Land use allocation for large scale sustainable bioenergy production in Brazil: technological options, relation to policy, and expected emission effects

• Grant number: 13/13425-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: February 11, 2014
• End date: February 10, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal Investigator: Gerd Sparovek
• Grantee: Gerd Sparovek
• Host Investigator: Göran Berndes
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

Abstract

Because of increasing demand of agricultural products, driven by population growth, income distribution, urbanization, diet shifts and bio-based economy actions, the agricultural production worldwide is expected to increase. Brazil is one of the most important suppliers of global agricultural goods (food, feed and bioenergy), and still has large extensions of preserved land and mega biodiversity of species. The expansion patterns of food, feed and biofuels production compete for the available land, and the combination of them (the agricultural sector) challenges nature conservation. The assessment of spatially located production potentials (via Land Use model technology), considering expansion potentials for the agricultural sector, by using more land or higher productivity levels, according to conservation aims are essential for the definition of how much can be expected for Brazil to sustainably provide of these increasing demand. The rationale of this proposal is to integrate three ongoing research initiatives (i) Esalq & Chalmers cooperation, (ii) Esalq & CTBE collaboration, and (iii) IEA InterTask Strategic Project Proposal that has common research aims, model steps and staff personnel. The first of three steps, foreseen for March 2013 to January 2014, will establish the land allocation model and model scenarios for sustainable production of food, feed, and bioenergy. The second, foreseen for February 2014 to February 2015 and object of this proposal, aims to allow Prof. Gerd Sparovek work as visiting researcher at Chalmers University for integrating the land allocation model to further model steps related to emissions of GHG, alternative conservation scenarios and production targets. The third step, foreseen for March 2015 to August 2015, will implement the model progress at CTBE and Esalq and prepare the final scientific reports. The integration of these research initiatives promote a more comprehensive, detailed and precise analysis of the main research questions related to agricultural expansion potentials in Brazil, compared to the expected outcomes of the individual initiatives. (AU)