Global biofuel production has been increasing rapidly over the last decade, but the expanding biofuel industry has recently raised important concerns. In particular, the sustainability of many first-generation biofuels – which are produced primarily from food crops such as grains, sugar cane and vegetable oils – has been increasingly questioned over concerns such as reported displacement of food-crops, effects on the environment and climate change.
In general, there is growing consensus that if significant emission reductions in the transport sector are to be achieved, biofuel technologies must become more efficient in terms of net lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions while at the same time be socially and environmentally sustainable. It is increasingly understood that most first-generation biofuels, with the exception of sugar cane ethanol, will likely have a limited role in the future transport fuel mix.
The increasing criticism of the sustainability of many first-generation biofuels has raised attention to the potential of so-called second-generation biofuels. Depending on the feedstock choice and the cultivation technique, second-generation biofuel production has the potential to provide benefits such as consuming waste residues and making use of abandoned land. In this way, the new fuels could offer considerable potential to promote rural development and improve economic conditions in emerging and developing regions. However, while second-generation biofuel crops and production technologies are more efficient, their production could become unsustainable if they compete with food crops for available land. Thus, their sustainability will depend on whether producers comply with criteria like minimum lifecycle GHG reductions, including land use change, and social standards.

Sustainable Production of Second-Generation Biofuels: Potential and Perspectives in Major Economies and Developing Countries

Based on the 1965–2017 climate data of 18 meteorological stations in the Songliao Plain maize belt, the Coupled Model Intercomparision Project (CMIP5) data, and the 1998–2017 maize yield data, the drought change characteristics in the study area were analyzed by using the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and the Mann–Kendall mutation test; furthermore, the relationship between meteorological factors, drought index, and maize climate yield was determined. Finally, the maize climate yields under 1.5 °C and 2.0 °C global warming scenarios were predicted. The results revealed that: (1) from 1965 to 2017, the study area experienced increasing temperature, decreasing precipitation, and intensifying drought trends; (2) the yield of the study area showed a downward trend from 1998 to 2017. Furthermore, the climate yield was negatively correlated with temperature, positively correlated with precipitation, and positively correlated with SPEI-1 and SPEI-3; and (3) under the 1.5 °C and the 2.0 °C global warming scenarios, the temperature and the precipitation increased in the maize growing season. Furthermore, under the studied global warming scenarios, the yield changes predicted by multiple regression were −7.7% and −15.9%, respectively, and the yield changes predicted by one-variable regression were −12.2% and −21.8%, respectively.

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/11/10/2108/pdf

Effect of Climate Change on Maize Yield in the Growing Season: A Case Study of the Songliao Plain Maize Belt

Time series data reveals that the Sahel of Cameroon has experienced several years of deficits in cereal production. The debate attributes the observed trends to low rainfall. Uncertainties in the debate on the role of rainfall as a principal causal factor are evident and need verification. Both field and desk studies have been used; this involved the administration of 200 questionnaires and focused group discussions. The desk studies included detailed literature review and analysis of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) satellite images of vegetation and rainfall from the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP). The results show that cereal production has declined while rainfall has increased by 30-40% in the last decade in the study area. With an increase in rainfall, the observed decline in cereal production cannot be explained by climate only. Land use changes such as deforestation patterns are significant in explaining the trends in cereal output as seen in population perceptions.

/pdf/rainfall-and-deforestation-dilemma-for-cereal-production-in-48eragus35.pdf

Rainfall and Deforestation Dilemma for Cereal Production in the Sudano-Sahel of Cameroon

Aims: This paper evaluates the interactions between forest area, CO 2 emissions, rainfall and arable production at a national scale in Cameroon. Methodology: The data used for this analysis was essentially time series data for all the variables spanning the period 1961-2000. It uses regression analysis to determine the most important of these variables that affects CO 2 emissions and uses correlation analysis and coefficient of determination to verify the nature of the interactions between the variables. Results: The results show that as forest area reduces there is an increase in CO2 emissions concentration in the air in Cameroon. On the other hand, as forest area and rainfall reduce arable production also reduces but forest area is seen to be more responsible for changes in arable production than rainfall. Conclusion: The study concludes that the interactions between CO 2 and forest area, arable production and forest area seem to be the most significant while rainfall is denoted as very variable from year to year.

The environmental quadrupole: forest area, rainfall, CO2 emissions and arable production interactions in Cameroon.

Climate change and its impacts on agriculture have been widely discussed at national and global levels. An important aspect of the discussion has been adaptation/mitigation approaches. Consequently, several strategies have been suggested as measures to ensure agriculture remains productively profitable. However, food security especially in critical times, such as the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a challenge even for regions naturally endowed for agriculture. The study evaluated research recommended strategies, and further examined the innovativeness of the strategies in fostering sustainable agricultural innovation system (AIS) in the Niger Delta. The study relied on both secondary and primary data; analysed 129 previous studies and gathered responses from 282 extension agents. The study introduces a method for assessing the innovativeness of strategies by calculating their rated values on five traits. Findings revealed the issues and implications of adopting most recommended strategies and the place of most strategies in fostering AIS. The study highlights the possible reasons why farmers fail to adopt most strategies as suggested by studies on climate change in the region. Based on the findings, recommendations were made on the way forward. The study adds to the scanty discussion of climate change and AIS at regional levels, particularly in the climate change prone and oil rich Niger Delta region. The study offers a novel approach for scoring innovations in agriculture. 

/pdf/assessing-climate-change-mitigation-and-adaptation-2a0tap01.pdf

Assessing climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies and agricultural innovation systems in the Niger Delta

This study examines the impact of climate change on crop farming in Cameroon. The country's economy is predominantly agrarian and agriculture and the exploitation of natural resources remain the driving force for the country's economic development. Fluctuations in national income are due not merely to the decline in world demand for Cameroon's traditional agricultural exports or to mistakes in economic policy making, but also to the vagaries of the weather. Based on a farm-level survey of more than 800 farms, the study employs a Ricardian cross-sectional approach to measure the relationship between climate and the net revenue from crops. Net revenue is regressed on climate, water flow, soil, and economic variables. Further, uniform scenarios assume that only one aspect of climate changes and the change is uniform across the whole country. The analysis finds that net revenues fall as precipitation decreases or temperatures increase across all the surveyed farms. The study reaffirms that agriculture in Cameroon is often limited by seasonality and the availability of moisture. Although other physical factors, such as soil and relief, have an important influence on agriculture, climate remains the dominant influence on the variety of crops cultivated and the types of agriculture practiced.

/pdf/the-economic-impact-of-climate-change-on-agriculture-in-2kyxja213d.pdf

The economic impact of climate change on agriculture in Cameroon

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The economic impact of climate change on agriculture in Cameroon