Sugarcane Bioeconomy and Circularity in Latin America: Progress and Future Pathway

Sugarcane is one of the most important crops worldwide because it is key for the economy of numerous countries and because of the size of its cultivated land area. It can play a major role in a circular bioeconomy because it can be a raw material for a variety of products not only in the food and beverage industries but also for animal feed, biodegradable packaging, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and bioplastics. Furthermore, it is a source of bioenergy both through bioelectricity from its biomass and ethanol as a biofuel. The aim of this chapter is to present its importance, progress to date, and its future potential in Latin America, where it has been an important crop for centuries. Circularity is key as there are environmental concerns such as water use and pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and agrochemical use. Different cases throughout the region of sustainable management practices addressing those issues are presented. Some practices are somewhat common in the region, whereas others are carried out only in some countries or companies. Hence, the future pathway includes the adoption of best practices in the region and beyond, as well as new areas that require research and development to attain their potential.