This report forms part of a project aiming to develop a South-South-North partnership to reshape the impact of a predicted large-scale expansion in global biomass energy use towards greater poverty reduction and maintenance of ecosystem services in developing countries. The consortium of partners represents leading biomass energy researchers from multiple disciplines.
Activities to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the dependence on fossil fuels, to develop the economy and energy availability for rural and developing populations, have led to the promotion of biomass materials as sources of feedstock for energy supply chains. Alongside these laudable goals, there has also been great concern about food security due to competition for agricultural land providing feedstocks for bioenergy, expansion of agricultural land and unsustainable harvest of biomass causing reduction and depletion of natural habitats and resources. This paper is intended to provide background to facilitate the development of an interdisciplinary South-South-North research partnership (India-Africa-Europe) and strategy to address current expectations for bioenergy and to help re-shape the impact of biomass expansion in India, Kenya and Malawi.