Africa’s food, biofuels balancing act

More African countries have mandated the implementation of policies backing the blending of ethanol in gasoline as the continent invests in projects promoting new industrial uses for locally produced grains such as maize (corn), wheat, rice and soybean.

In some of these countries the acreage under non-grain ethanol-producing crops, trees and grass is being expanded faster than that devoted to the production of the cereals for human consumption and livestock feed.

Ethanol production is not only one of the most common non-food industrial products utilizing grains in Africa but also is gaining traction as a preferred option for curbing carbon emissions despite the pressure the trend is likely to exert on feedstock supply, especially in grain-producing countries.

Several governments in Africa, a continent that contributes less than 4% of the total global emissions, have approved regulations in support of their decarbonization programs with more biofuel projects likely to trigger ripple effects in the region’s grains production, use and trade.

For instance, Nigeria previously allowed the use of 10% ethanol (E10) in gasoline. Now the government has permitted the blending of either 5%, 10%, 15%, or 20% ethanol into the gasoline supply.

Nigeria, a net importer of ethanol, with estimated annual imports of between 300 million and 350 million liters, produces approximately 6% of its national ethanol requirement.

In Ghana, the country’s energy policy calls for sustainable bioenergy development with a target of a 20% biofuel share in the transport fuel mix by 2030, according to government reports.

Since 2006, Malawi, which produces 18 million liters annually, has been implementing the Ethanol Driven Vehicle Project (EDVP) that promotes the use of ethanol as an alternative energy source in vehicles. The country also has allowed a blending ratio of 10% ethanol and 90% petrol.

“The government, on the basis of reports demonstrating that the use of ethanol can significantly reduce the need for foreign exchange, stabilize fuel prices, lower vehicle maintenance costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, believes that this is a realistic project if our country is able to overcome current obstacles and meet future expectations, especially with an expanding vehicle fleet,” said Gift Kadzamira, director general of the Malawi Commission for Science and Technology.

In Mozambique, government records show the country successfully pushed through the National Biofuels Policy and Strategy in 2009, paving the way for a framework for biofuel deployment to jointly promote energy security and food security.

In East Africa, six countries that are members of the East African Community (EAC), a regional intergovernmental organization, are implementing the Green Freight Strategy 2030 as they prepare themselves for electric vehicle (EV) readiness by 2030 and an emission-free 1,700-kilometer northern transportation corridor by 2050.

The corridor is a network of roads and rail lines anchored on the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa in Kenya and serves Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The strategy targets the improvement in fuel efficiency of freight transport by 10% by 2030 and reduce particulate matter, black carbon, and oxides of nitrogen by 12% and CO2 emissions intensity by 10% in the next five years.

Globally, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) says the transport sector is responsible for 15% of emissions of carbon dioxide, a key climate change driver.

Overall, the Eastern Africa countries have set a goal of increasing the use of alternative fuel by 1% per year for all road vehicles. At least 60% of the increase will come from natural gas, 20% from ethanol (E10) and 20% from biodiesel.

One of these countries, Uganda, one of the implementers of the Green Freight Strategy 2030, is pursuing an ethanol-blended petrol program, which commenced on July 1, 2024, mandating a 1% blend by-volume ratio of ethanol into petrol.

“The government shall undertake a gradual process to achieve the 20% target depending on the available biofuel stock,” according to a statement by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. “The Ethanol Blended Petrol program is part of government of Uganda’s efforts to enhance energy security, sustainability, and the other economic benefits expected from the development of a sustainable biofuels industry value chain regarding sugar cane, cassava, sorghum, and maize.”

Despite the constraints hampering Africa from achieving its annual ethanol output potential of 700 million to 900 million liters, as well as challenges of underfunding, poor logistics and lack of government goodwill holding back growth, there is evidence in several countries of deliberate measures to grow this market. They list the intention of curbing emissions, providing a cheap household energy source as well as providing a market for agricultural products such as cereals as reasons for seeking to expand ethanol production.

But because of inadequate accurate data on the impact of increased ethanol production on food production, some of the countries in Africa have restricted the use of grains as feedstock for ethanol production.

In fact, South Africa, a net exporter of maize and one of the leading ethanol markets in Africa, has restricted the use of crops in the manufacture of ethanol due to food security concerns.

The country’s maize output during the 2024-25 marketing year was estimated at 16 million tonnes from approximately 3 million hectares under cultivation, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The commercial demand for maize during the period is estimated at 12.4 million tonnes, “reflecting a higher demand for animal feed.”

Kola Adebayo, deputy vice chancellor of development at the Federal University of Agriculture in Nigeria, said a surge in the use of maize and other bioenergy crops for production of ethanol “poses significant challenges for Africa’s feed industry.”

“With feed prices climbing and agricultural output under pressure, it is crucial for stakeholders to implement strategies that support farmers, ensure adequate supply for feed manufacturers, and balance the growing demand for ethanol,” Adebayo said.

Tags: consumption, Grains, gasoline, Production, Уганда, wheat, Africa, ethanol, Nigeria, maize, Kenya, Ghana, rice, feedstock, soybeans