Bioenergy & Food Security (single phase)

• Research unit: SDC
• Project number: 7F-06450.01

Key words (English)

CABI

Short description (English)

The ERA ARD Net is a "Coordination Action" funded by the European Commission under

the ERA Net Scheme of the 6"^ Framework Program. In order to strengthen the European

Research Area (ERA), ERA-Nets have been launched to address different topics to improve

cooperation and coordination of national or regional research activities through networking

of programs including their mutual opening and the development and implementation of joint

activities.

The aim of the ERA ARD (Agricultural Research for Development) network is to promote

collaboration in European agricultural research to the benefit of the poor. By improving

synergies and cooperation among the European national ARD programs, the ERA ARD

consortium members intend to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of European ARD

research planning, funding and implementation as well as to strengthen Europe's

contribution to, and impact on, regional and global ARD systems.

For the last three years Switzerland (SDC) has been participating - together with 13

European countries - in the EC funded ERA ARD program. A number of results derived from

this collaboration shall now be applied along with the implementation of the joint

transnational research program on 'Bioenergy and Food Security' (short: 'Bioenergy'). The

implementation of this transnational program is the last step in the ERA ARD. This proposal

seeks funding of the Swiss researcher's participation and their partners in the South in the

transnational program on 'Bioenergy'.

The 'Bioenergy' program will consider key social, economic and ecological consequences of

the rapid development of bioenergy and specifically focus on the rural poor in developing

countries and emerging economies. The development of methods and tools to measure and

predict the impact of bioenergy on local and regional economies as well as on the

environment are of major importance in these countries. Proposals are expected to make

appropriate consideration of cross cutting issues such as sustainabîlity and of gender issues.

The transnational program will address the following research themes:

a) Bioenergy production and food security

b) Bioenergy production and poverty alleviation and rural development

c) Bioenergy production and natural resources (land, water, ecosystems, biodiversity)

The selection of the projects follows strict rules and regulations that have been established

by the member countries of the ERA ARD. The program will be managed jointly within the

ERA ARD consortium.

Additional donors are 13 ministries involved in the ERA ARD. Partners are the respective

national agricultural research institutions in Europe and in the South. SDC funds will be

restricted to projects of Swiss research partners and their partners in the South. It is

anticipated that the funds requested (CHF 750'000 for 3 years research project period) will

be sufficient to cover the activities of one up to two Swiss partners plus their counterparts in

the South. Detailed project budgets will be elaborated once projects are selected and

approved. SDC will enter into separate project agreements with the Swiss partners.

Project aims (English)

The major objective of the transnational call is to contribute to exploring the opportunities and threats that bioenergy production poses for the rural poor in terms of food security, poverty alleviation and rural development and to investigate how bioenergy production influences land use and affects natural resources. Research into the impact of different bioenergy scenarios on greenhouse gas emissions is not specifically adressed in the project call but can be included as an additional component in form of a subproject. The 'Bioenergy program will consider key social, economic and ecological consequences of the rapid development of bioenergy and specifically focus on the rural poor in developing countries and emerging economies. The development of methods and tools to measure and predict the impact of bioenergy on local and regional economies as well as on the environment are of major importance in these countries. Projects are expected to make appropriate consideration of cross cutting issues such as sustainabîlity and of gender issues. The program will address the following research themes within the area of bioenergy (Annex 5): • Bioenergy production and food security • Bioenergy production and poverty alleviation and rural development • Bioenergy production and natural resources (land, water, ecosystems, biodiversity) The coordinated call for transnational activities in the area of Bioenergy in particular provides new opportunities for researchers and other stakeholders (farmers, farmer organizations, NGOs, policy makers, etc.) to take part in multilateral research cooperation in the field of bioenergy production from agriculture and forestry in developing countries and emerging economies. Depending on the research themes addressed, projects should result in an improved understanding leading to conclusions that: evaluate risks to food secuhty of various bioenergy scenarios for small scale farmers and to describe ways to avert these risks, describe, assess and compare the socio-economic and environmental consequences and the economic competitiveness of different bioenergy systems in rural areas, understand the potential of bioenergy for modern energy services in rural areas and to develop strategies for the improved management and use of biomass, describe the potential integration of bioenergy production into existing rural development policies and to provide guidance to avoid adverse environmental and social degradation that could, arise from faulty policy for bioenergy systems, identify best options for efficient implementation of bioenergy production systems that contribute to food security, economic productivity and sustain rural livelihoods.