• Energy Research
• 11. Sustainability close
• University of Oxford close

Abstract Biofuels have been promoted as a renewable energy option in many countries, but have also faced extensive scrutiny over their sustainability. Food security is perhaps the most debated sustainability impact of biofuels, especially in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa that experience high rates of malnutrition and have been a major destination for biofuel-related investments. This study assesses the local food security impacts of engagement in biofuel crop production using a consistent protocol between multiple crops and sites. We use standardized metrics of food security related to dietary diversity and perceptions of hunger, and focus on feedstock smallholders and plantation workers in four operational projects: a large-scale jatropha plantation (Mozambique), a smallholder-based jatropha project (Malawi) and two hybrid sugarcane projects (Malawi, Eswatini). Collectively these reflect the main feedstocks, modes of production and land use transitions related to biofuel projects in Sub-Sahara Africa. Inverse Probability Weighting analysis indicates that involvement in sugarcane production improved household food security for plantation workers and feedstock smallholders. Conversely, involvement in jatropha production does not have a statistically significant positive effect on household food security for both workers and smallholders. Regression models indicate that the factors driving food security indicator levels vary between study sites. Wealth indicators influence food security indicators in several sites, but the absolute level of income plays a smaller role, while income stability/regularity, access to credit and stable markets for selling sugarcane be important drivers as indicated by the strong effect of proxy variables on indicators.

Abstract Biofuels have been promoted as a renewable energy option in many countries, but have also faced extensive scrutiny over their sustainability. Food security is perhaps the most debated sustainability impact of biofuels, especially in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa that experience high rates of malnutrition and have been a major destination for biofuel-related investments. This study assesses the local food security impacts of engagement in biofuel crop production using a consistent protocol between multiple crops and sites. We use standardized metrics of food security related to dietary diversity and perceptions of hunger, and focus on feedstock smallholders and plantation workers in four operational projects: a large-scale jatropha plantation (Mozambique), a smallholder-based jatropha project (Malawi) and two hybrid sugarcane projects (Malawi, Eswatini). Collectively these reflect the main feedstocks, modes of production and land use transitions related to biofuel projects in Sub-Sahara Africa. Inverse Probability Weighting analysis indicates that involvement in sugarcane production improved household food security for plantation workers and feedstock smallholders. Conversely, involvement in jatropha production does not have a statistically significant positive effect on household food security for both workers and smallholders. Regression models indicate that the factors driving food security indicator levels vary between study sites. Wealth indicators influence food security indicators in several sites, but the absolute level of income plays a smaller role, while income stability/regularity, access to credit and stable markets for selling sugarcane be important drivers as indicated by the strong effect of proxy variables on indicators.

This paper examines the success of small-scale farming livelihoods in adapting to climate variability and change. We represent adaptation actions as choices within a response space that includes coping but also longer-term adaptation actions, and define success as those actions which promote system resilience, promote legitimate institutional change, and hence generate and sustain collective action. We explore data on social responses from four regions across South Africa and Mozambique facing a variety of climate risks. The analysis suggests that some collective adaptation actions enhance livelihood resilience to climate change and variability but others have negative spillover effects to other scales. Any assessment of successful adaptation is, however, constrained by the scale of analysis in terms of the temporal and spatial boundaries on the system being investigated. In addition, the diversity of mechanisms by which rural communities in southern Africa adapt to risks suggests that external interventions to assist adaptation will need to be sensitive to the location-specific nature of adaptation.

This paper examines the success of small-scale farming livelihoods in adapting to climate variability and change. We represent adaptation actions as choices within a response space that includes coping but also longer-term adaptation actions, and define success as those actions which promote system resilience, promote legitimate institutional change, and hence generate and sustain collective action. We explore data on social responses from four regions across South Africa and Mozambique facing a variety of climate risks. The analysis suggests that some collective adaptation actions enhance livelihood resilience to climate change and variability but others have negative spillover effects to other scales. Any assessment of successful adaptation is, however, constrained by the scale of analysis in terms of the temporal and spatial boundaries on the system being investigated. In addition, the diversity of mechanisms by which rural communities in southern Africa adapt to risks suggests that external interventions to assist adaptation will need to be sensitive to the location-specific nature of adaptation.

This paper models the retrofitting of traditional rural dwellings in Uganda by introducing passive cooling and daylighting measures. With climate change, outdoor temperatures in parts of the Global South will become unbearable. Communities will be forced to spend more time indoors and thus require further cooling and daytime lighting for thermal and visual comfort. Passive measures can address this while also attenuating energy consumption and diversifying energy use. For the first time, these measures are combined and modelled for those purposes in a rural developing country context where there is limited access to electricity. Using SketchUp and EnergyPlus™, we simulate 15 scenarios of passive cooling and daylighting measures for two baseline scenarios: electrified mud hut and semi-permanent dwelling. Those are also feasible scenarios for similar greenfield unelectrified architectures. The results from the simulated scenarios on electrified dwellings include energy savings, and from these, payback periods are calculated. Two cost-effective scenarios are identified. For mud huts, combining shading (through vegetation) with a centralised fibre optic solar concentrator enables an annual reduction of 31 % of energy consumption. For semi-permanent dwellings, painting rooftops white combined with the integration of solar water light bulbs reduces energy consumption by 47 %. In terms of payback periods for the selected scenarios, the former is four years and nine months, while the latter is two months.

This paper models the retrofitting of traditional rural dwellings in Uganda by introducing passive cooling and daylighting measures. With climate change, outdoor temperatures in parts of the Global South will become unbearable. Communities will be forced to spend more time indoors and thus require further cooling and daytime lighting for thermal and visual comfort. Passive measures can address this while also attenuating energy consumption and diversifying energy use. For the first time, these measures are combined and modelled for those purposes in a rural developing country context where there is limited access to electricity. Using SketchUp and EnergyPlus™, we simulate 15 scenarios of passive cooling and daylighting measures for two baseline scenarios: electrified mud hut and semi-permanent dwelling. Those are also feasible scenarios for similar greenfield unelectrified architectures. The results from the simulated scenarios on electrified dwellings include energy savings, and from these, payback periods are calculated. Two cost-effective scenarios are identified. For mud huts, combining shading (through vegetation) with a centralised fibre optic solar concentrator enables an annual reduction of 31 % of energy consumption. For semi-permanent dwellings, painting rooftops white combined with the integration of solar water light bulbs reduces energy consumption by 47 %. In terms of payback periods for the selected scenarios, the former is four years and nine months, while the latter is two months.

Planned adaptations are commonly adopted by governments considering large-scale socio-economic and political interventions, while local communities innovate their adaptive responses using locally available resources â also known as autonomous adaptation. Congruence between planned and autonomous adaptation is needed to develop a concerted and effective effort to minimize the negative impacts of context-specific vulnerability. This paper offers a systematic framework for building congruence between planned and autonomous adaptation using a six-step approach to guide their integration while maintaining an environment for future autonomous innovations. We applied this framework to previously conducted case studies in Spain, Bangladesh and Canada, revealing key lessons for using autonomous adaptation as leverage points for sustainable climate adaptation. © 2021 The authors would like to acknowledge funding from the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Funding 201989 (Rahman PI). The authors would also like to thank Professor Kate Sherren, School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada for her comments on the earlier draft of the paper.

Planned adaptations are commonly adopted by governments considering large-scale socio-economic and political interventions, while local communities innovate their adaptive responses using locally available resources â also known as autonomous adaptation. Congruence between planned and autonomous adaptation is needed to develop a concerted and effective effort to minimize the negative impacts of context-specific vulnerability. This paper offers a systematic framework for building congruence between planned and autonomous adaptation using a six-step approach to guide their integration while maintaining an environment for future autonomous innovations. We applied this framework to previously conducted case studies in Spain, Bangladesh and Canada, revealing key lessons for using autonomous adaptation as leverage points for sustainable climate adaptation. © 2021 The authors would like to acknowledge funding from the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Funding 201989 (Rahman PI). The authors would also like to thank Professor Kate Sherren, School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada for her comments on the earlier draft of the paper.