Bioresource status in Karnataka

Energy is a vital component of any society playing a pivotal role in the development. Post oil crises shifted the focus of energy planners towards renewable resources and energy conservation. Biomass is one such renewable, which accounts for nearly 33% of a developing country’s energy needs. In India, it meets about 75% of the rural energy needs. In Karnataka, non-commercial energy sources like firewood, agricultural residues, charcoal and cow dung account for 53.2%. The energy released by the reaction of organic carbon (of bioresources) with oxygen is referred to as bioenergy. Bioresource availability is highly diversified and it depends on the region’s agroclimatic conditions. Inventorying of these resources is required for describing the quality, quantity, change, productivity, condition of bioresources and requirement in a given area. The present study assesses bioresource status across the agroclimatic zones of Karnataka, considering the bioenergy availability (from agriculture, horticulture, forests and plantations) and sector-wise energy demand (domestic, agriculture, industry, etc.). Bioresource availability is computed based on the compilation of data on the area and productivity of agriculture and horticulture crops, forests and plantations. Sector-wise energy demand is computed based on the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO study) data, primary survey data and from the literature. Using the data of bioresource availability and demand, bioresource status is computed for all the agroclimatic zones. The ratio of bioresource availability to demand gives the bioresource status. The ratio greater than one indicates bioresource surplus zones, while a ratio less than one indicates scarcity. The study reveals that the central dry zone (1.4), the hilly zone (3.79), the southern transition zone (3.12) and the coastal zone (3.40) are bioresource surplus zones, whereas the northeastern transition zone (0.48), northeastern dry zone (0.23), northern dry zone (0.58), eastern dry zone (0.39), southern dry zone (0.93) and northern transition zone (0.45) come under bioresource-deficient zones. Among the bioresource surplus zones, horticulture residues contribute significantly towards bioenergy in the central dry zone, southern transition zone and the coastal zone, while in the hilly zone the main contributor of bioenergy are agricultural residues. Amidst the bioresource-deficient zones, agriculture is the major contributor of bioenergy in the northeastern transition zone (52%), northern dry zone (59%), and northern transition zone. Based on the bioenergy status of the zones and land use pattern, feasible management and technical options have been discussed, which help in optimising the available bioenergy and in building a sustainable energy society. This study also explores various programmes that can be initiated and implemented like social, community and joint forest management involving public participation. Such schemes will lessen the burden on the existing resources and also help the rural masses to procure biomass on a sustained basis