Hi °C | Lo °C energy expertChartered Surveyor Michael Doran is leading a group of scientists, academics and practitioners from as far afield as Australia and Tanzania to develop a ‘tool-kit' intended to help farmers in Africa to decide whether to dedicate their land for food or plant-based bio-fuels.
Mr Doran said the project was a response by the Federation Internationale des Geometres (FIG) — the international guild of surveyors — to the challenges to poorer countries from the increasing demand for plant-based liquid biofuels.
He said: “Cereal prices and therefore the price of staple food products such as maize, corn, wheat and rice have increased significantly in the past couple of years as a result of competition for ground between energy crops and food crops.
He added: “The group will investigate the factors that influence the decisions of farmers to choose between energy crops or food crop use, before developing a tool-kit to guide decision-making.”
