Food Security and Renewable Energy : Insights

International Journal of Scientific Research in Science, Engineering and Technology Print ISSN: 2395-1990 | Online ISSN : 2394-4099 (www.ijsrset.com) doi : https://doi.org/10.32628/IJSRSET207625 Food Security and Renewable Energy : Insights Eric Owusu Asamoah ABSTRACT The world’s increasing population together with the amount of calories needed Article Info to meet dietary requirements has intensified food security concerns. As a Volume 7 Issue 6 result, the world’s energy demand has correspondingly risen mainly due to the Page Number: 18-23 preference for sophisticated food production-(usually energy–demanding), as Publication Issue : well as mechanization of the food supply chain. Renewable energy has been November-December-2020 pivotal in meeting the above demands by means of energy for food processing, storage and transport. The surge in food prices has gained widespread consideration. Many factors such as cost of farm inputs, climatic patterns and land tenure systems account for the food price increases observed in recent decades. Others perceive renewable energy, particularly –bioenergy as being a cause of the above. The quest for a safer energy against conventional fossil fuels has made first generation biofuels the go-to option resulting in competition for resources that would have otherwise been used to produce food or consumed as food. Hence the food price increments and food scarcity observed in some areas over the years. Bioenergy production may have a variable effect on food prices. Whereas the cultivation of first generation bioenergy crops can increase food prices, it could also be the catalyst to induce investments in agriculture to increase crop yields that would ultimately stabilize prices. In the situation where resources for staple crops are shifted to bioenergy feedstock farming, staple food prices would soar due to shortages. This suggests many people are likely to remain in perpetual hunger unless crops yields are enough to meet the dimensions of food security –availability, access, utilization and stability. Food security and bioenergy have positive synergies as alluded. For example, bioenergy demand may cause higher prices to boost local economies. It could lead to surplus food supply to ensure food security. Additionally, bioenergy could mitigate energy deficiencies, especially in the countryside. Proper management would be essential to ensure bioenergy production does not occur Article History to the detriment of local livelihoods –notably food production and its Accepted : 01 Dec 2020 consumption. Published : 20 Dec 2020 Keywords : Food Security, Renewable Energy, Bioenergy Copyright : © the author(s), publisher and licensee Technoscience Academy. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited 187 Eric Owusu Asamoah Int J Sci Res Sci Eng Technol November-December--2020; 7 (6) : 187-193 I. and healthy life” (Brown et al., 2015; FAO 1996, INTRODUCTION 2012a; Aborisade & Bach 2014; IRENA 2015). The need for food and energy to meet socio-economic An estimated 805 million people in the world are development is increasing. While food provides food insecure, 2 billion lack needed nutrients human nutritional and health needs; energy alike helps while 2.5 billion are obese or overweight. The to achieve such needs as health, lighting, cooking and core goal of (FAO 1996, 2012a) definition of food mobility. In our quest for a sustainable future, food security are sufficient, safe and nutritious food as security and energy sustainability remains two over- obesity has detrimental health outcome (FAO riding challenges in the agricultural and energy sectors 2017; Brown et al., 2015; Ng et al., 2014). Food (Edenhofer et al., 2011; Abbasi & Abbasi 2010; provisions with sufficient calories but lacking in Kaygusuz 2012). There are about 800 million food- nutrients mars nutritional status and can insecure people who live mostly in rural areas with contribute agriculture as their source of livelihoods. Averagely, they live on less than $1 per day and food takes the Hunger and obesity remain two components of malnutrition (Gustafson et al., 2016; WHO greatest chunk of their incomes. Yet, the over 2 billion 2014). to non-communicable diseases. people living on more than $1 a day are also at risk of plunging into a food-insecure state due to high 2. Pillars of food security commodity prices (Naylor, Lisa, & Burke 2007). On the The mid-1990s arose a new approach to food other hand, an estimated 1.4 billion have limited access security termed “community food security’’ to electricity with nearly 90% of them in rural areas incorporating all dimensions of food security and rely on the use of biomass- mainly wood logs. The (Power, 1996). The components of food security use of biomass is thus projected to reach 2.8 billion in – access, availability, utilization and stability 2030 (Owusu & Asumadu-Sarkodie 2016; Kaygusuz have been accepted in practice, research and 2012).The goal therefore is to achieve renewable policy (Brown et al., 2015; Aborisade & Bach energy production that improves food security and 2014; Power 1996). Food production is a environmental sustainability (Osseweijer et al., 2015). mandatory step to ensure food security. Even so, it combines with factors such as economic, II. Fundamental Concepts demography and food safety. Food security is, therefore, not exclusively the summation of the 1. Food Security – “The term food security originally described a nation’s access to enough balance between demand and supply but rather individual and community access to food as well food to meet its dietary energy requirements” as socioeconomic, political and environmental (Pinstrup-Andersen 2009). The widely accepted factors (Brown et al., 2015; Power 1996). definition of food security is: “the state or condition when all people at all times have 2.1 Availability: This dimension is the existence of physical, social, and economic access to food in a place at point in time. This focuses on sufficient , safe, and nutritious food to meet their the production and supply of food. Aggregate dietary needs and food preferences for an active food availability may not guarantee proper International Journal of Scientific Research in Science, Engineering and Technology | www.ijsrset.com | Vol 7 | Issue 6 188 Eric Owusu Asamoah Int J Sci Res Sci Eng Technol November-December--2020; 7 (6) : 187-193 utilization of nutrients to ensure food security, food, and their bodies’ ability to absorb such but it remains a necessity in food security. Food nutrients. production, transportation, food stocks, storage malnutrition – mainly insufficient calories/ and and trade define food availability. Moreover, the or nutrients, leading to stunting and wasting availability of food considers food safety and among people. Also, a disease like HIV/AIDS consumer health. Food insecurity is thus inhibits assimilation and utilization of nutrients inevitable in an economy whose food available due to reduced food intake and immune system does not meet its nutritional needs. Nonetheless, response to infections. Meanwhile, households gender, poverty and education affect food that have low dietary diversity have low production which may reduce food availability calories. Again, societal norms and practices and to cause food insecurity (Brown et al., 2015; the functional roles food play in these events Aborisade & Bach 2014; Power 1996). may affect the utilization of food (Brown et al., Food insecurity stimulates 2015; Aborisade & Bach, 2014; Power, 1996). 2.2 Access: This measures individuals and households economic abilities to purchase food 2.4 Stability: There is stability when food based on prices and disposable incomes. The availability, access, and utilization do not argument is, as a measure of individual or group fluctuate to cause food insecurity. It assess well-being, food security initiatives address the households whether or not component. Affordability and regarding food insecurity – either in the short or distribution long term. This dimension questions whether or in communities determine and communities resilience populations’ access to food to meet their dietary not requirements. Whereas household long-term environmental factors to ensure the physical food deficits due to poverty and limited availability of food to meet their dietary resources, lead to chronic food insecurity; supplies. Again, it examines how households and transient food insecurity is the situation where nations deal with factors like weather, market there are unexpected food shortages owing to prices, tariffs, diseases, and wars that inhibit the lack of imports, weather conditions, shortages in readily availability, access and utilization of food productions, and high prices. Cost of farm food. For example, to ensure food security, it is inputs and transportation costs of moving goods essential to implement an agro ecosystem that to markets increase food prices thereby reducing enhances agricultural production as well as people’s access to available food. Here, emphasis rests on the resilience of the most vulnerable in approaches to reduce food losses within the supply chain. (Brown et al., 2015; Aborisade & extreme situations like price spikes and droughts Bach, 2014). people have the economic and to meet their nutritional needs (Brown et al., 3. 2015; Power, 1996). Renewable energy: Bioenergy is derived from biomass, i.e. living organisms or their metabolic 2.3 Utilization: This is individuals’ ability to make by-products. healthy food selections available in their cultivated energy crops, sewage, and food, localities – homes, schools, and workplaces. In animal or wood debris. The shift towards a safer other words, are people able to make good use of energy alternative has increased the demand for food them? bioenergy. It is easily available for cooking and Essentially, this dimension examines critically the nutrients content of a population’s accessible heating space to meet local energy demand. More so, the Paris Climate Agreement, which available and accessible to They may be International Journal of Scientific Research in Science, Engineering and Technology | www.ijsrset.com | Vol 7 | Issue 6 purposefully 188 Eric Owusu Asamoah Int J Sci Res Sci Eng Technol November-December--2020; 7 (6) : 187-193 seeks global decarbonisation, has promoted in bioethanol production was 45.9% of national renewable energy (Fritsche et al., 2017). corn consumption in United States in 2012. Renewable energy is 19% of world energy use Between 2010 and 2011, bioethanol accounted with 9% biomass. This is expected to rise to 36% for nearly 53% of use of sugarcane in Brazil by 2030 due to the mounting global appeal of (Koizumi 2013). Overall, about 17.4 % sugarcane renewable energy to address climate change, and 14.2% maize are global share of crops used boost energy security, and improve energy for bioethanol. About 15% more rapeseed oil access and socioeconomic development. The (27.2%) against 11.9% soybean oil goes into United Nations SDGs climate action for securing biodiesel (Koizumi & Ohga 2006). An increased livelihoods imply that we have a moral duty to demand for these energy crops for non-food develop and supply large-scale bioenergy in usages reduces their availability for food. ways that improve social development (Souza et Besides, the higher demand leads to higher al., 2017). Biofuels stimulate rural employment prices. Maize prices rose from $2.60 per bushel and energy security. Their environmental and social effects are more site and context specific. to $4.25 United States in 2006/07 due to increased demand for ethanol (Naylor et al., Likewise, the effects from biomass are short- 2007). This reinforces the assertion that biofuels lived, although impacts from non-renewable have increased both the demand for staple crops energy manufacturing may last for centuries used for food and feed, as well crop prices. On (Fritsche et al., 2017; Parish et al., 2013). The the other hand, there is a ripple effect on the share of biomass in global energy consumption demand for agricultural resources such as labour, has unchanged for over three decades. Biomass land, water, and capital due to the rise in biofuel usage differs considerably by location. It is a consumption. The high maize price witnessed dominant energy source in developing countries in the United States between 2006/07 led to an and moderately used in the industrialized expansion in the acreage of maize planted to countries (Karekesi et al., 2006). In 2013, about 38 million hectares representing 19% biomass made up 10% of global energy mix. increment. The above resulted in about 6% Traditional biomass such as fuel wood, cow dung reduction in soybean acreage to 24 million and other agricultural waste constituted about hectares (Naylor et al., 2007). Energy production 60% of the above energy supply (IRENA, 2015). thwarts food security by reducing available land for farming through mining for fossil fuels or 4. Food Security – Renewable Energy Controversy Food and oil price spikes in 2008 further deforestation for biofuels (Rosegrant, 2008). In Brazil, sugarcane farming due to bioethanol has deepened the food against energy argument displaced orange, rice and coffee cultivation although it has existed since the 1970s. The (Koizumi, 2013). To alleviate the competition competition for resources with food and food between biofuels and food production for land related use ranks relevant in this debate. Energy and water resources, biofuels could be produced security accounts for increased for bioenergy on marginal and degraded lands (Hoff, 2011; expansion but, the competition in the nexus has Fritsche et al., 2017). Energy crops cultivated on two dimensions – 1) competition with food and abandoned lands help to reclaim such lands food related use, and 2) competition with without food security perils (Fritsche et al., agricultural 2017), to enhance the resilience of food resources (Koizumi 2013). Agricultural produce are the main feedstock for bioethanol production. For example, maize used production systems (Hoff, 2011). International Journal of Scientific Research in Science, Engineering and Technology | www.ijsrset.com | Vol 7 | Issue 6 189 Eric Owusu Asamoah Int J Sci Res Sci Eng Technol November-December--2020; 7 (6) : 187-193 Furthermore, biofuels are the cause of higher Bioenergy is a viable energy source for heating, cereal prices (Rosegrant, 2008), soil degradation, cooking, lighting and transportation. The bulk of and colossal use of water resources (Escobar et it al., 2009). But, high prices, in turn lead to the agricultural residues, animal or human waste, production of more food crops to boost income urban waste (Karekezi et al., 2006), and liquid farmers income. Increased revenues may lead to biofuels. An estimated 2.7 billion people depend adoption of irrigation, fertilizers, and better on traditional biomass while modern bioenergy varieties to increase yields and food availability. production rose to about 100 million litres in This also means increased low-cost feed stocks in 2011 the form of residues to make biomass accessible contributions of bioenergy to food security are (Osseweijer et al., 2015). fuel wood and charcoal. They are used to cook Other opinions focus mostly on energy in the food, heat water as well as preserve food by food supply chain (i.e. fuel for land preparation means of drying and smoking to extend food and tillage, crop and pasture management, transportation, processing, distribution, storage supply beyond productive seasons. About onethird of world’s population depend on wood fuel and retailing). Likewise, there are concerns for cooking in households and commercial about the growth of modern bioenergy in this purposes such as restaurants and schools. food versus energy controversy (IRENA 2015). Fuelwood is dominant in deprived communities The debate cannot depend on the impact of fuel while charcoal is preferred in urban areas due to prices on quantity of food produced and/or its greater energy content, ease of transportation available as the other pillars of food security are and relevant. Farmers do benefit from higher food Comparatively, charcoal emits less smoke than prices (Osseweijer et al., 2015; Naylor et al., fuelwood. Even so, biomass usage is a key cause 2007). Also, farmland values have appreciated in of indoor pollution among women, children, and recent years. (Naylor et al., 2007). Nonetheless, the elderly (Goldemberg & Teixeira Coelho, there is the need for a nexus approach that 2004), and kills nearly 4 million women and underscores the interdependence of water, children each year (Osseweijer et al., 2015). energy and food security to yield a better There is a wide discrepancy regarding energy use framework for establishing trade-offs and within synergies that fosters both and developed countries use 5300 kg of oil sustainability (Hoff, 2011). Also, energy production must be assessed within the equivalent per capita yearly, low income countries use only 420 kg. To add, cooking framework of the overall energy system, from dominates energy use in developing countries. extraction to end use and externalities associated Conversely, in developed countries, heating, to reveal valuable insights. For example, biomass transportation and processing take a greater converted into electricity produces 80% extra portion of energy consumption (Hoff, 2011). transport kilometres in electric vehicles. Yet, the On the other hand, thermal and hydropower opposite holds for internal combustion vehicles production affects food security. For instance that use biofuels (Campbell et al. 2009). using water from a river to cool thermal power demand comes from (IRENA, storage and wood, 2015). Some (Sooyeon among charcoal, et leaves, significant al., countries. 2017). Whereas generation disturbs the water’s ecosystem by increasing the temperature and modifies fish 5. Role of bioenergy in food security availability. At last, the local food supply is hampered (IRENA 2015). Large dams International Journal of Scientific Research in Science, Engineering and Technology | www.ijsrset.com | Vol 7 | Issue 6 190 Eric Owusu Asamoah Int J Sci Res Sci Eng Technol November-December--2020; 7 (6) : 187-193 constructed for hydropower pose social and ecological threats –mainly relocation crops systems to grow plants for food and non- of food consumers, to safeguard food and energy communities and flooding (Hoff, 2011). Again, availability as well as other services (Osseweijer water stored in hydropower reservoirs could et al., 2015). influence water accessibility for irrigation Biofuels production improves macroeconomic (IRENA 2015). Thus, there are major water and performance and living standards through related costs linked to biofuels and hydropower growth in the energy mix (Hoff, 2011). multiplier effects to a local economy. Eventually linkages (Urbanchuk, 2012), or this could bring extra incomes to households for 6. Achieving food and energy security food access and affordability (IRENA, 2015). Although bioenergy is largely is perceived to be Access the cause of higher food prices, the work of disposable incomes, plus access to lands and Baffles and Dennis (2013), pointed fossil fuel other prices instead as a determinant of food prices. But, oil prices affect the economic viability of producers to generate income, provide energy services or food (Osseweijer et al., 2015). Also, biofuels (Escobar et al., 2015). Higher food rural development is essential to reduce poverty prices are incentives for farmers to grow more and food insecurity. As such, countries with crops to earn extra income albeit with land favourable climate and land to develop biofuels constraints as the same farmlands may be used to have greater opportunities to transform their cultivate energy crops for bioenergy. First agriculture to affect the people noticeably by generation biofuels feedstock vies with agro means of higher incomes (Escobar et al., 2009). commodities, while second generation biofuels In spite of the above, regulation and observance strives with feed use of such crops (i.e. wheat and of sustainable standards are necessary to match rice). biofuel growth environmental, economic and Similarly, bioenergy inhibits the links food natural prices resources and household for subsistence production of other crops and livestock social (Koizumi 2013). Osseweijer et al (2015), governments must regulate land use and its suggested distribution to avoid issues of land ownership double cropping, land fallow goals (IRENA, 2015). In essence, reductions and crop-shifting as witnessed in concentration that may major maize, sugarcane and soy production areas monoculture, and forest could mitigate the above effects. They reported exacerbate environmental impacts of biofuel second crops are equally important especially in Brazil where soybean and corn are cultivated in generation (Escobar et al., 2009). Policies for food supply disruptions or prices shocks should succession yearly to be used for food or biofuel be flexible, and not limited to the only the on the same parcel of land. production of bioenergy from land (Osseweijer According to Souza et al. (2015, 2017), to ensure et al., 2015). a balance between food and bioenergy, there Energy security is a precondition for sustainable should be unified efforts to ensure food and food production and long-term food security, water security along with energy access. specifically rural areas where about 70%–80% Namely, technology, extension services and people suffer food insecurity. Energy access in innovation and deprived communities would improve trade, together with stable prices to storage and packaging (Souza et al., 2015), promote local production. Also, they reiterated Chum et al (2015), double cropping and flex among others in the food supply chain to reduce food insecurity. Osseweijer et al (2015), infrastructure that builds capacity breed poverty, destruction International Journal of Scientific Research in Science, Engineering and Technology | www.ijsrset.com | Vol 7 | Issue 6 191 to Eric Owusu Asamoah Int J Sci Res Sci Eng Technol November-December--2020; 7 (6) : 187-193 recommends the adoption of modern bioenergy [2]. Aborisade, B., & Bach, C. (2014). Assessing the technologies such as biogas, biomass gasifiers pillars of sustainable food security. European and bagasse based co–generation systems for International Journal of Science and Technology, rural power generation, cooking and related 3(4), 117-125. services to promote rural development, improve [3]. food safety and reduce the high indoor pollution and mortality among women and children from Baffes, J., & Dennis, A. (2013). Long-term drivers of food prices. The World Bank. [4]. low quality traditional energy. Brown, M. E., Antle, J. M., Backlund, P., Carr, E. R., Easterling, W. E., Walsh, M. K., ... & Dancheck, V. (2015). Climate change, global III.CONCLUSION food security, and the US food system. [5]. The study analysed the relationship between food security and renewable energy. The study revealed bioenergy’s potential in the world energy mix. Mainly, as renewable resource, it can reduce the global demand for fossil fuels if managed sustainably. Moreover, bioenergy can reduce unemployment as well as provide substitutes for coal, natural gas and petrol for domestic and industrial purposes. It ensures food security by providing heat and/or power to process, cook, heat store or preserve food. Food security exists: when there is food availability, access, utilization and stability. That is, all times, people should have economic and physical access to sufficient nutritious food irrespective of market shocks, war, gender, climatic conditions among others. The propensity to grow more bioenergy crops over other staple crops is high due to high prices. It is imperative to adopt an approach that improves agriculture such as the implementation of modern technology and land management systems – (i.e. using marginal lands for bioenergy and arable lands for food crops. Also, the application of flexible and double cropping schemes would be useful. 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