Integrating bioenergy and food production - A case study of combined ethanol and dairy production in Pontal, Brazil

• Increased Brazilian sugarcane ethanol production is expected in response to increasing domestic andinternational ethanol demand. The Pontal do Paranapanema region, located in the western parts of the SãoPaulo state, is one of the regions where sugarcane is expected to expand on a large scale. This expansion willmost likely affect small-scale dairy farmers in the region and may lead to displaced milk production.Interviews have been made with small-scale dairy farmers in areas where sugarcane has already beenestablished. These interviews show that many farmers who substitute milk production for sugarcaneproduction experience economic stagnation after the change. However, both systems can coexist, usingsugarcane residues as high-quality cattle feed. This feed can easily be made at the ethanol mills usingsugarcane residues and some additional protein and mineral supplements. Analyses indicate that the dairyfarmers can increase their income ten-fold by adopting this integrated system. The increased total output andhigher land-use efficiency in dairy production may counteract possible indirect land-use change. Greenhousegas emissions per unit of milk produced as well as liter ethanol produced depend on several factors, includingeffects of diverting bagasse from other uses to feed production.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Naturresursteknik -- Annan naturresursteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Environmental Engineering -- Other Environmental Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Land-use change

Sugarcane

Ethanol

Dairy production

Greenhouse gas mitigation

Brazil

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)