CIAT Report Cites Cassava’s Potential for Biofuel in Asia

A report by Reihardt Howeler, of the Cassava Office for Asia, International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), presents the potentials of cassava in Asia and the case for more research to realize these potentials. Cassava is said to be the “third most important food crop” in Southeast Asia, next to rice and maize. It is also an “orphan crop”, receiving lesser funding for research compared to rice and maize. Cassava is generally grown mainly by marginalized farmers.

However, this situation may soon change as cassava takes the spotlight as a major biofuel feedstock for ethanol production in Asia. Marginalized farmers are also set to benefit from this move. The report cites the case of Thailand, where a surplus production of the crop resulted from a sharp decrease in the demand for cassava pellets from the EU. Consequently, the country shifted its strategy from cassava-pellet processing, to cassava-starch processing (to supply domestic and export markets), and diversifying the use of cassava as feedstock for ethanol production. The present factory, producing 80,000 liters per day of cassava-ethanol, will soon be joined by at least 12 more, making a total daily production of 3.4 million liters of cassava ethanol per day. This translates to a crop requirement of 3.5 tonnes to 4.5 tonnes per rai (1 rai is about 1600 square meters).

Howeler cites the need for more research in breeding, agronomy and biotechnology to increase and realize crop production targets. In addition, research efforts are also needed to improve cassava processing technologies, together with “dynamic and effective extension programs using a farmer participatory approach”.

Related information on an energy balance study on cassava: http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/esthag//41/i11/abs/es0620641.html  (Abstract only. Subscription may be required for full aceess)