Impact Assessments to Orient Sustainable and Inclusive Biofuels Production in the Amazon

Feedstocks, Field/Orchard/Plantation Crops/Residues, International, Peru, South America, Sustainability

May 14, 2010

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(SNV) …SNV together with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) implemented a project to analyse the socioeconomic and environmental risks and benefits caused by the production of biofuels and energy crops in (agricultural areas within) the Peruvian Amazon.

In the socioeconomic study, cultivating Oil palm turned out to be the most profitable for small scale producers, according to the analysed scenarios in the local conditions of the Peruvian Amazon. However, its use for biodiesel production is questioned due to its traditional use for food products and possible negative impacts in food security and prices of derived food products. Furthermore, current prices make it more attractive to use Oil palm for alimentation purposes then for biodiesel. The profitability of Jatropha and sugar cane, compared with the analysed food crops in the area (corn and rice; the main traditional crops of potential Jatropha and sugar cane farmers, respectively), is still higher.

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In the environmental impact study, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for biofuel production was conducted. The LCA considered energy efficiency and Green House Gas (GHG) reduction besides other environmental aspects such as soil use and degradation and use of fertiliser and pesticides. The scenarios that proved to have a positive environmental impact in the agricultural stage are cultivation of Oil palm and Jatropha on already deforested lands with scarce vegetation. READ MORE Download study (in Spanish)

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