Agro-fuels and Bioenergy,
Agro-fuels also called biofuels, are a liquid form of energy or fuels extracted from plants and not from oil or fossil fuels like crude oil. They include ethanol, biodiesel. Bioenergy, on the other hand, is energy generating sources from organic materials, these matters are referred to us biomass from plants, timber, animal waste, and any other agricultural materials. They include biogas, bioelectricity, among others.
For many years now, many administrations regarded the replacement of petroleum with renewable energy products as green and ‘silver-bullet’ solutions for reducing our dependence on fossil fuel energy and reducing greenhouse gasses emissions.It was believed that renewable resources would lead to a new market in the agricultural industry. Currently, most institutions are not sure about the agro-fuel release because of their effect on food prices and the competition it causes to arable lands and water resources. Their optimistic effects on climate are also contested.
Significant sources of biofuels are extracted from maize,rapseed among other crops, sugarcane, and palm oil for agro-fuel production have now been exported goods for Brazil, Malaysia, and Indonesia,for instance, soybeans oil is rapidly growing for use as a feedstock for biodiesel production.
Africa’s unexploited resources of agricultural land are mostly thought to be promising for the production of renewable resources. From the time the explosion of food items prices, the idea of biofuels has been playing a significant role. Global confusion has set in since July 5th, 2011. Since then, the World Bank, IMF, the FAO, and other UN bodies have issued an appeal to G20 nations precisely, the USA and the EU, to lift all provisions and their specific national policies that reduce or mandate biofuel production and use. Instead, they recommended the use of alternatives for the reduction of carbon emissions and set their eyes on energy efficiency, not forgetting agriculture. However, the head of states failed to arrive at a consensus on food and fuel debate.