Title: The roles of national quality infrastructure toward the sustainable production of biofuels in Africa

Authors: Jorge Goncalves

Addresses: Department of Innovation Economics, Berlin Technology Institute, Müller-Breslau-Straße, D-10623 Berlin, Germany

Abstract: The production of biofuels is increasingly regarded as an opportunity for African countries to attain various development goals. Yet, there are risks associated with it, namely concerning food security, emissions of GHG, and the sustainability of eco-systems. Addressing these requires an innovation policy that promotes an adjustment of practices to local social and environmental conditions. In this paper, it shall be argued that quality infrastructure can be a vehicle to implement such innovation policy and overviews the roles that can be performed by its different elements.

Keywords: biofuels; African countries; sustainable development; eco-systems; Africa; national quality infrastructure; sustainable production; food security; GHG emissions; greenhouse gases; economic development; innovation policy.

DOI: 10.1504/AJESD.2012.046999

African Journal of Economic and Sustainable Development, 2012 Vol.1 No.2, pp.131 - 145

Published online: 31 Jul 2014 *

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