Transcript Land-cover and vegetation changes in the semi

Pathways for the Provision of BioEnergy in Sub-Saharan Africa:
The COMPETE Project
Charles B.L. Jumbe, PhD
University of Malawi,
Bunda College,
P.O. Box 219, Lilongwe
MALAWI
Presented at the FANRPAN
Partners Meeting on 20 June 2008
at Kempton Park Conference
Centre, South Africa
Outline
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Background
The COMPETE Project
Project set-up
Project Outputs to-date
Main policy issues from
findings on policy reviews
• What next beyond the
COMPETE Project?
Background
Dependence on fossil fuels and the
increasing fuel prices has forced
countries to seek alternative fuel
sources.
If properly designed, biofuels
•can substantially help countries to
reduce their fuel import bill
•stimulate rural development by using
biofuels for electricity generation
•enhance rural incomes through small-scale
feedstock production, processing and
marketing (employment generation)
Background
BUT if not properly regulated, it may
• lead to diversion of scarce natural
resources (land, water) from food to
bioenergy production
• damage livelihood/increase poverty
especially among rural people who may not
afford high food prices
• encourage large-scale expansion of biofuels
that could push subsistence farmers & rural
forest dwellers off.
• facilitate forest degradation & loss of
biodiversity through the clearing of forests
for the growing of energy crops
The Compete Project
The objectives of the project are
• to establish a platform for policy
dialogue & capacity building
• to identify pathways for the
sustainable provision of bioenergy
• to enhance the exchange of
knowledge on biofuels development
Project Set-up
WP1 - Current Land Use Patterns
WP2 –Improved Land Use
WP3 –Sustainability Analysis of
Alternative Land Use
WP4 –South-South and North-South
Cooperation
WP5 –Financing of Alternative Land
Use and International Trade
WP6 –Policy Development(FARNPAN)
WP7 –Dissemination: Concept and
Set-up of a Competence Platform
The Role of FANRPAN
• To coordinate policy research
• To develop & evaluate policy
initiatives for bioenergy development
in Africa
• To develop a roadmap for policy
research
• To provide policy recommendations
on how to harness the potential of
biofuels without damaging rural
livelihoods and the ecosystem
Main Findings
• Africa has a high comparative
advantage in biofuels due to
favourable climate, availability of land
and biomass, as well as labour for
growing energy crops
• Regional economic groupings in
Africa such as SADC, COMESA and
the AU do not have a coherent
regional policy for the biofuels
• The lack of a coherent policy
framework on biofuels puts rural
communities at risk
Main Findings
• Few resources are allocated for
biofuels research & technology
development in SSA
• Developed countries such as USA,
and Europe provide tax incentives to
producers and consumers that makes
biofuels in Africa less competitive
• BUT,
evidence from Tanzania and Mali
shows that bioenergy can be used as
a tool for stimulating rural
development and restoration of
degraded lands
Key Messages
• Food security, particularly in the rural
context, is likely to be threatened by
unregulated expansion of biofuels
• Range of complementary strategies
are required to create opportunities
for rural communities to diversify
their local livelihood strategies
• Agronomic & socioeconomic
research is urgently needed in Africa
to develop technical solutions to bioenergy production & stimulate
synergies with food production
• Biofuels policies should be properly
designed to ensure that they do not
compromise food security
FANRPAN`S Niche
As biofuels are expanding rapidly in Africa,
FANRPAN should be in the forefront:
• RESEARCH- To support rigorous
research & analysis to provide evidencebased responses to biofuel development
– Better understand the direct and indirect
impacts of bioenergy development on
production systems.
– Assess technical and policy options for both
reducing the deleterious impacts and
enhancing any benefits of biofuels
development
FANRPAN`S Niche
• CAPACITY (POLICY ADVOCACY &
DIALOGUE)-To provide guidance to
governments on biofuels policy &
guidelines that safeguard rural
communities and the environment
• VOICE-To sensitize politicians & civil
society on the potential benefits as well
as dangers of unregulated biofuels
expansion
THANK YOU
FOR
YOUR ATTENTION