Biofuel, ethanol from algae, beet sugar crops: A win-win opportunity for India

By N.S. Venkataraman*

During an Earth Day event on 22nd April 2025, the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister highlighted that agriculture’s contribution to India’s GDP has declined to 14% over the years. This observation underscores the urgent need for a national dialogue on revitalizing the agricultural sector through eco-friendly and holistic methods to enhance its GDP contribution.

Currently, manufacturing and services sectors contribute 22% and 54% to GDP, respectively. The shrinking share of agriculture is partly due to the reduction in cultivable land, diverted for infrastructure, housing, and other projects. To reverse this trend, farming activities must be economically viable for farmers, nationally relevant, and environmentally sustainable.

India’s agricultural landscape remains dominated by wheat, paddy, sugarcane, cotton, and similar crops. While government initiatives like minimum support prices and subsidies have sustained farmers, they have not significantly boosted agriculture’s GDP contribution.

Ethanol Blending: Challenges and Alternatives

The government’s push for ethanol blending with petrol aims to reduce crude oil imports. Ethanol is produced from food crops like sugarcane, rice, and maize, with oil marketing companies offering remunerative prices. However, this strategy raises concerns in a densely populated country with persistent poverty, where diverting food crops for fuel may conflict with food security. Additionally, using starch from maize for ethanol instead of value-added derivatives (currently imported petrochemical substitutes) represents a missed opportunity for higher farmer income and reduced crude oil dependency.

The Union Minister’s proposal to produce ethanol from bamboo offers a viable alternative, avoiding competition with food crops. Bamboo-based ethanol could economically empower farmers, particularly in Northeast India, while aligning with environmental goals.

Exploring Algae and Beet Crops for Sustainable Solutions

Algae cultivation presents a promising avenue. Algae grow rapidly (doubling biomass in 1–3 days) and require saline water, sunlight, and CO₂, making them ideal for wastelands without encroaching on fertile agricultural land. With 20–25% oil content, algae can yield biofuel, while residual biomass can be fermented into ethanol. This approach integrates agriculture and industry, leveraging India’s abundant wasteland, solar resources, and CO₂ emissions from power plants to create rural employment and reduce fossil fuel reliance.

Similarly, sugar beet cultivation merits attention. Compared to sugarcane, beet requires less water, allows two annual harvests, and fits into crop rotation systems, enhancing soil productivity. Beet processing yields sugar, ethanol, and cattle feed, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional sugarcane-based ethanol.

Policy Imperatives

Despite global advancements in algae biofuels and beet ethanol, India lags in adopting these technologies. Globally, 30% of sugar production relies on beet, supported by R&D and policy incentives. For India, scaling algae and beet ethanol production could reduce crude oil imports, curb emissions, and elevate agriculture’s GDP contribution.

The government must prioritize policy frameworks, R&D funding, and farmer incentives to unlock these opportunities. By aligning agricultural innovation with industrial demand, India can achieve energy security, environmental sustainability, and equitable rural growth—a true win-win for the nation.

---

*Trustee, Nandini Voice For The Deprived, Chennai

Comments

Hyderabad protest demands end to Operation Kagar as senior Maoist leaders killed in encounter

By Harsh Thakor* A protest was held on June 17 at Indira Park in Hyderabad by the Shanti Charchala Committee, calling for an end to Operation Kagar and the start of peace talks with Maoist groups. The event brought together representatives from several political parties and civil society organizations. Among those who addressed the gathering were CPI (ML) New Democracy Central Committee member Vemulapalli Venkatramayya, along with leaders from the Congress, BRS, CPI, CPM, Telangana Janasamithi, MCPI, SUCI, CPI ML, RSP, and VCK. The programme also featured performances by cultural groups such as CLC, HRF, TVV, Arunodaya, Praja Kala Mandali, and Praja Natya Mandali. Public figures including actors Narayana Murthy and Tudundebba Upendar and academics like Professor Anver Khan and Professor Vinayaka Reddy participated as speakers.

Food security crisis persists in Gujarat despite NFSA: Survey reveals grim ground reality

By A Representative A new field-based survey conducted in January 2025 across Dahod, Panchmahals, Morbi, and Bhavnagar districts has revealed alarming levels of food insecurity among vulnerable communities in Gujarat, ten years after the implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Conducted by Anandi – Area Networking and Development Initiatives (ASAA) and community organisations working with mahila sangathans, the Gujarat Food Security Survey covered 1,261 households, purposively chosen to reflect the experiences of marginalised populations including Adivasis, OBCs, single women, the disabled, and the elderly. The findings suggest that despite the promises of NFSA and wide coverage under the Public Distribution System (PDS), food deprivation remains widespread and systemic failures continue to exclude the most vulnerable.

Land under siege: A silent crisis, desertification is threatening India’s future

By Raj Kumar Sinha* Desertification is emerging as one of the gravest environmental challenges of our time. Marked annually on June 17, the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought reminds us that the fate of our planet’s land—and the billions who depend on it—is hanging in the balance.

Victim to cricketing politics, Alvin Kalicharan was a most organized left handed batsman

By Harsh Thakor* On March 21st Alvin Kalicharan celebrates his 75th birthday. Sadly, his exploits have been forgotten or overlooked. Arguably no left handed batsman was technically sounder or more organized than this little man. Kalicharan was classed as a left-handed version of Rohan Kanhai. Possibly no left-handed batsmen to such a degree blend technical perfection with artistry and power.

Central London discussion to spotlight LGBTQ+ ex-Muslim rights and persecution

By A Representative On June 13, 2025, the Dissident Club in Central London will host a public discussion to mark the 18th anniversary of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) and to commemorate World Refugee Day. The event, scheduled from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, will feature speakers Ali Malik, Maryam Namazie, and Taha Siddiqui, who are expected to address the intersecting challenges faced by LGBTQ+ ex-Muslims globally.

Citizens demand judicial probe into Ahmedabad plane crash, cite neglect of intern doctors, victims' families

By A Representative A wide coalition of concerned citizens, academics, medical professionals, social activists, and public intellectuals has submitted a petition to the Prime Minister of India demanding an urgent judicial inquiry into the recent tragic airplane crash in Ahmedabad that claimed over 240 lives. The petition, coordinated by the Movement for Secular Democracy (MSD), calls for a high-level judicial committee, headed by a retired High Court justice and comprising eminent citizens, to investigate the incident beyond the scope of the existing technical committee.

Better halves lead the way as organic farmers, entrepreneurs and social reformers

By Bharat Dogra Two major challenges continue to limit the full participation of rural women in development. First, their crucial roles, potential, and capabilities often remain underrecognized. Second, even when women are encouraged to take on broader responsibilities, the overarching development models may not align with their needs or perspectives and may even appear counterproductive. Under such conditions, it is unrealistic to expect women to engage as enthusiastic and creative participants.

Hope from the Amazon: Land rights, indigenous voices, and the winds of change in Latin America

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* After several days of travel and digital silence, I returned from a rare and deeply moving journey into the Amazon region of Colombia. It was not just another field trip, but an opportunity to witness the pulse of Latin America’s land rights movement, firsthand.

Lepa Radić: A symbol of defiance and resistance, of fight against oppression

By Harsh Thakor* December 29th marks the centenary of the birth of Lepa Radić, a Yugoslav Partisan whose courage during World War II continues to resonate through history. Born on December 19, 1925, in the village of Gašnica in what is now Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lepa Radić was only 15 when the Axis powers invaded Yugoslavia in April 1941. In response to the occupation, she joined the Partisan resistance, eventually becoming one of its most revered figures. At the age of 17, she was executed by the Nazis for her involvement, refusing until her death to betray her comrades.

Search This Blog