Integrating Biofuel And Rural Renewable Energy Production In Agriculture For Poverty Reduction In The Greater Mekong Subregion

This report contains the Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Strategic Framework for Biofuel Development. It also presents the executive summaries of this report, the individual biofuel study reports for the six member countries, and the biofuel modeling study. The findings were endorsed at the Fifth Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion Working Group on Agriculture on 22-24 September 2008 in Vientiane, the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

This report contains a detailed assessment of the status and potential for the development of biofuels in Cambodia and presents a country strategy for biofuels development consistent with the Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Strategic Framework for Biofuel Development. The findings were endorsed at the Fifth Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion Working Group on Agriculture on 22-24 September 2008 in Vientiane, the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

This report contains a detailed assessment of the status and potential for the development of biofuels in the Lao People's Democratic Republic and presents a country strategy for biofuels development consistent with the Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Strategic Framework for Biofuel Development. The findings were endorsed at the Fifth Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion Working Group on Agriculture on 22-24 September 2008 in Vientiane, the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

This report contains a detailed assessment of the status and potential for the development of biofuels in Thailand and presents a country strategy for biofuels development consistent with the Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Strategic Framework for Biofuel Development. The findings were endorsed at the Fifth Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion Working Group on Agriculture on 22-24 September 2008 in Vientiane, the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

This report contains a detailed assessment of the status and potential for the development of biofuels in the People's Republic of China and presents a country strategy for biofuels development consistent with the Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Strategic Framework for Biofuel Development. The findings were endorsed at the Fifth Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion Working Group on Agriculture on 22-24 September 2008 in Vientiane, the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

This study is one of the first steps to improve understanding of the impacts of biofuel development on agriculture and economy, with specific focus on the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).

Biofuels and Rural Poverty makes an original contribution to the current controversial global debate on biofuels, in particular the consequences that large-scale production of transport fuel substitutes can have on rural areas, principally in developing countries but also in some poor rural areas of developed countries. Three key concerns are examined from a North-South perspective: ecological issues (related to land use and biodiversity), pro-poor policies (related to food and land security, gender and income generation) and equity of benefits within the global value chain. Can biofuels be pro-poor? Can smallholder farmers be equitably integrated in the biofuels global supply chain? Is the biofuels production chain detrimental to biodiversity? Most other books available on biofuels take a technical approach and are aimed at addressing energy security or climate change issues. This title focuses on the socio-economic impacts on rural people's livelihoods, offering a unique perspective on the potential role of biofuels in reducing rural poverty.

This report was produced under the technical assistance project Promoting Renewable Energy, Clean Fuels, and Energy Efficiency in the Greater Mekong Subregion (TA 7679). It focused on renewable energy developments and potential in five countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS): Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. It assessed the potential of solar, wind, biomass, and biogas as sources of renewable energy. Technical considerations include the degree and intensity of solar irradiation, average wind speeds, backup capacity of grid systems, availability and quality of agricultural land for biofuel crops, and animal manure concentrations for biogas digester systems. Most GMS governments have established plans for reaching these targets and have implemented policy, regulatory, and program measures to boost solar, wind, biomass, and biogas forms of renewable energy. Incentives for private sector investment in renewable energy are increasingly emphasized.

This report contains a detailed assessment of the status and potential for the development of biofuels in Myanmar and presents a country strategy for biofuels development consistent with the Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Strategic Framework for Biofuel Development. The findings were endorsed at the Fifth Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion Working Group on Agriculture on 22–24 September 2008 in Vientiane, the Lao People's Democratic Republic.