical for the production of high-quality seedlings that form the basis of any successful plantation business.  Green Rai Agro extends our expertise in nursery design and management to support every phase of nursery development.  Our services include:

1. Consultation, inspection and evaluation of nursery sites
2. Nursery design and construction
3. Develop standard operating practices
4. Materials planning and management
5. Seed variety analysis and selection
6. Seedling propagation
7. Nursery pest and disease management
8. Requirements planning for labor
9. Quality assurance and control

Developing a strong and continuously improving agricultural operation requires careful assessment of implemented knowledge and processes.  Green Rai Agro assists our partners and customers to maintain and improve operations across the organization through the development and then assessment of management policy and operating procedures.  Our services include:

1. Audit service for operations of nursery, plantation, and collection center
2. Audit service for environmental sustainability
3. Certify plantation managers, supervisors and farm personnel
4. Develop standard agriculture operating procedures and manuals

Green Rai Agro works with our partners and customers to develop the healthiest crops and fullest yields from their plantation investment.  We employ an integrated agriculture and operations management approach to plantation development, providing support and expertise at each stage, from land identification to harvest management.  Our services include:

1. Consultation, inspection and evaluation of agriculture land sites
2. Identification and selection of planting materials, growing media
3. Planting fertilization
4. Requirements planning for machinery
5. Requirements planning for labor
6. Plant pruning and maintenance
7. Identification of intercropping potentials
8. Crop pest and disease management
9. Logistics planning and management
10. Harvest planning and management

Economic Benefits

1. In areas where Jatropha is planted on marginal lands, farmers generate a significant added income from the cultivation of Jatropha, which otherwise would have yielded little economic benefit.
2. Farmers are able to remove themselves from the debt-to-plant farming cycle that often means farmers must borrow (and take all the risk) against future earnings to plants their fields today.  Jatropha, which provides reliable yields for decades, help farmers generate long-term and reliable incomes.
3. Jatropha plantations are best harvested by hand, providing sustainable and much-needs jobs and long-term economic benefits to communities in developing nations.

Production Benefits

1. Jatropha is a moderately toxic plant, making it unsuitable for food production of any kind.  Thus, using Jatropha harvests for fuel does not decrease the amount of food supply in the food chain.  As long as lands are not converted from a good crop to cultivate Jatropha, the plant remains outside the food-for-fuel debate.
2. Jatropha helps to reclaim or develop marginal agriculture lands into productive, income-generating lands.
3. Jatropha trees fruit within 9 months, providing seeds for harvesting in a very quick time period.
4. Jatropha plantations generate more kg of oil in a per hectare basis than many plants harvested as a biofuel, including corn, soybean, sunflower, and rapeseed.
5. Jatropha seeds can be used to produce many useful by-products and value added products such as:  biodiesel and other biofuels, press cake, organic fertilizer, natural soaps, and pharmaceutical products.

Environmental

1. Jatropha is a carbon-friendly plant, with each tree removing an average of 250kg and 400kg of net carbon from the atmosphere over the lifespan of the tree, helping to reduce the effects of global warming.
2. Jatropha trees develop good root systems and can be grown on sloping lands, both of which help to reduce soil erosion.
3. Jatropha oil can be extracted from cold pressing equipment, meaning there are no chemical processes or wastewater generated from producing Jatropha crude oil or Jatropha press cake.

To develop and grow workable business models in the local communities in which we operate that help the environment, develop knowledge of sustainable practices, and provide livelihoods.

1. Safeguard Natural Resources

• We employ and encourage conservation agriculture to prevent soil erosion and land degradation.
• We protect wildlife habitat and biodiversity through an integrated ecosystems approach.
• We forbid the use of slash-and-burn farming practices to all farmers and agriculture workers.
• We encourage the use of natural ecosystem services.
• We promote good management of chemical substances, when there is no natural alternative to their use, through improved training, health and safety conditions for agricultural workers.

2. Share Knowledge

• We educate farmers and agricultural workers, including women, on crop and natural resource management.
• We will participate in the development of community-based knowledge centers.
• We establish open and transparent two-way information exchanges with farmers to share knowledge and expertise.

3. Build Local Access and Capacity

• We invest in bioenergy to contribute to energy security and to rural development.
• We help to provide rural access to microfinance services, such as to microcredit.
• We help to improve access to agricultural inputs, including mechanical tools, seeds, organic fertilizers, and crop protection materials.
• We help to co-ordinate multiple local actors to get information and supplies get into farmers’ hands.

4. Protect Harvests

• We help to build or secure local storage facilities and transportation needed for crop preservation and quality
• We localize the application of agronomic knowledge.
• We educate local farmers and communities on sustainable production needs and behaviors.

5. Enable Access to Markets

• We enter into contract agreements with farmers based on market pricing and information.
• We assist the development of fair trade through fair prices, fair responsibilities, and reduced speculation.
• We help to reduce market distortions to improve opportunities for all levels of agriculture participants.

6. Prioritize Research Initiatives

• We will conduct research into crop varieties needed to maximize yields.
• We help to improve productivity through the responsible use of science and technology.
• We participate in public-private research collaboration around integrated solutions.
• We investigate alternative uses for agriculture-based by-products along the value chain.

Effective training and knowledge are integral to creating the strong organizational structure needed for any endeavor to succeed.  Green Rai Agro assists our partners and customers to develop the skills and knowledge required from the farmers to the management to help everyone in the organization to be effective in their jobs.

Each day of training includes 6 hours of interactive lecture and/or on-site demonstration of practices and techniques.  Each training course contains education and practice materials, including PowerPoint presentations. 

Training courses include:

1.  Farmer Training Workshops
2.  Nursery Training Workshops
3.  Plantation Training Workshops
4.  Collection Center Training Workshops
5.  Management Training Workshops
6.  Carbon Credit Training Workshops
7.  Environmental Education and Training Seminars
 

Green Rai Agro will protect the environment and improve the lives of people through the development of sustainable business models designed around good agriculture practices that integrate economic, social and environmental sustainability and that are based on fairness and dignity to all our partners.

Green Rai Agro is an agriculture nursery, production and services company focused on developing sustainable energy and food solutions in the Southeast Asian market.

Green Rai works with like-minded organizations and individual farmers in selected planting areas to develop the Jatropha infrastructure required for sustainable operations.  Green Rai Agro has entered into production agreements with local oil expelling operations to minimize capital costs and guarantee the production of oil and related by-products from our plantations.

Our company is very much a philosophy-driven business intent on benefiting all critical stakeholders in the value chain, from the farmers and local communities to the end-product buyers to the investors who believe in our cooperative-shared benefit business model.  Green Rai’s agriculture policies center on good environmental and health practices such as (1) eliminating slash-and-burn farming, (2) eliminating the use of chemical fertilizers, and (3) restricting the use of chemical pesticides, among others.

Green Rai also works with third-party companies and organizations to develop programs for carbon credits relating to forestry or alternative energy production that support the continued development of projects that are good for the environment.

We are intent on working with individuals businesses, organizations, and government agencies to help Asian countries to shift their environmental, business and social practices to more sustainable and shared models that will benefit all nations and all people.

In May 2010, Green Rai Agro Team from Thailand flew to Mindanao in Philippines to share our experience about Jatropha with Filipino farmers by running four single day workshops about how to grow Jatropha in the most efficient and environmental ways.  We had more than 200 farmers join and enjoy with us. The content of the workshop covered information from site selection, farm maintenance, yield improvement and harvesting method.

In addition to the interactive activities in seminar room, farmers received hands-on training in the field to familiarize them with the sustainable agriculture approaches discussed in the workshops.

Our team was happy with the positive feedback and energy we received from the farmers and the courage that rose up from the farmers!  By the end of the workshop, we felt a real bond of trust and commitment.

Green Rai Agro Team really can’t wait to see more progress in Philippines as well as in the other parts of the Jatropha World!  ^_^

Continental Airlines

In January 2009, Continental became the first U.S. carrier to perform a two-engine aircraft flight demonstration using sustainable biofuels. Continental partnered with Boeing, GE Aviation’s CFM International and Honeywell’s UOP to select algae and jatropha as biofuel sources for the demonstration flight because those sources don’t compete with food crops, deplete water resources or contribute to deforestation.  No modifications to the aircraft or engine were necessary to use this “drop-in” fuel. 

“We are very encouraged by the results of our biofuel demonstration flight,” Raney said. “Demonstration flights of this nature have shown that alternative fuels are capable of performing well in aircraft, so now the next step is certification for commercial use. Results from Continental’s flight will help in that process.”
—Continental Airlines Press Release
April 22, 2010

General Motors

General Motors has entered into a three-way agreement with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and India’s Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute to develop jatropha as a biofuel energy crop. Depending on the commercial success of the crop as a biofuel, General Motors India, the US based carmaker’s subsidiary, will consider introducing biodiesel-capable vehicles in the market.

“The goal of the project is to demonstrate that jatropha, a plant traditionally considered a weed, can produce significant quantities of oil for commercial scale conversion to biodiesel,” General Motors India said in a statement.
—Economic Times India,
April 13, 2010

Boeing

“In related news, Boeing confirmed that it has commenced talks with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and ‘several Chinese universities’ about a potential development of low-carbon aviation biofuels. CCTV is reporting that near-term opportunities for collaboration between Boeing and China’s alternative energy industry could focus on jatropha development in Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou provinces and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.”
—Xinhua News Agency, China
September 13, 2009

New Zealand Airlines

New Zealand Airlines has three non-negotiable criteria that any sustainable fuel must meet for its program. “Firstly, it must be environmentally sustainable and not compete with existing food stocks. Secondly, the fuel must be at least as good as the product we use today. Finally, it should be significantly cheaper than existing fuel supplies and be readily available,” he said. “Jatropha satisfies all our criteria and furthermore it is likely to be available in the necessary commercial quantities to meet our needs within five years.”
—Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Rob Fyfe
December 30, 2008