In India, two thirds of the population depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Yet, about 44% of India’s land area is degraded due to cultivation of marginal lands, improper crop rotations or deforestation as a consequence of shifting cultivation.

Modern bioenergy is a core ingredient of sustainable economic development as it plays an important role in poverty reduction and green growth. This makes bioenergy innovations critical, especially in developing countries where many households and rural communities rely on traditional bioenergy.