June 15, 2007

Sorghum-based biofuel won't affect Philippine food production

Biofuels production through the use of sweet sorghum as feedstock would not compromise food security in developing countries like the Philippines, according to the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).

ICRISAT director general Dr William Dar noted that some Asian countries like China have policy decisions that will prevent the conversion of land for food crops to biofuel crops, reports local paper the Business Mirror.

The Chinese government has asked biofuel crop growers to switch to crops such as sweet sorghum for their project as the Philippine government has decided not to use corn for bioethanol production and instead, invested in research and development of other crops such as sweet sorghum and cassava for this purpose, said Dar.

ICRISAT issued the statement to counter the global debate against biofuels, which are said to be taking away food crop agricultural lands for growing biofuel crops.

Dar said with the use of sweet sorghum as feedstock for ethanol production, food security need not be threatened by biofuel production.

ICRISAT noted that sweet sorghum has other benefits over sugarcane and corn as feedstock for ethanol production as it has the least cost of cultivation.