Bioenergy, Food Security and Poverty Reduction: Mitigating Tradeoffs and Promoting Synergies Along the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in AbstractModern bioenergy is a core ingredient of sustainable economic development as it plays an important role in poverty reduction and green growth. This makes bioenergy innovations critical, especially in developing countries where many households and rural communities rely on traditional bioenergy. Managing the multiple tradeoffs among bioenergy use, agricultural productivity, and ecosystem functions is a major development challenge. Addressing this challenge requires the identification of the drivers, tradeoffs and impacts of bioenergy production, trade and use in the Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus. The key objective of this paper is to provide an analytical framework and assess the track record of policy actions to stimulate modern bioenergy innovation in order to achieve multiple-win outcomes in terms of poverty alleviation, improved health and gender empowerment and environmental sustainability. We begin by describing the global trends and drivers in bioenergy production, trade and use. Secondly, we review the state of the art on impacts and links of bioenergy with the other Nexus components. Thirdly, we suggest a conceptual framework for evaluating the synergies and tradeoffs of bioenergy with other bioeconomic and economic activities along the Nexus. Follow-up empirical research at household and community levels in several developing countries will be based on this framework. Finally, a discussion on the conceptual framework is enriched by insights on the relevant actors, the tools and mechanisms specific to these actors for catalyzing innovations in the bioenergy for development.

Decentralized Energy in Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus in Developing Countries: Case Studies on Successes and Failures

“…Hence, a better understanding of DES within the framework of the Water-Energy-Food Security (WEF) nexus provides an innovative and more comprehensive insight into the role of modern energy services and might potentially lead to new solutions for sustainable development (Mirzabaev et al 2014;Hoff 2011;von Braun 2013;Flammini et al 2014). …”

“…Therefore, in the face of complicated challenges, to achieve positive impacts such as poverty reduction, women empowerment, improved food security, and human and environmental health, and satisfy long-term sustainability, DES should be perceived as an integral part to the Water-Energy-Food Security nexus (Villamayor-Tomas et al 2015;Mirzabaev et al 2014;Flammini et al 2014). Yet studies have overlooked the critical link of DES in the WaterEnergy-Food Security (WEF) nexus framework and this need to be considered in energy policy design to support rural development.…”

“…On the other hand, a "global transition towards renewable energies" has raised a concern over "land rush" with a long-term consequence on land demand or the "struggles over access to land" (Scheidel and Sorman 2011). Besides concern over "land grabbing" for biofuel development, continuing loss of tropical forest fuels competition for scarce resources between energy and food production (Mirzabaev 2014;Guta 2014, von Braun andMeinzen-Dick 2009). …”

“…There are rich debates on the energy transition concepts in the literature (Mirzabaev et al 2014;Guta 2014). The debate is on whether energy transition process follows the energy ladder or the energy stacking.…”

“…Lack of clean, affordable and sustainable energy is linked with household and community welfare in multifaceted ways (Modi et al, 2005). Moreover, many low income and off-grid households in developing countries rely on traditional biomass (IEA 2013), which often may lead to women's drudgery, children's withdrawal from school, health hazards from indoor air pollution, deforestation, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity and related negative impacts on ecology and food security (example, labor use trade-off between food production and fuelwood collection) and so on (Guta 2014;Mirzabaev et al 2014;Rasul 2014;van Els and Brasil 2012;Gerber, 2008;Nieuwenhout et al 2001;Rehfuess et al 2005). …”