You can strike oil right in your green backyard

If you are a farmer growing neem trees on the fence of your farm, here’s some information that can help you earn a few extra bucks. In June, when the tree is laden with fruit, the seed within can be used to extract neem oil. Of course, the oil is full of goodness.

Let’s say a kilo of neem seeds fetches you Rs10. A tree may give anywhere between 5-10 kg of these seeds that would easily fetch you Rs50. The amount may be small, but for a farmer who, probably, gets a lumpsum once a year, this amount does make a difference.

There are ways to add value to this resource and bring in more money, says BK Gowda, professor, department of forestry and environmental sciences, UAS, GKVK, who is also project co-ordinator, Biofuel Park. His team is working on a model to enhance local resources that can generate a regular income for farmers. But, beyond that, their goal is to create a community that can take care of its energy needs. And surprisingly, seeds play an important role.

“The beauty of this programme is that it does not involve any initial investment. Moreover, it is their line of work, so no additional skills are required,” says Gowda. Farmers can collect seeds and extract oil and sell. “It fetches them more money. A litre of oil can be sold, let’s say at Rs32 (minimum price). For that, they need an oil-extracting machine.” But, to make the model beneficial there is a need to have co-operatives that can buy an oil extractor for the farmers to use.

Comparing this model to the one that milk co-operatives use, Gowda says: “These cooperatives act as collection centres. We want a similar model for seed oil collection, this will help farmers get a uniform price.”

“Participating in the bio-fuel programme does not make farmers rich,” he says. “This programme wants to help enhance local resources that can be used by the farmer community.” The farmers can keep busy most of the year. “We encourage them to grow different trees like pongemia, neem, mahua, simarouba — each has a two-month flowering period. If there are diverse trees, the farmer can sell different oil.”

There are multiple benefits to the activity. “Farmers are kept busy even during lean periods, they get a sustained income, even if it is only Rs100. Oil cake, which is a by-product of the oil-extraction process can be used, after treatment, partially as cattle feed and manure.” The farmer can replenish his farm through the leaf litter and oil cake, thereby decreasing his dependence on fertilisers.

Hence, his cost comes down and cattle get nutritious feed. Also, there is a give and take. “As the land gives, it also gets back,” says Gowda.

“This is a de-centralised process. Instead of selling seeds or sending it 500 km away for oil extraction, it can be done at the taluk level within a radius of 30-40 km, thus lowering transportation cost,” he says.

There is a good demand for oils. They are used by the tanning industry, soap industry as well as in pesticides. Hence, an entire ecosystem can be created. Employment can be generated at the grassroot level. However, the professor and his team are focusing on the first level, “We are encouraging farmers to grow these trees. Urbanisation is eating into forests resources; there is a need to replenish the forest cover.”