IMPLICATIONS OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND CHANGE ON OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF BIO FUEL PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION IN SUB SAHARAN AFRICA Biomass energy and Biofuels: challenges and opportunities for food security Fourth conference on climate change and Development in Africa October 8-10, 2014; Ryad Mogador Agdal, Marrakech, Morocco Oeba, O. Vincent., Yemshaw K. Yonas., Larwanou Mahamane., Chirwa W. Paxie., Kowero Godwin., Yila, J. v.oeba@cgiar.org or vongusoeba@gmail.com African Forest Forum (AFF) P.O. Box 30677-00100 Nairobi, Kenya Website: www.afforum.org
INTRODUCTION Biomass energy has remained major source of cooking & heating in Sub Saharan Africa. It is considered as main driver of land use change & GHG in Africa due to unsustainable utilization resulting to deforestation & land degradation.
Climate Change Phenomena
Use of Biofuels and Food security The promotion of different forms of biofuel is therefore viewed as a measure of moving towards clean energy because its carbon neutrality and the potential for climate change mitigation. Therefore, a lot of interest to invest in large and small scale bio fuel industry has been created due its varied advantages
However, some concerns have been raised at the same time on trade offs and risk promotion of biofuels could generate. What are these trade offs?
How agricultural sector could meet the biofuel demand without compromising food security? How biofuels production could effectively mitigate climate change? How is increase in bio fuel demand could result increase on land use competition between food and fuel crops causing tenure insecurity among smallholder farmers? How bio fuel development can affect food security, energy needs and employment opportunities for the poor rural people?
Objective of the study
In order to address identified trade offs, an assessment was undertaken to evaluate linkage between biofuel, food and fibre in terms of their production and utilization as it relates to climate variability and change in Sub Saharan Africa
METHODOLOGY
Study approaches Employed desk review and participatory research approaches to gather data and information on bio fuels from 25 Sub Saharan African countries. Countries stratified according to: Southern Africa sub region Eastern Africa sub region West Africa and Sahel Central Africa sub region.
Selected countries
Methods of analyses The content analysis framework and triangulation was used to generate key themes in bio fuel enterprise and climate change and variability across the sub regions in Sub Saharan Africa
KEY RESULTS
Bio fuel production Many of these countries have initiated and contracted international companies for bio fuel production, which is at different stages of development, from raw material production to processing. Sugar cane and Jatropha are common feedstocks for bio ethanol and bio diesel, respectively in all studied countries.
Region specific fuel crops Sweet sorghum, castor and croton in Eastern and Southern Africa Cassava, oil palm, soy beans and sun flower are among preferred in West and Central Africa.
Current and Projected Production levels of biofuels in Sub Saharan Africa
Production levels: Central Africa Production of bio ethanol from sugar
Projected production & consumption in Central Africa
Production of biofuels Southern Africa Land requirements for a 12 million litre per year capacity plant Feedstock Low potential High potential Yield, t/ha Land required, ha Yield, t/ha Land required, ha Sugarcane 115 10 400 Sweet 35 6 234 50 4 400 sorghum Jatropha 1 40 000 3 13 400
Example of Madagascar
Land needs for primary production of biofuel A large amount of land has been secured for bio fuel feedstock production in some countries since 2005. e.g 600 000 ha in Zambia; and 500 000 ha in Mozambique
Contribution of energy balance by biofuels in EA states Uganda Tanzani a Kenya Burundi Ethiopia Rwanda Biofuel 92 91 69 96 92 86 Petroleu m 7 7 22 2.5 7 11 Electricity 1 2 9 1.5 1 3
Projected Global demands and its implication on biofuel production in SSA
Global demands for biofuel Predictions are that global demand for biofuels will hit 172 billion litres by 2020, up from 81 billion litres in 2008. At current production levels, this implies an additional 40 million hectares of land would have to be converted to growing crops for biofuel.
Global demands for biofuel The US, the EU and Brazil account for 80 % of global biofuels consumption, and this is not predicted to change anytime soon. US consumed 772 million gallons of biodiesel in 2011 compared to 229 million gallons in 2010. EU, its total production for 2010 was about 3 billion gallons
Of the three, the EU is the only one that relies heavily on imports, both for feedstock (the crops used for biofuels production) and for food to replace crops diverted to biofuels production
Implication of production of biofuel on food security in SSA
Implication of production of biofuel on food security Competition between food production and land for commercial production of bio fuels. If no attention is paid to the appropriate management of allocation of land for biofuel production, in the short to medium term (next 5 to 10 years), an imbalance of available land for fuel, food and fibre would gradually increase, making it difficult to address in the long run.
First generation biofuels production could create and intensify tensions with indigenous and local population due to problems arisen from land grabbing and local food production
Implication of production of biofuel on climate variability and change
Implication of production of biofuel on climate variability and change Competition between food production, primary forest protection and land for commercial production of bio fuels has encouraged encroachment on uncultivated land, and especially woodlands and other forests leading to deforestation, loss of biodiversity and land degradation, hence more emission of GHG
Opportunities created by 1 st generation of biofuel industry in SSA
Opportunities created by 1 st generation of biofuel industry Creation of jobs for the growing population Reduction of GHG emissions Opened new markets for agricultural crop surpluses Enhanced economic development of the rural communities
Key Challenges facing biofuel industry in SSA
Key Challenges facing biofuel industry in SSA Inadequate attention for sustainable raw material production Lack of processing facilities and, where they are available, are in some cases underdeveloped How to reconcile many, often conflicting policies and regulations from sectors linked to biofuel
Key challenges contd.. Limited blending with fossil fuels Inadequate technical support to the rural communities who supply raw material
Conclusion and Key Recommendations
Conclusion The cultivation of bio fuel feedstocks requires substantial amounts of land There is evidence of growing demand of biofuel production The biofuel companies from West/North and Asia have increased investments on biofuel production in SSA
Conclusion contd.. Bio fuel investments should be about increasing returns to investment, reducing GHG emissions and facilitating socio economic development while minimizing any potential adverse impacts on people and the environment There is limited reliable data on production and utilization of biofuels in SSA
Key Recommendations There is a need to look at the various policies, regulations and institutional frameworks that support the development of bio fuel industry, with a view of developing a harmonized approach to guide this industry taking into consideration environment and human health. E.g Following this institutional vacuum, foreign operators seize business opportunities on biofuels demand trend around the world, to grab land in poor countries for so call food supply and biofuels production Good example of biofuel policy in Malaysia
Further research is needed especially on lesser known feedstocks, and the ecological requirements to improve raw material production, as well as investing in their further processing [invest in technology]; not overlooking how biofuel production competes with other land uses. There is a need to develop legally organized sustainable productions and marketing systems for firewood and charcoal
Support development of an implementation strategy to expand effective community participation in the governance of forest areas Invest on production of 2 nd generation biofuels that leans on biomass waste, and ligno cellulosic matters from household waste, urban waste, forest industries and wood processing waste to minimize competition with agricultural production and nutrition
Thank you