Country

 Italy

Date

 22/11/2012

Entity

 IFAD

Product

 Biofuels

Category

 R&D

Summary

​Aviation Biofuels - IFAD Calls for Sustainable Pro-Poor Development and Small Farmers Engagement in Developing Countries

 
An international workshop on Sustainable Pro-poor Development of Aviation Biofuels was held in Rome today at Roma Tre University. Supported by The Boeing Company and the Sustainable Pro-poor Development of Aviation Biofuels, the workshop was organized by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea, the Vicariate of Rome, and Roma Tre University.
Panellists looked at the opportunities biofuels present both in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation industry and employment creation in rural communities. But panellists agreed that many areas need to be addressed before these opportunities become a reality. The choice of the most appropriate technology to be deployed requires a meticulous analysis of local economic, environmental and social conditions.
In this context, a US$12 million initiative to conduct research and development of alternate crops (non-food or multiple use) is being implemented by a consortium with funds mobilized through IFAD. The consortium comprises the World Agroforestry Centre and other partners who are centres of excellence with proven expertise in selected crops. The objective is to explore options for developing competitive, sustainable smallholder-based biofuel production based on underutilized crops capable of growing on land less suitable for food crop production.
In addition, IFAD has financed $4.4 million in other research grants implemented in partnership with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, the Asian Development Bank, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture and others to study the possibility of producing biofuels, for instance, in the greater Mekong Region as well assess the impact on food security and poverty reduction in other developing regions of the world.
 

 

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Created at 26/11/2012 11:31 AM by NOVELLI, Philippe
Last modified at 03/12/2012 11:31 AM by NOVELLI, Philippe