INTEGRATING FOOD-ENERGY CROPPING SYSTEMS IN TEMPERATE CLIMATES Walter Zegada-Lizarazu, Andrea Monti Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy
Detecting adequate agronomic strategies and production potential of alternative crops and cropping systems to integrate food and energy production.
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limate change and energy security are the two main challenges that are forcing governments around the world to put on the top of their agendas the search and development of renewable energy alternatives. The agricultural sector, differently for the forestry woody biomass
sector and its age-related carbon storage dynamics, is able to provide biomass feedstocks in annual basis so to contribute to the expected REDII zero emissions at the point of biomass conversion in shorts growth cycles. Then the agricultural sector is called to take action to find new
solutions capable of guaranteeing large quantities of lignocellulosic biomass, locally available, for energy production purposes in a rational and sustainable manner without negatively affecting the main role of agriculture to supply food/feed, maintain biodiversity, and reduce CO2 emissions.
Figure 1 - The dense canopy of Sunn hemp keeps the soil covered in the summer, increases the soil organic matter while producing lignocellulosic biomass.
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