India’s ambitious plan to reduce fossil fuel use by promoting ethanol, derived from rice, corn, and sugar, is raising concerns about the country’s food security. This article delves into the potential issues related to this strategy, as well as possible solutions.
Ethanol: An Agro-based Product
Ethanol, a principal biofuel, is primarily produced from molasses, a by-product of the sugar industry. It can be created either through the fermentation of sugars by yeasts or through petrochemical processes, such as ethylene hydration.
Ethanol Blending Programme
The Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) was initiated with the aim to blend ethanol with petrol. This not only categorizes it under biofuels but also enables saving millions of dollars by reducing fuel imports and carbon emissions. The Indian government has advanced its goal for 20% ethanol blending in petrol (E20) to 2025 from the previously set target year of 2030. Currently, India blends about 8.5% of ethanol with petrol.
National Policy on Biofuel
The renewed ethanol blending target mostly relies on food-based feedstocks, considering the surplus of grains and the wide availability of technologies. However, it departs from the 2018 National Policy on Biofuels, which prioritized grasses, algae, cellulosic material such as bagasse, farm and forestry waste, and items like straw from rice, wheat, and corn.
Risk of Hunger
Concerns arise as food grains directed for the poor are being sold to distilleries at prices cheaper than what states pay for their public distribution networks. This competition could potentially expose rural poor communities to an increased risk of hunger. India ranks 94th in the Global Hunger Index 2020 out of 107 nations. Furthermore, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that approximately 209 million Indians, or about 15% of its population, were undernourished between 2018 and 2020.
Environmental and Economic Challenges
Several challenges exist for biofuel production. These include the cost implications due to the requirement of land for cultivation, the impact on local and regional water resources due to extensive water usage, and the fact that certain fossil fuels like gasoline produce more energy than some biofuels.
Government’s Counterpoints
The government maintains that the push for ethanol does not threaten India’s food security as there are ample grain stockpiles in state-run Food Corporation of India’s warehouses. Additionally, it is argued that the blending plan would benefit corn and rice farmers, while addressing the issue of surplus.
The Way Forward
To mitigate potential drawbacks, it is suggested that India could become a leader in sustainable biofuels policy by focusing on producing ethanol from waste. This approach could simultaneously enhance climate and air quality benefits. Also, the new policy should ensure that it does not exacerbate water scarcity by encouraging farmers to cultivate water-intensive crops. Prioritization of food production over fuel crops is recommended considering various concerns such as depleting groundwater resources, restrictive arable land, erratic monsoons, and declining crop yields due to climate change.
