KEYNOTE ADDRESS AGRICULTURE AND ENERGY

The curriculum vitae of Professor Baguant demonstrates, among many activities, two important aspects of his life's work that have a direct bearing on the economy of Mauritius. They are: the development of the sugar industry through his teaching and research, and the wider implications of energy usage and policy. It is fitting in this memorial lecture therefore, to review the relationship between agriculture and energy, and some of the implications globally and for Mauritius in particular. The invention of farming, estimated to be about 8000 years ago, has had a major influence on the elaboration of human activities. The rapid industrial development initiated by the invention of the steam engine, has increased the demand for energy, largely fossil fuels. In order to conserve energy there is a need to investigate urgently renewable sources. Agriculture is in the unique position to provide renewable energy, not only by the use of waste products, but also to grow speciality crops with the object of energy production. A number of different processes are available for this purpose, but perhaps the most convenient is raising steam for power generation, by the combustion of suitable feedstocks. Combustion produces CO2 a "greenhouse gas " that is associated with the phenomenon of global warming, but by careful analysis of the problem, the net contribution of CO2 to the atmosphere can be reduced or even eliminated. There are other technical difficulties that have to be faced, not least the deposition of mineral matter on the heat transfer surfaces. An enviromnentally friendly scheme proposed by ( Beeharry 1999) for electrical power production from sugar cane residues, is an excellent example of how agriculture can not only provide food for the growing population but at the same time, make a significant contribution to energy provision