South Africa: Growing Fuel

FEW would argue with Science and Technology Minister Mosibudi Mangena’s insistence that we tread carefully when developing a national biofuels policy.

At the same time, it would be folly to delay the legislation on which such an industry would be built for longer than necessary.
The trouble is, biofuels are by definition agricultural products; the feedstock, whether for the production of bioethanol, biogas or biodiesel, would have to be grown on an industrial scale if biofuels are to meaningfully — and sustainably — reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. However, South African agricultural conditions are not conducive to such increased demand. As the minister rightly points out, we have to carefully weigh agriculture’s ability to provide food security against fulfilling SA’s rapidly growing demand for transport fuel produced from biofuel feedstock. SA has neither the soils nor the water to do both without the environment suffering irreversible damage.

These circumstances should not in themselves prevent the government from reaching decisions on fuel specifications and standards, support programmes and market regulation. If our farming constraints force us to choose between importing fuel or food, then policy should reflect that.

Business Day