Jatropha as a biofuel crop and the economy of appearances: experiences from Kenya

<italic>Jatropha curcas</italic>, an oilseed shrub, raised hopes that it could produce biofuel in a 'sustainable' manner, though early results fell short of these expectations. Drawing on field research from 2009, this paper examines the political economy of jatropha in Kenya using Tsing's 'economy of appearances' concept. Tsing's observation that start-up enterprises perpetuate 'myth' and 'spectacle' to build momentum fits patterns observed in this case. Jatropha's promoters reinforced an optimistic discourse, defended it against dissent and linked jatropha to global, national and local goals. However, the emergence of stronger critiques raises questions about how long its positive appearances can be maintained.