An Introduction to Vetiver Grass and its Uses

The central component of The Vetiver System is Vetiver Grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides), a sterile, non-invasive tropical bunchgrass. It is used throughout the tropics in a wide-range of applications including erosion control, degraded land remediation, soil conservation and runoff retention, remediation of polluted land and water bodies, in constructed wetland sanitation systems, for supplemental fodder, as thatch, for many handicrafts, for biofuel, and as a source of expensive essential oil. Vetiver Grass is a safe and valuable addition to any smallholder farm or agroforestry system as well as for those working in infrastructure.