Bioenergy and Food Security - The BEFS analysis for Thailand

The Government of Thailand, through its Alternative Energy Development Plan, has set a target of increasing its biofuels production to five billion litres by 2022. The Thai Government sees this expansion as a way to strengthen the country’s energy security, foster rural development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In recent years, due to a broad global interest in bioenergy development, FAO set up the Bioenergy and Food Security (BEFS) project to support countries to make informed decision s in order to limit the risks of hindering food security, and at the same time to increase their opportunity to improve the lot of the most vulnerable and underprivileged part of society. The analysis presented in this document is the result of the implementation of the BEFS Analytical Framework in Thailand. The framework envisages analyzing the effects of the bioenergy sector on the agricultural market and the use of natural resources, it evaluates the economic competitiveness and the eff ects on greenhouse gas emissions, and finally, it highlights the socio-economic aspects of bioenergy development at the macro and micro level. The main findings and recommendations for policy-makers for the development of the biofuel sector without impacting food security are being published in “BEFS Thailand – Key results and policy recommendations for future bioenergy development”.