Author : Ndukwe Agbai Dick
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (137 download)
Book Synopsis Can Nigeria Overcome Energy and Food Insecurities Via Biofuel (Ethanol) Production? Analytical Model for Elucidating Feasible Strategies by : Ndukwe Agbai Dick
Download or read book Can Nigeria Overcome Energy and Food Insecurities Via Biofuel (Ethanol) Production? Analytical Model for Elucidating Feasible Strategies written by Ndukwe Agbai Dick and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Energy security is a priority for most countries as it is the pivot for national economic development, growth and infrastructural development. However, Nigeria, like other developing countries, and despite being a major oil producer, is plagued by energy insecurity in addition to a long standing food insecurity. Nigerian population without access to electricity and those that generate electricity through their own generator sets are on the increase, while those that access electricity through the national electricity company - PHCN is declining. In terms of food security, severe mal-nutritional problems in Nigeria have been reported and analysed available data reveal that an average food shortage of 3 million metric tonnes per year existed for almost a decade. To combat these energy and food insecurities, Nigerian government plans to produce bioethanol from her major staple food (sugar and starch) crops, despite the much-debated impacts of biofuels on food security. This proposition presents a strong dilemma in face of the already existing food insecurity in Nigeria. This study develops a sectoral energy-food Mathematical Programming (Linear Programming - LP and Non-linear Programming - NLP) models for the production of bioethanol feedstocks and staple food crops in different regions of Nigeria, and analysis of the biofuel policy, in order to assess how feedstock and biofuel production can contribute to national energy and food security, and rural community development in Nigeria. Regional and national physical and economic farm production data including crop type, yields, prices, inputs allocation, land use and energy data were collected during a personal research visits to the relevant national ministries, agencies and research institutes in early 2012. From the preliminary LP results, the LP model reproduced the observed data in terms of quantity of food crops produced, amount of land allocated for their production, labour and other inputs' utilization. Importantly, the overall LP model results reveal that given the model's specifications and available resource endowments, it is feasible and profitable to achieve self-sufficiency in food production while producing a substantial quantity of feedstocks for biofuel production. Nonetheless, more robust and comparative results and the corresponding conclusions and policy implications are only possible after the on-going analysis of more recent data and extensive sensitivity analysis with the NLP model.