Developing bioenergy economic and social issues: bioenergy and agriculture promises and challenges

"... There is a clear link between access to energy services and poverty alleviation and development. The first set of critical energy needs are those that satisfy basic human needs: fuel for cooking, heating and lighting, energy for pumping water, and electricity for health and education services. The second set of critical energy needs are those that provide energy for income-generating activities that help break the cycle of poverty... Bioenergy could make multiple contributions to the fight to eradicate poverty and improve food security. In developed countries, shifting land use toward biomass for energy would reduce dumping in the commodity markets and give developing-country farmers access to higher prices. In developing countries, the production of energy in concert with sustainable food production and the sustainable use of local resources could also result in higher incomes for farmers and added energy services for the community, all of which would enhance the community's ability to develop economic activity designed to reduce poverty and enhance food security." from Text