Food or Fuel
by Peeping Tom (Kaieteur News – In 2009, there was a pushback against plans, by then President Bharrat Jagdeo, to use agricultural lands for the cultivation of crops for biofuels. At the time, the world was reeling from the triple effects of the global financial crisis, the global food crisis and a global fuel crisis.
Guyana responded to the fuel crisis with plans to produce agri-fuels. It went as far as developing an agri-energy policy. The then government’s plans included the development of small-scale ethanol utilising either sugar cane juice or molasses, at Albion; setting aside lands in Canje for bio-energy feedstock; the production of biodiesel from palm oil; and the conversion of biomass waste into energy.
Guyana did eventually generate energy from bagasse. But despite the vast amount of bagasse – a by-product of sugar – this initiative aimed at the industrial production of energy flopped.
Food has long been produced for industrial uses. Cotton has been grown for use in the manufacturing of textiles. Tobacco is still used in the production of cigarettes. Other industrial products produced from crops include rubber, medicines, palm oil, fibres and dyes.
Despite this history of industrial crop cultivation there was a pushback against plans for converting food crops into bio-fuels. Among those leading the charge was Fidel Castro.
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Industrial crop production is now once again on the national agenda. The Irfaan Ali government has outlined plans to utilise lands, including sugar lands, for the production of industrial hemp.
Guyana has extensive lands. But not all of these are properly drained and irrigated. As such, the plan to put the properly irrigated and drained sugar lands into industrial hemp production is highly controversial.
It also contradicts the emphasis which the President is placing on food production because the industrial uses to which the hemp will be put will not be used as food. Why then instead of planting hemp using sugar lands, does the government not use the said lands for the production of the items which the Caribbean Community has identified as substitutes for extra-regional imports. READ MORE