ODAKA, Wastelands for Energy

The momentum for biosaline agro-forestry in India seems to be growing. Therefore a demonstration project showing how the production of biomass on saline wastelands and with brackish water resources can create income for farmers, produce wood for fuel and generate electricity for the grid. Doing all this without using existing agricultural land or fresh water resources.

Parallel to the BIOSAFOR research project the possibility to develop a Biosaline Agroforestry Demonstration project in India is investigated.

This plan may be seen in the light of the following developments:
1. On the one hand India is coping with continuous and growing salinity and sodicity problems. A development that goes hand in hand with a lack of fresh water for agricultural developments, a lack of fuel for domestic use as forestry has been reduced dramatically in many countryside regions and a general lack of electricity especially in the countryside but also in urban areas.
2. On the other hand, new possibilities for the regeneration of marginal lands and marginal water resources are taking shape by the worldwide booming demand for renewable energy provided by biomass. Biomass that should NOT compete for good agricultural land with food production neither should it destroy our last pristine rainforests.

Members of CSSRI, OASE and DA discuss salinity problems on a potential site in Haryana