Resumen

VALERO PADILLA, Jessica; CORTINA VILLAR, Héctor Sergio  y  VELA COIFFIER, Martha Patricia. The project of biofuels in Chiapas: Experiences of physic nut (Jatropha curcas) farmers within the rural crisis framework. Estud. soc [online]. 2011, vol.19, n.38, pp.119-144. ISSN 0188-4557.

To face the rural and energetic crisis, Chiapas State government promoted physic nut (Jatropha curcas) plantations for biodiesel production. We analyzed the project acceptance by five towns in rural Chiapas and described its first results. Then, we explain the results considering the rural crisis in Mexico. We applied 121 interviews to household heads and this information was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The small farmers accepted to participate in the project to improve their economic condition; however, the development of the plantations was much inferior with regard to the expected results. The main causes of this failure were institutional instability, lacking of scientific research support, incomplete information offered to farmers about technical know-how and marketing , as well as the delayed and incomplete subsidy delivered to them. We conclude that this biodiesel production will not reach a successful stage, unless it is backed by scientific research support, farmers obtain a suitable financing scheme and government offers information and specialized technical assistance to them. The lacking of these elements prevents farmers from continuing with the project, which resulted in the abandonment of plantations.

Palabras llave : structural adjust; biofuels; energetic crisis; rural development; economy farmer.