Biofuel and food security
Your staff correspondent's report (Sept:15) about an Indian NGO personnel (expert?) on the subject is subjective, and should be ignored by all concerned. Possibly it relates to the Indian scenario, blessed with vast resources of coal, and now also new offshore resources of oil and gas. To some extent food grain as source of Biofuel production is used in the US, Brazil and a few European countries, and maybe India. However the quantities used are very little compared to their food production; incidentally highly subsidised and surplus to their needs! The fact is that Biofuel can be produced from a wide variety of feed stock; like "shapla" growing wild in water bodies that cannot be contained; plant and vegetable refuses of all types, plant stalks, sugarcanes bark, and skins of peeled fruits and vegetables going to garbage! It can also be produced from all types of animal and human solid excreta.
Given this broad spectrum of feedstock, the priority for using food grain in Bangladesh context does not arise; and the statements of the so-called expert is to discourage our endeavour to generate biogas, and nip it in the bud! The speaker is unaware of the intelligence and business scene of our farmers; which is not inferior to theirs in any manner! They will only sell their products to the highest bidder; and they produce crops based on local demand.
If any organisation (local or overseas), is willing to invest US$1 billion, as reported, then we should look at it pragmatically, and not be swayed by some pseudo expert's shallow views! May be a similar start was done regarding inciting public opinion about open pit coal mining, while in India they are going all out for it! My frank advice to this expert from India is; "Physician Heal Thyself".
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