BIOENERGY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA – ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS

ABSTRACT: The agricultural sector in most Sub-Saharan countries is dominated by subsistence farming with very low investment levels and yields. The development of modern bioenergy systems offers opportunities for investment and infrastructure improvements in agriculture with the promise to diversify agricultural production and thus to stimulate socio-economic development. In general, many African countries have suitable conditions for bioenergy development such as abundant labour and sufficient available arable land and water resources. However, in order to avoid potential negative environmental and socio-economic impacts, effective mechanisms to ensure sustainability need to be put in place. Several Sub-Saharan African countries are currently engaged in the formulation of policies and development plans to guide the development and ensure the sustainability of the bioenergy sector. In order to ensure food security of the population, African governments have implemented several initiatives such as agro-ecological zoning to identify land available for food and for bioenergy production and mandates for investors to use part of the allocated land to food production. The project COMPETE (Competence Platform on Energy Crop and Agroforestry Systems- Africa) provides support for policy development in African countries through the organisation of policy workshops and the development of policy recommendation documents such as the COMPETE Declaration on Sustainable Bioenergy for Africa. This declaration highlights the African approach to sustainable bioenergy identifying visions for bioenergy development i