National Academies Press: OpenBook

Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems (1992)

Chapter: Front Matter

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×

NEEM

A Tree For Solving Global Problems

Report of an Ad Hoc Panel of the Board on Science and Technology for International Development National Research Council

NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
Washington, D.C. 1992

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competence and with regard for appropriate balance.

This report has been reviewed by a group other than the authors according to procedures approved by a Report Review Committee consisting of members of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Frank Press is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Robert M. White is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Stuart Bonderant is acting president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Frank Press and Dr. Robert M. White are chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council.

The Board on Science and Technology for International Development (BOSTID) of the Office of International Affairs addresses a range of issues arising from the ways in which science and technology in developing countries can stimulate and complement the complex processes of social and economic development. It oversees a broad program of bilateral workshops with scientific organizations in developing countries and conducts special studies. BOSTID's Advisory Committee on Technology Innovation publishes topical reviews of technical processes and biological resources of potential importance to developing countries.

This report has been prepared by an ad hoc advisory panel of the Advisory Committee on Technology Innovation, Board on Science and Technology for International Development, Office of International Affairs, National Research Council. Staff support was funded by the Office of the Science Advisor, Agency for International Development, under Grant No. DAN-5538-G-00-1023-00, Amendments 27 and 29.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 91-68332

ISBN 0-309-04686-6

S527

Second printing1993

Third printing, 1998

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×

PANEL ON NEEM

EUGENE B. SHULTZ, JR.,

School of Engineering and Applied Science, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA,

Chairman

DEEPAK BHATNAGAR,

Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

MARTIN JACOBSON,

U.S. Department of Agriculture

(retired),

Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

ROBERT L. METCALF,

Department of Entomology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA

RAMESH C. SAXENA,

International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya

DAVID UNANDER,

Division of Population Science, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

NOEL D. VIETMEYER, Senior Program Officer,

Board on Science and Technology for International Development,

Neem Study Director and Scientific Editor

STAFF

F. R. RUSKIN, BOSTID Editor

ELIZABETH MOUZON, Senior Secretary

BRENT SIMPSON, MUCIA Intern

JOHN HURLEY, Director (until November 1991)

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×

CONTRIBUTORS

SALEEM AHMED,

East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

K.R.S. ASCHER,

Department of Toxicology, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel

EDWARD S. AYENSU,

Pan-African Union for Science and Technology, Accra, Ghana

MICHAEL D. BENGE,

U.S. Agency for International Development, Washington, D.C., USA

BARUCH S. BLUMBERG,

Division of Population Science, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

JEAN GORSE,

Paris, France

JEFFREY GRITZNER,

Public Policy Research Institute, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA

BRUCE HARRISON,

Board on Science and Technology for International Development, Washington, D.C., USA

MURRAY B. ISMAN,

Department of Plant Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

C.M. KETKAR,

Neem Mission, Maharashtra, India

T.N. KHOSHOO,

Tata Energy Research Institute, New Delhi, India

JIM KLOCKE,

ISK Mountain View Research Center, Sunnyvale, California, USA (deceased)

HIRAM LAREW,

U.S. Agency for International Development, Washington, D.C., USA

ROBERT O. LARSON,

Vikwood Botanicals, Inc., Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA

DAVID PLUYMERS,

College of Engineering and Applied Science, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

MARTIN PRICE, ECHO,

North Fort Myers, Florida, USA

STANISLAW RADWANSKI,

Paris, France

HEINZ REMBOLD,

Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, D-8033 Martinsried bei München, Germany

HEINRICH SCHMUTTERER,

Institut für Phytopathologie und Angewandte Zoologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Giessen, Germany

PETER P. STRZOK,

Agency to Facilitate the Growth of Rural Organizations, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

JAMES F. WALTER,

W.R. Grace and Company-Conn., Columbia, Maryland, USA

DAVID WARTHEN,

Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland, USA

GERALD E. WICKENS,

Hampton Hill, Middlesex, England

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×

Preface

Neem is a fascinating tree. On the one hand, it seems to be one of the most promising of all plants and may eventually benefit every person on the planet. Probably no other yields as many strange and varied products or has as many exploitable by-products. Indeed, as foreseen by some scientists, this plant may usher in a new era in pest control, provide millions with inexpensive medicines, cut down the rate of human population growth, and perhaps even reduce erosion, deforestation, and the excessive temperature of an overheated globe.

On the other hand, that all remains only a vague promise. Although the enthusiasm may be justified, it is largely founded on empirical or anecdotal evidence. Our purpose here is to marshal the various facts about this little-known species, to help illuminate its future promise, and to speed realization of its potential.

The report has been produced particularly for nonspecialists such as government ministers, research directors, university students, private voluntary organizations, and entrepreneurs. It is intended as an economic development document, not a scientific monograph. We hope it will be of interest, especially to agencies engaged in development assistance and food relief; officials and institutions concerned with agriculture and forestry in tropical countries; and scientific establishments with relevant interests.

This study is a project of the Board on Science and Technology for International Development (BOSTID), a division of the National Research Council. It is one in a series of reports prepared under BOSTID's program on technology innovation. Established in 1970, this program evaluates unconventional scientific and technological advances with particular promise for solving problems of developing countries. This report continues a subseries of reports describing promising tree resources that heretofore have been neglected or overlooked. Other titles include:

  • Leucaena: Promising Forage and Tree Crop in Developing Countries (1984)

  • Mangium and Other Fast-Growing Acacias for the Humid Tropics (1983)

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×
  • Calliandra: A Versatile Small Tree for the Humid Tropics (1983)

  • Casuarinas: Nitrogen-Fixing Trees for Adverse Sites (1983)

  • Firewood Crops: Shrub and Tree Species for Energy Production, Volumes I and II (1980 and 1983, respectively)

  • Sowing Forests from the Air (1981).

Funds for this project were made available by the Agency for International Development (AID). Specifically, they were contributed by AID's Office of Forestry, Environment, and Natural Resources.

How to cite this report:

National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree For Solving Global Problems. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×
Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×

Art Credits

Page

 

9

Reproduced with permission from 1988 Focus on Phytochemical Pesticides: Volume 1, the Neem Tree, M. Jacobson, ed. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Florida, USA.

24

Peggy K. Duke

Cover Design

David Bennett

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×

Foreword

The people of India have long revered the neem tree (Azadirachta indica). For centuries, millions have cleaned their teeth with neem twigs, smeared skin disorders with neem-leaf juice, taken neem tea as a tonic, and placed neem leaves in their beds, books, grain bins, cupboards, and closets to keep away troublesome bugs. The tree has relieved so many different pains, fevers, infections, and other complaints that it has been called "the village pharmacy."

To those millions in India neem has miraculous powers, and now scientists around the world are beginning to think they may be right. Two decades of research have revealed promising results in so many disciplines that this obscure species may be of enormous benefit to countries both poor and rich. Even some of the most cautious researchers are saying that "neem deserves to be called a wonder plant."

In particular, neem may be the harbinger of a new generation of "soft" pesticides that will allow people to protect crops in benign ways.

Although apparently justified by the evidence, the rising enthusiasm is based largely on exploratory investigations rather than controlled experiments or the widespread use of neem products in modern practice. The results have seldom, if ever, been subjected to the rigors of independent evaluation or use. Once that happens, everything may change.

Despite all the uncertainties, however, the possibilities are indeed intriguing. The following chapter, a composite of the visions of various researchers involved with neem, shows why.

Noel Vietmeyer

Study Director

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×
This page in the original is blank.
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×
Page R1
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×
Page R2
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×
Page R3
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×
Page R4
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×
Page R5
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×
Page R6
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×
Page R7
Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×
Page R8
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×
Page R9
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1992. Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1924.
×
Page R10
Next: 1 The Vision »
Neem: A Tree for Solving Global Problems Get This Book
×
Buy Paperback | $50.00
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

The neem tree, one of the most promising of all plants, may eventually benefit every person on the planet. Probably no other plant yields as many varied products or has as many exploitable by-products. Indeed, as foreseen by some scientists, this tree may usher in a new era in pest control; provide millions with inexpensive medicines; cut the rate of population growth; and perhaps even reduce erosion, deforestation, and the excessive temperature of an overheated globe.

On the other hand, although the enthusiasm may be justified, it is largely founded on exploratory investigations and empirical and anecdotal evidence. The purpose of this book is to marshal the various facts about this little-known species, to help illuminate its future promise, and to speed realization of its potential.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    Switch between the Original Pages, where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  9. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!