Global pro-poor biofuel revolution now possible

The pioneering project to produce ethanol from sweet sorghum , being implemented jointly by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Rusni Distilleries, has achieved a significant milestone with the first batch of ethanol flowing out of the distillery at Mohammed Shapur village in Andhra Pradesh, India.

The ethanol produced at the distillery marks a major success in the public-private partnership project. The project generates ethanol as a biofuel from the sugar-rich juice extracted from sweet sorghum stalks. This provides the resource-poor farmers of the drylands with a source of additional income even while they do not lose out on food security.
According to Dr William Dar, Director General of ICRISAT, the production of ethanol has turned the dream of ICRISAT and Rusni Distilleries into a sweet reality. Sweet sorghum ethanol does not compromise food security since the farmers can continue to use the grain for food.

“The project successfully blends ICRISAT’s scientific capability in developing sweet sorghum varieties with higher juice availability with the entrepreneurial capability of Rusni Distilleries. This we have linked with the dryland farmers through the grass-roots networking strength our other partner Aakrithi Agricultural Associates of India (AAI),” added Dr Dar.

Biofuel Review