Biofuel potential and FAO’s estimates of available land: The case of Tanzania
2010
H. M. Haugen
While there are under-utilized lands in several countries of sub-Saharan Africa, the drive towards transforming huge areas of land to biofuel plantations must be reviewed critically. The facts that much of these lands are presently covered with forests or classified as wetlands, having a high carbon storage capacity and that these lands are used by local communities for their survival, must be acknowledged. The article analyzes the reasons why public authorities, academics and non-governmental organizations operate with very high estimates on available lands for agriculture in Tanzania (i.e. 550 km2 or almost two thirds of its territory). This figure does not take into account the competing uses of the land, or the need to preserve fragile ecosystems. Both this figure and other, much lower figures, originate from FAO. This article argues to call upon FAO to explicitly denounce the use of this high figure, as a basis for planning agricultural expansion in Tanzania.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]