Jatropha curcas is known in Madagascar under the name 

"valavelona", which means: "living hedge" 

and grows everywhere on the island

A systematic exploitation of the plant is beginning!

Jatropha mahafaliensis, an indigenous plant with the same properties like J. curcas, but with a different look. It only exists in the south of the island, near Toliara

The naked hills of the counry give a good opportunity for large scale Jatropha oil production accompanied with anti erosion measures.

In a small extend Jatropha is already used as an anti-erosive hedge in the valley of Soavina, west of Fianarantsoa.

A Jatropha plantation of  C3 underneath a coconut plantation in the north of the island (between Sambava and Antalaha). The Jatropha plants from cuttings are 6 months old.

South of Fianantsoa Jatropha oil is produced traditionnally forhaircosmetics. This is a very time and energy consuming process: 12 hours of work instaed of 1 hour with the handpress.

This Bielenberg Ram Press, adapted to the extraction of Jatropha seeds, is now produced by different workshops in Antsirabe and Fianarantsoa in Madagascar.

Sambava is the city in the middle of millions of Jatropha trees (as support of vanilla plants). Consequently there is a bar with the name "Jatropha".

A vanilla plantation with Jatropha as support plant. Jatropha is not optimised for seed production.

A vanilla plant with Jatropha as support plant in Andapa (ANGAP).

Besides the vanilla plantations there is a big amount of Jatropha plants as living fences or just as ornamental plants around houses.  These are not maintained in a way to get maximum amount of seeds.

Jatropha activities in Madagascar