A multi-stakeholder consultation organized by the ARAVALI and SPWD in December 2007 helped establish an actionable approach on wasteland allocation for biofuels plantation based on Water and Food and Nutrition Security Community discussion…

Biofuel plantations have proliferated across India, raising a gamut of concerns about plant species and use of wastelands for biofuels plantations. A query from Aravali, an NGO in Jaipur, on biofuel plantations generated a rich discussion, including recommendations on plant species, raising issues on the appropriateness of using land for biofuel production, outlining strategies to address concerns pertaining to biofuel promotion in India.

As a result the discussion, a face-to-face one day multi-stakeholder consultation was organized by Aravali and the Society for Promotion of Wastelands Development (SPWD) in Rajasthan on 21 December 2007 to help establish an actionable approach on wasteland allocation for biofuels plantation. Various stakeholders from NGOs, the State Bio-fuel Authority, and private companies attended the consultation. During the meeting, participants shared their views on the allocation of wasteland in Rajasthan for biofuel plantations, and the implications for the livelihoods of rural communities. (Press Clippings on the consultation "Allocation of Wastelands for Biofuel Plantations in Rajasthan" held in Jaipur on 21 December 2007 news clipping 1; news clipping 2 ; news clipping 3; news clipping 4 )