Biofuel production in Subsaharan Africa
This research project was part of a larger inter-disciplinary inter-institutional research project that addresses the question to which extent biofuels can be produced and used in a socio-ecologically compatible manner. For this purpose the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Enwicklungspolitik (DIE) analysed the sugar and palm oil production in Subsahara Africa (SSA) in cooperation with various universities.
Project Lead:
Michael Brüntrup
Financing:
Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF
Time frame:
2009 - 2013
/
completed
Co-operation Partner:
Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW)
Institute for Latin American Studies (LAI), Freie Universität Berlin
Institute for Environmental Economics and World Trade at Leibniz University (LU), Hanover
Project description
The German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Enwicklungspolitik (DIE) component on biofuel production in Subsahara Africa (SSA) studies the implications of large-scale agro-industrial biofuel production in developing countries for rural economies, especially poverty and food security. The widespread rural poverty and food insecurity as well as the high potential for biofuel production in SSA makes an assessment of the potential impacts on rural areas in SSA a key component for an overall assessment of biofuel production.
The research focused therefore on the local processes of biofuel production in rural SSA. For this, surveys and in-depth investigations in the surroundings of existing clusters of sugar and palm oil production, two very promising inputs for biofuel production, in two African countries (most probably Ghana and Mozambique or Kenya) were undertaken. Analysis on village, household and individual (gender) level were made using quantitative and qualitative tools and approaches.
It was further envisaged to assess national policies and the regulatory framework important for biofuel value chains. Contributions to other components of the overall projects (e.g. analysing the political economy of local biofuel production, role of international norms/standards) also formed part of the research project.
Publications
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Bush-to-energy value chains in Namibia: institutional challenges for pro-poor rural development
Brüntrup, Michael / Raoul Herrmann (2012)
in: Meine Pieter van Dijk / Jackes Trienekens (eds.), Global value chains: linking local producers from developing countries to international markets, Amsterdam: Amsterdam Univ. Pr., 89-115 -
Nouvelles pistes pour les biocarburants en Afrique
Brüntrup, Michael / Dieter Anders / Raoul Herrmann/Jutta Schmitz / Felix Kaup (2011)
in: Rural 21 1/2011, 50-51 -
New paths for biofuels in Africa
Brüntrup Michael / Raoul Herrmann (2010)
in: Rural 21 44 (6), 17-20 -
Biodiesel policies for India: achieving optimal socio-economic and environmental impact
Altenburg, Tilman (2010)
in: Journal of Biofuels 1 (1), 163-171 -
Zukunftsfähige Bioenergie und nachhaltige Landnutzung
Messner, Dirk (Hrsg.) et al. (2009)
Report: Wissenschaftlicher Beirat der Bundesregierung Globale Umweltveränderungen, Berlin -
Bioenergy in Namibia: opportunities, threats and institutional challenges for rural development and food security
Brüntrup, Michael / Raoul Herrmann / Martina Gaebler (2009)
Paper prepared for the ICABR Conference on “The Emerging Bio-Economy”, Ravello, 17-20 June 2009 -
Biodiesel in India: value chain organisation and policy options for rural development
Altenburg, Tilman / Hildegard Dietz / Matthias Hahl / Nikos Nikolidakis / Christ (2009)
Studies 43 -
Reconsidering biofuels in India
Seelige, Kathrin / Tilman Altenburg (2008)
in: D+C Development and Cooperation 35 (12), 463-466 -
Chance für die ländliche Entwicklung
Seelige, Kathrin / Tilman Altenburg (2008)
in: E+Z Entwicklung und Zusammenarbeit 49 (12), 463-466