Thumbnail Image

Sustainable bioenergy potential in Zambia

An integrated bioenergy food security assessment

Year of publication 2020

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 276 p.

Author FAO and the Ministry of Energy of Zambia

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Book (series)

ISBN 978-92-5-133474-4

Series title Environment and Natural Resources Management Working Paper

Series number No. 84

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) Zambia is richly endowed with a wide range of biomass sources including woodlands, forests, agricultural residues and livestock waste. Biomass energy contributes supplies over 70 percent of the country’s energy needs. Due to the current extraction and consumption methods, the use of biomass energy has been linked with detrimental environmental effects such as deforestation and forest degradation as well as climate change, due to the loss of carbon sinks. Inefficient utilisation of biomass contributes significantly to deforestation which is estimated at between 79 000 – 150 000 ha per year, and negatively affects the health and income of rural households that depend on forest products for their livelihoods. Sustainable bioenergy strategies and alternative bioenergy solutions need to be defined and integrated into current efforts of the country to increase stable and sustainable access to energy. This report assesses the country context and defines which bioenergy options can be viable considering a number of solutions for electricity production, cooking fuels and transport fuels at the provincial and district level. Possible options originating from crop residues, livestock residues and forest plantation harvesting residues are identified, having netted out agriculture and forestry needs. The assessment now needs to be followed by local verification and investment to deploy an initial set of bioenergy projects and test the findings on the ground.

Cite this content as:

​FAO and the Ministry of Energy of Zambia. 2020. Sustainable bioenergy potential in Zambia – An integrated bioenergy and food security assessment. Environment and Natural Resources Management Working Papers No. 84. Rome. 

https://doi.org/10.4060/cb1528en

Read on Google Books and buy online

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Project
    Bioenergy and Food Security (BEFS) Assessment and Capacity Building for Zambia - TCP/ZAM/3701 2021
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    In Zambia, current statistics indicate that 77 percent of the country’s primary energy relies on traditional biomass, while only 4 4 percent of the rural population has access to electricity This is compounded by the fact that 47 8 percent of the population in Zambia is undernourished and 60 5 percent lives below the national poverty line Access to modern, affordable and reliable energy is fundamental to ensure development and food security and is directly related to the four pillars of food security Bioenergy is a key form of renewable energy that can be sourced from a number of biomass options, including crop residues, livestock residues and sustainably managed forest resources and residues When managed sustainably, it can provide multiple benefits, including energy provision, employment and rural development The Government of Zambia has given high priority to developing a sustainable biomass energy strategy However, while there are broad policy goals in place and targets have been set to tackle access to modern energy, there is insufficient evidence and knowledge to define which bioenergy pathways can contribute sustainably to the envisaged targets To address these challenges, the Government of Zambia requested that FAO provide technical assistance to enhance capacity to analyse options for the development of a sustainable bioenergy sector in the country.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (series)
    Sustainable bioenergy potential from crop, livestock and woody residues in Rwanda: An integrated bioenergy and food security approach 2023
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Access to sustainable energy is essential for development, poverty reduction and food security. Rwanda, like many other developing countries, is working on identifying sustainable energy solutions to ensure access to energy. Bioenergy is one possible form of renewable energy that countries are looking at to supply part of their energy portfolio. Rwanda currently relies on traditional biomass for energy supply, and shifting away from traditional biomass use would lower its dependency on traditional biomass and improve access to modern sustainable energy forms. Sustainable bioenergy interlinks closely with the agriculture sector, therefore it is necessary to find specific options that minimize negative impacts on the environment and food security. This accomplishes the dual purpose of energy security and food security. This report assesses the use of agriculture residues for the production of bioenergy in Rwanda. The methodology used for the assessment is the Bioenergy and Food Security (BEFS) approach of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The report provides a detailed assessment of the potential of crop, livestock and woody biomass availability for the production of off-grid electricity solutions and cooking fuels. Through the assessment, a number of specific bioenergy pathways are identified as suitable for bioenergy production. These options should be carried forward for piloting in the country and ground truthing.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (series)
    Bioenergy and food security (BEFS) assessment – Seychelles 2022
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    A sustainable and stable energy supply is essential for a country’s stability and wellbeing. Seychelles, like many small island developing states (SIDS), currently depends on imported energy, in the form of fossil fuels. The high dependence on fossil fuel imports means Seychelles is highly vulnerable to disruptions in global markets. The situation is exacerbated by a reliance on imported food, which accounts for about 70 percent of food consumption. To limit this dependence, it is aiming to increase its reliance on renewable energy to 15 percent by 2030, with a long-term ambition of using 100 percent renewable sources for electricity production. Sustainable bioenergy is one form of renewable energy that can be used to green a country’s energy mix. This Sustainable Bioenergy Assessment report for Seychelles looks at the potential for sustainable bioenergy within the country, considering the country context, conditions and delicate habitat. The report considers sustainable biomass sources from the agriculture, forestry and waste sectors. The assessment was conducted following the bioenergy and food security (BEFS) approach of FAO, and identifies a number of bioenergy pathways relevant for the country. Within the report, the different forms of biomass, their availability and viability are assessed. Livestock, crop and forestry residues, and the biodegradable portion of waste, otherwise destined for landfill, are among the sources of biomass considered. The use of these biomass types and amounts are then assessed from a technical and economic point of view, under different price scenarios, for the production of energy.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.