Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Rapid Composting and Vermiculture Training
PINE TREE wil be conducting a training on rapid decomposition using natural decomposers and vermiculture for VIRAC household heads on October 27-29. Emphasis will be given on century bugs like springheads, Isopods, colembola and Demaptera as decomposers and on the earthworm african night crawler. Lectures and demonstrations will be given by Dr. Bengwayan
Monday, September 28, 2009
Community-Supported Agricultural Training for OSYs Cut
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
The number of participants to the training course on "Alternative Organic Off-Season Vegetable Training" slated from October 4 to December 15 has been cut from 30 to just seven because funds intended for the said training has not been sourced. From the original applications of 62 to the accepted number of 30, only seven will be able to be supported accommodated to the training.
The Training Needs Assessment (TNA) earlier conducted shall be verified once more in light of the threats from the World Trade Organization that China's open importation to the Philippines is becoming more and more a reality. Sooner rather than later, local vegetables will have nowhere to go since these have no export capability (they are not globally competitive in terms of pesticide hazard safety).
The impending need to introduce homegardens, permaculture and alternative agric-ecology enterprises for farmers are becoming more real and demanding.
The Out of School Youth (OSY) participants are requested to see Mr. Emmanuel Aranas in preparation for the training course.
Again, our apologies to earlier OSYs who were ensured of the training slots. Note that we are doing are best to look for funds to sustain our training activities. We hope for your understanding and consideration.
Thank you once again.
Michael A. Bengwayan
The number of participants to the training course on "Alternative Organic Off-Season Vegetable Training" slated from October 4 to December 15 has been cut from 30 to just seven because funds intended for the said training has not been sourced. From the original applications of 62 to the accepted number of 30, only seven will be able to be supported accommodated to the training.
The Training Needs Assessment (TNA) earlier conducted shall be verified once more in light of the threats from the World Trade Organization that China's open importation to the Philippines is becoming more and more a reality. Sooner rather than later, local vegetables will have nowhere to go since these have no export capability (they are not globally competitive in terms of pesticide hazard safety).
The impending need to introduce homegardens, permaculture and alternative agric-ecology enterprises for farmers are becoming more real and demanding.
The Out of School Youth (OSY) participants are requested to see Mr. Emmanuel Aranas in preparation for the training course.
Again, our apologies to earlier OSYs who were ensured of the training slots. Note that we are doing are best to look for funds to sustain our training activities. We hope for your understanding and consideration.
Thank you once again.
Michael A. Bengwayan
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Responses to Readers' Questions
What is Apisang nuts and what makes it a viable source of alternative fuel?
The apisang or petroleum nut is an endemic tree in the Philippine growing mostly in mossy forests like that of Benguet. Its fruit has high contents of heptane e-pine and dihydroterpene whichg are components of gasoline and kerosene.
2.What are the uses of Apisang nuts as a traditional product?
It is used as a traditional medicine especially for stomachache, wounds, and joint pains.
3.What are the uses of Apisang nuts as a source of alternative energy?
It is used as cooking fuel for gas stove, lighting when put in petrol lamps, for drying crops like rice, corn, legumes, tobacco and for heating homes.
4.What is the best method of propagating Apisang nuts? Through use of seeds but there is a trick in doing it. It is described in the technoguide.e
5.How much is the initial investments in the propagation of Apisang nuts? A thousand pesos would b enough.
6.What is the percentage of fuel recovery in Apisang nuts when treated in fuel processing? When you use steam distillation you get 80 to 90 per cent of the oil.
7.How much is the probable income that can be generated in Apisang nuts production? I have not done a study on that but it would be financially gainful.
8.What is the rate of return of investments in Apisang nuts production? Perhaps about 400 %.
The apisang or petroleum nut is an endemic tree in the Philippine growing mostly in mossy forests like that of Benguet. Its fruit has high contents of heptane e-pine and dihydroterpene whichg are components of gasoline and kerosene.
2.What are the uses of Apisang nuts as a traditional product?
It is used as a traditional medicine especially for stomachache, wounds, and joint pains.
3.What are the uses of Apisang nuts as a source of alternative energy?
It is used as cooking fuel for gas stove, lighting when put in petrol lamps, for drying crops like rice, corn, legumes, tobacco and for heating homes.
4.What is the best method of propagating Apisang nuts? Through use of seeds but there is a trick in doing it. It is described in the technoguide.e
5.How much is the initial investments in the propagation of Apisang nuts? A thousand pesos would b enough.
6.What is the percentage of fuel recovery in Apisang nuts when treated in fuel processing? When you use steam distillation you get 80 to 90 per cent of the oil.
7.How much is the probable income that can be generated in Apisang nuts production? I have not done a study on that but it would be financially gainful.
8.What is the rate of return of investments in Apisang nuts production? Perhaps about 400 %.
Press Release
Farmers Planting Petroleum Nut At Mount Data National Park
By Emmanuel Aranas
Bauko, Mountain Province --- Farmers within the Mount Data National Park led by former Mountain Province governor Sario Malinias are planting thousands of petroleum nut (Pittosporum resineferum) trees within the national sanctuary.
They intend to reforest most of the 5,512 once mossy forest which has been laid bare by vegetable farming. Petroleum nut is endemic at Mount Data but it has been lost due to commercial vegetable farming.
They are being assisted by Dr. Michael A. Bengwayan who have worked in producing thousands of petroleum nut trees and have started extracting oil for biofuel from the tree. Dr. Bengwayan is the director of the Cordillera Ecological Education, Training, Research and Information Centre known as PINE TREE, a non-profit organization working against environmental decay and poverty.
According to ex gov. Malinias, many Bauko farmers received training from PINE TREE in an effort to plant petroleum nut to serve the energy needs of rural farmers in cooking, lighting, heating and drying.
He said they are preparing to attain a sustainable and efficient source of clean fuel for the future because fossil fuel such as diesel oil, kerosene and gasoline will soon be depleted and will turn very expensive.
The petroleum nut caught national attention when it was bared by Dr. Bengwayan to several newspapers and national television channels that it is the country’s most promising biofuel source.
Already, seedlings have been distributed to as far as Bicol, Zambales, and Bulacan. Besides Bauko, the Benguet town of Kapangan has planted the most seedlings that have been donated by PINE TREE.
The Japanese environmental group ENECON Japan has signified its interest to plant the tree and extract its oil. ENECON Supervisor Takashi Kato bared that he is asking ENECON top management in Japan to go into petroleum nut venture here in Benguet.
PINE TREE has already proven that the oil can be used for cooking using a gravity type kerosene stove and for lighting using a home-made peteol-lamp. This was demonstrated to GMA 7 television crew Kapuso that traveled all the way from Manila to film the project.
PINE TREE is engaged in fabricating lamps and stoves that will be used by rural homes utilizing petroleum nut oil as fuel with the assistance of the British-based Ashden Sustainable Energy Program/30
Farmers Planting Petroleum Nut At Mount Data National Park
By Emmanuel Aranas
Bauko, Mountain Province --- Farmers within the Mount Data National Park led by former Mountain Province governor Sario Malinias are planting thousands of petroleum nut (Pittosporum resineferum) trees within the national sanctuary.
They intend to reforest most of the 5,512 once mossy forest which has been laid bare by vegetable farming. Petroleum nut is endemic at Mount Data but it has been lost due to commercial vegetable farming.
They are being assisted by Dr. Michael A. Bengwayan who have worked in producing thousands of petroleum nut trees and have started extracting oil for biofuel from the tree. Dr. Bengwayan is the director of the Cordillera Ecological Education, Training, Research and Information Centre known as PINE TREE, a non-profit organization working against environmental decay and poverty.
According to ex gov. Malinias, many Bauko farmers received training from PINE TREE in an effort to plant petroleum nut to serve the energy needs of rural farmers in cooking, lighting, heating and drying.
He said they are preparing to attain a sustainable and efficient source of clean fuel for the future because fossil fuel such as diesel oil, kerosene and gasoline will soon be depleted and will turn very expensive.
The petroleum nut caught national attention when it was bared by Dr. Bengwayan to several newspapers and national television channels that it is the country’s most promising biofuel source.
Already, seedlings have been distributed to as far as Bicol, Zambales, and Bulacan. Besides Bauko, the Benguet town of Kapangan has planted the most seedlings that have been donated by PINE TREE.
The Japanese environmental group ENECON Japan has signified its interest to plant the tree and extract its oil. ENECON Supervisor Takashi Kato bared that he is asking ENECON top management in Japan to go into petroleum nut venture here in Benguet.
PINE TREE has already proven that the oil can be used for cooking using a gravity type kerosene stove and for lighting using a home-made peteol-lamp. This was demonstrated to GMA 7 television crew Kapuso that traveled all the way from Manila to film the project.
PINE TREE is engaged in fabricating lamps and stoves that will be used by rural homes utilizing petroleum nut oil as fuel with the assistance of the British-based Ashden Sustainable Energy Program/30
Growing Energy for Rural Development
Inquirer Northern Luzon
Growing fuel for rural dev’t
By Maurice Malanes
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inquirer Northern Luzon
First Posted 01:54:00 08/19/2009
Filed Under: Alternative energy, Environmental Issues, Forest and forest management
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Philippines—When environmental scientist Michael Bengwayan and his staff succeeded where government scientists had failed in propagating an upland petroleum-rich tree, he had in mind forsaken rural communities.
“Rural communities must learn to propagate this indigenous tree, extract its fuel and use it to spur their own development,” he says.
Bengwayan, executive director of the Pine Tree, a nongovernment ecological education, training, research and information center in La Trinidad, Benguet, was referring to the “petroleum nut” or resin cheesewood (Pittosporum resinferum).
The plant, which is native to the Cordillera and other upland areas in the Philippines and a few other countries such as China, has an octane rating of 54, compared to jatropha’s 41 to 43. Fossil fuel has an octane rating of 91.
Octane rating is a measure of the ability of a liquid motor fuel, such as gasoline, to prevent pre-ignition or knocking. Fuels with higher octane rating are less likely to cause knocking.
Fuel for countryside
Bengwayan and his technicians discovered how to extract oil from the petroleum nut fruit, which, they said, could be used for cooking, lighting and running simple machines and gadgets, such as water pumps and grinders.
For cooking, petroleum nut oil is not only more efficient and cheaper than firewood or charcoal. Three to five trees can yield about 15 liters of oil per harvest, and since harvest is twice a year, these amount to 30 liters, which a family can use for cooking for three to four months, says Bengwayan.
Fifteen to 20 trees can already supply a family’s year-round cooking fuel needs.
Three parts of petroleum nut oil, however, have to be blended with one part of kerosene if used for cooking.
Once it becomes popularized as cooking fuel, petroleum nut oil can free upland people from cutting trees for firewood or charcoal. This can help save and enable critical forests and watersheds to regenerate, Bengwayan says.
For lighting, two parts of petroleum nut oil can be mixed with one part of kerosene to fuel a Petromax lamp. But petroleum nut oil need not be blended with anything if used for a simple oil lamp.
As water pump fuel, petroleum nut oil can enable upland residents to draw water from lower elevations for irrigation or household use.
The possibilities that petroleum nut oil can do to propel rural industries are endless, says Bengwayan. Upland folk can use the tree oil for blacksmithing, food processing, milling grains, threshing rice and grinding reeds, grasses and weeds for compost, among other things.
With its higher octane, petroleum nut oil can also be tapped as alternative fuel for vehicles.
But Bengwayan is keen on propagating the plant for simple industries in neglected rural communities than promoting it as alternative fuel for vehicles, which only a few rural residents can afford.
This, he says, is in consonance with his organization’s mission of fighting poverty and environmental decay through scientific research and innovations.
Community control
But rural communities must secure and take control over this highly priced tree, which, Bengwayan says, is a rare species also under threat from biopirates.
For this to happen, they must learn the basics of propagating and planting the tree through seed-banking, extracting the oil and finally documenting these, he says.
“Documenting the tree’s traditional and new uses is the communities’ means of protection against outsiders who may attempt to patent its properties and uses,” he says.
Under patent rules, applicants can only seek patents for those that are new. So outsiders cannot patent uses or properties which communities have already discovered and documented.
Bengwayan says the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) can help communities protect their endemic resources through documentation before “biopirates” come in.
The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act and Article 8(j) of the United Nations Convention of Biological Diversity protect traditional knowledge against those who seek to steal the resources of indigenous communities and its accompanying traditional uses.
As a rare species, petroleum nut is best propagated through seeds.
The Forest Research Institute of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has succeeded in propagating petroleum nut through cutting, using tissue culture.
But Bengwayan discourages this because taking the branches of the few remaining petroleum nut trees in the forests for tissue-culture will all the more lead to their extinction.
He says the best way is to propagate the oil tree through seeds and bring back the seedlings to the forests.
Propagating the seeds, however, is challenging and it requires patience. Bengwayan and his technicians almost gave up in their experiment of propagating oil tree through seeds in 2005.
But just as when they almost lost their patience, the petroleum nut seeds they sowed began to germinate after almost three months. “We found out the seed of this tree had a long dormancy (temporary cessation of growth or metabolism),” he says.
They lost no time in propagating petroleum nut seeds starting 2006, securing these in nurseries.
They have since propagated more than 30,000 seedlings, which they have scheduled to give to some 23 farmers in the upland towns of Kibungan and Kapangan in Benguet. These will be planted during the rainy season.
Growing fuel for rural dev’t
By Maurice Malanes
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inquirer Northern Luzon
First Posted 01:54:00 08/19/2009
Filed Under: Alternative energy, Environmental Issues, Forest and forest management
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Philippines—When environmental scientist Michael Bengwayan and his staff succeeded where government scientists had failed in propagating an upland petroleum-rich tree, he had in mind forsaken rural communities.
“Rural communities must learn to propagate this indigenous tree, extract its fuel and use it to spur their own development,” he says.
Bengwayan, executive director of the Pine Tree, a nongovernment ecological education, training, research and information center in La Trinidad, Benguet, was referring to the “petroleum nut” or resin cheesewood (Pittosporum resinferum).
The plant, which is native to the Cordillera and other upland areas in the Philippines and a few other countries such as China, has an octane rating of 54, compared to jatropha’s 41 to 43. Fossil fuel has an octane rating of 91.
Octane rating is a measure of the ability of a liquid motor fuel, such as gasoline, to prevent pre-ignition or knocking. Fuels with higher octane rating are less likely to cause knocking.
Fuel for countryside
Bengwayan and his technicians discovered how to extract oil from the petroleum nut fruit, which, they said, could be used for cooking, lighting and running simple machines and gadgets, such as water pumps and grinders.
For cooking, petroleum nut oil is not only more efficient and cheaper than firewood or charcoal. Three to five trees can yield about 15 liters of oil per harvest, and since harvest is twice a year, these amount to 30 liters, which a family can use for cooking for three to four months, says Bengwayan.
Fifteen to 20 trees can already supply a family’s year-round cooking fuel needs.
Three parts of petroleum nut oil, however, have to be blended with one part of kerosene if used for cooking.
Once it becomes popularized as cooking fuel, petroleum nut oil can free upland people from cutting trees for firewood or charcoal. This can help save and enable critical forests and watersheds to regenerate, Bengwayan says.
For lighting, two parts of petroleum nut oil can be mixed with one part of kerosene to fuel a Petromax lamp. But petroleum nut oil need not be blended with anything if used for a simple oil lamp.
As water pump fuel, petroleum nut oil can enable upland residents to draw water from lower elevations for irrigation or household use.
The possibilities that petroleum nut oil can do to propel rural industries are endless, says Bengwayan. Upland folk can use the tree oil for blacksmithing, food processing, milling grains, threshing rice and grinding reeds, grasses and weeds for compost, among other things.
With its higher octane, petroleum nut oil can also be tapped as alternative fuel for vehicles.
But Bengwayan is keen on propagating the plant for simple industries in neglected rural communities than promoting it as alternative fuel for vehicles, which only a few rural residents can afford.
This, he says, is in consonance with his organization’s mission of fighting poverty and environmental decay through scientific research and innovations.
Community control
But rural communities must secure and take control over this highly priced tree, which, Bengwayan says, is a rare species also under threat from biopirates.
For this to happen, they must learn the basics of propagating and planting the tree through seed-banking, extracting the oil and finally documenting these, he says.
“Documenting the tree’s traditional and new uses is the communities’ means of protection against outsiders who may attempt to patent its properties and uses,” he says.
Under patent rules, applicants can only seek patents for those that are new. So outsiders cannot patent uses or properties which communities have already discovered and documented.
Bengwayan says the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) can help communities protect their endemic resources through documentation before “biopirates” come in.
The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act and Article 8(j) of the United Nations Convention of Biological Diversity protect traditional knowledge against those who seek to steal the resources of indigenous communities and its accompanying traditional uses.
As a rare species, petroleum nut is best propagated through seeds.
The Forest Research Institute of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has succeeded in propagating petroleum nut through cutting, using tissue culture.
But Bengwayan discourages this because taking the branches of the few remaining petroleum nut trees in the forests for tissue-culture will all the more lead to their extinction.
He says the best way is to propagate the oil tree through seeds and bring back the seedlings to the forests.
Propagating the seeds, however, is challenging and it requires patience. Bengwayan and his technicians almost gave up in their experiment of propagating oil tree through seeds in 2005.
But just as when they almost lost their patience, the petroleum nut seeds they sowed began to germinate after almost three months. “We found out the seed of this tree had a long dormancy (temporary cessation of growth or metabolism),” he says.
They lost no time in propagating petroleum nut seeds starting 2006, securing these in nurseries.
They have since propagated more than 30,000 seedlings, which they have scheduled to give to some 23 farmers in the upland towns of Kibungan and Kapangan in Benguet. These will be planted during the rainy season.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Updates on Petroleum Nut
To all who wrote asking for info on petroleum nut. Please bear with me. I am on travel, I will put up all the updates September 24 Thursday tomorrow. menawhile for the facts I can recall in our technoguide. those asking how much oil would be produced: For every 15 kg of ripe fruits, 40 cl of expelled oil can be extracted. Some 400 liters can be harvested from a fully grown tree every year. This can be used directly as lighting fuel in petrolam. To use it for cooking in kerosene stove, it can be mixed with kerosene at a ratio of 3:1 (petroleum oil:kerosene). If you let it undergo isoterification process, try several blending fuels. Someone asked if you have to mix hexane, the oil from, the fruit is hexane itself.
There are five varieties discovered. Seeds from each fruit range from 5 to 21. You get the oil from the fruit not the seeds, thus, you get more oil rather than plantintg Jatropha curcas. the octane rating of the oil is 54 much higher than Jatropha which is only 43.
There are five varieties discovered. Seeds from each fruit range from 5 to 21. You get the oil from the fruit not the seeds, thus, you get more oil rather than plantintg Jatropha curcas. the octane rating of the oil is 54 much higher than Jatropha which is only 43.
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