SITE-Karnataka

The SITE-Karnataka project is addressing research topics related to (i) the production of bioenergy and (ii) to land use change. The project is focussing on the state of Karnataka in South India. Part of the area includes the Western Ghats region, which has been identified as an important Biodiversity Hotspot. Primarily an agrarian economy, the area is experiencing sharp increases in pressures on environmental resources (land, soils, water) to meet rising food and energy demands.

Map Karnataka

Continuous land degradation has emerged as a grave environmental issue in the area. Bioenergy from non-food crops such as oilseeds is a major focus of alternative energy programmes aimed at energy generation and amelioration of marginal and degraded areas (=wastelands). The modelling approach aims at the spatial quantification of the potential of the oilseed, Jatropha, on wasteland parcels and analysis of the competition for limited land for food and/ or fuel production, dynamics caused by changing population, urbanisation trends, globalisation and climate as major drivers.

The project (2007-2010) is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and forms the framework for doctoral dissertation of Subhashree Das, supervised by Joerg Priess and Ralf Seppelt. Collaborations with Indian partners at various levels amplify the regional significance of the study.

Contact:

Joerg Priess

Funding

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Related Publications

Peer reviewed journals and book chapters:

  • 1. Das S. and Priess J.A., 2008.Local land use change impacts and opportunities- contributory case study on India, in Gallagher Review on the indirect effects of biofuel production, UK.
  • 2. Das S., Priess J.A., Schweitzer C., 2009. Biofuel Options for India- Perspectives on land availability, land management and land-use change, Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy, under review (11/2008)
  • 3. Das S., Priess J.A., 2009.Shedding some light on Karnataka’s blind date with Jatropha, (under review) Journal of Environmental Management (10/2009)

Other publications:

  • 4. Das S., Schweitzer C., Lapola D.M., Priess J.A., Simulated Potential Yields of Jatropha and Oil Production in Southern India, poster presented at Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges And Decisions, 10–12 March 2009, Copenhagen, Denmark