7 A Framework for IWRM in the Water-Energy-Food …
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4.3.2 Small Producers
According to Smeets et al. (2012), any variety of sugar cane bagasse pellets, including
energy cane biomass, can serve as an alternative to firewood in developing countries,
especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
The model currently being tested at the CSS and its potential extensions will not
be directly applicable to small producers in the area before developing it with various
stakeholders; such partnership will result in appropriate and undoubtedly diversified
solutions for local biomass production of energy.
A- Small producers on areas adjacent to CSS
Small producers bordering the CSS produce a rustic fibrous cane with very few inputs,
cut manually outside the sugar cane cutting period. Under the envisioned model,
irrigation water will be provided by the CSS, partly from drainage water. Sale of
this total biomass (stems and leaves) to CSS would be negotiated between producer
and buyer. Pricing variables would include fresh weight of the total biomass during
loading and its water content, which are objective and easily measured parameters.
Indeed, the facility of estimating the energy yield of a sugar cane crop from the wet
above-ground biomass and its dry matter content (Chopart et al. 2013, see par. 331)
will serve as a guide for simple, fair and transparent payment methods for growers
based on simple wet matter and dry matter content measurements, and constant low
heating value of the dry above-ground biomass (LHVd, MJ/kg), which in turn will
incentivize the development of this new crop.
B- Small producers further away
It seems plausible to extend the concept of energy cane production to small producers
already settled or to populate irrigated or irrigatable areas near the river, its tributaries,
or on the periphery of Lake Guiers. Rather than selling the product to the CSS,
which is too far from the production area to make such an exchange feasible, it
would be used to produce local electricity through rustic micro-power plants located
near the production area and provide electricity for one or a few villages. This “rural
electricity” would be a contributor to the development and reduce the use of expensive
fossil fuels. It will also contribute, modestly but tangibly, to reducing climate change.
Most of these outer farmers will probably be new to sugar cane cultivation.
They will therefore require training and supervision, at least initially. The CSS,
with its skilled technical staff, could contribute to this training and supervision,
alongside local authorities, thus strengthening its social and CSR (Corporate Social
Responsibility) function, a priority of the proposed IWRM.
Well-dried fiber cane can even more directly replace wood for cooking food, with
the additional benefit of preserving the local environment. It would also contribute as
a processor of non-digestible raw food products (such as rice) into digestible cooked
foods. It may be worthwhile therefore to test the value of sugar cane to the benefit
of populations, local industry and the environment in the interest of building the
Water-Energy-Food nexus.
163
4.3.2 Small Producers
According to Smeets et al. (2012), any variety of sugar cane bagasse pellets, including
energy cane biomass, can serve as an alternative to firewood in developing countries,
especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
The model currently being tested at the CSS and its potential extensions will not
be directly applicable to small producers in the area before developing it with various
stakeholders; such partnership will result in appropriate and undoubtedly diversified
solutions for local biomass production of energy.
A- Small producers on areas adjacent to CSS
Small producers bordering the CSS produce a rustic fibrous cane with very few inputs,
cut manually outside the sugar cane cutting period. Under the envisioned model,
irrigation water will be provided by the CSS, partly from drainage water. Sale of
this total biomass (stems and leaves) to CSS would be negotiated between producer
and buyer. Pricing variables would include fresh weight of the total biomass during
loading and its water content, which are objective and easily measured parameters.
Indeed, the facility of estimating the energy yield of a sugar cane crop from the wet
above-ground biomass and its dry matter content (Chopart et al. 2013, see par. 331)
will serve as a guide for simple, fair and transparent payment methods for growers
based on simple wet matter and dry matter content measurements, and constant low
heating value of the dry above-ground biomass (LHVd, MJ/kg), which in turn will
incentivize the development of this new crop.
B- Small producers further away
It seems plausible to extend the concept of energy cane production to small producers
already settled or to populate irrigated or irrigatable areas near the river, its tributaries,
or on the periphery of Lake Guiers. Rather than selling the product to the CSS,
which is too far from the production area to make such an exchange feasible, it
would be used to produce local electricity through rustic micro-power plants located
near the production area and provide electricity for one or a few villages. This “rural
electricity” would be a contributor to the development and reduce the use of expensive
fossil fuels. It will also contribute, modestly but tangibly, to reducing climate change.
Most of these outer farmers will probably be new to sugar cane cultivation.
They will therefore require training and supervision, at least initially. The CSS,
with its skilled technical staff, could contribute to this training and supervision,
alongside local authorities, thus strengthening its social and CSR (Corporate Social
Responsibility) function, a priority of the proposed IWRM.
Well-dried fiber cane can even more directly replace wood for cooking food, with
the additional benefit of preserving the local environment. It would also contribute as
a processor of non-digestible raw food products (such as rice) into digestible cooked
foods. It may be worthwhile therefore to test the value of sugar cane to the benefit
of populations, local industry and the environment in the interest of building the
Water-Energy-Food nexus.