Significant changes in land or crop use to be avoided

Bangkok ¬ Improvements in agricultural productivity and responsible management of natural resources in support of the biofuel sector will unlock additional benefits for farmers, industry and the environment, an FAO statement said today.

Findings emerging from the FAO Bioenergy and Food Security (BEFS) Project indicate that Thailand has the means to realize the Government’s plan for the development of the biofuels industry in a sustainable manner without negatively impacting on food security.

Biofuels production in Thailand is already economically competitive and offers measurable greenhouse advantages over fossil transport fuels.

The findings were presented today at a high-level forum co-hosted by the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board and FAO in Bangkok at the Siam City Hotel.

Ambitious targets
The Thai Alternative Energy Development Plan aims to expand the production of biofuels six-fold to 5 billion liters by 2022. To meet these ambitious targets, total cassava production will need to grow 25 percent from 31.5 million tonnes in 2010 to over 40 million tons by 2022 largely through yield improvements. Production of crude palm oil is expected to double from 1.8 million tonnes to 3.4 millions tonnes over the same period following expansion of oil palm plantations.

Over the last 12 months, an in-depth analysis was made of the interplay between natural resource availability, bioenergy production potential, rural development and food security to assess different sustainable pathways for the Thai biofuel sector.

FAO has found that some of the biggest challenges and best opportunities lie on the farm.

“Better farm productivity will deliver multiple dividends for Thailand and the biofuel sector by increasing profitability to farmers, controlling feedstock costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions per unit of feedstock produced,” said Hiroyuki Konuma, Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific.

“But in order to ensure the sustainability of these fuels, significant land or crop use changes in feedstock production must be avoided and biofuel producers should continue to identify opportunities to utilize renewable sources and wastes in the production process”.

At present it is anticipated that any shifts in cultivation will occur on lands producing low value crops, but particular care will be required to ensure that forested land and similar fragile eco-systems are not affected.

Agricultural research and extension need to be further promoted, in particular associated to plant pest management, land and water use efficiency, varietal improvements, plant nutrient and soil fertility.

Support for farmers needed
Bringing about required improvements in agricultural productivity will require more investment and support for farming communities in Thailand, the FAO statement said.

One of the most significant findings of the work undertaken by FAO is that much of the investment in agricultural productivity will need to be targeted towards Thailand’s north-east region.

Over the long-term, maintaining the Thai Government’s plan for the sector and ensuring policy certainty will be an important determinant of its potential to deliver future benefits to rural communities.

A representative of the Thai Ministry of Energy and head of the Ministry’s Department of Alternative Energy Development and Energy Efficiency confirmed the Thai Government’s commitment to the plan at the meeting today.

The Ministry of Energy along with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives joined a number of Thai research organizations to implement the BEFS project in Thailand with the aim to ensure that bioenergy development does not threaten food security and leads to sustainable rural development.