Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Biofuels

Agriculture in the Americas has great potential to develop a robust liquid biofuels industry in the region, agree international experts in a new episode of the “IICA en Acción” podcast

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

The podcast includes a segment devoted to the Living Soils of the Americas initiative spearheaded by IICA together with the Rattan Lal Carbon Management and Sequestration Center (C-MASC) of The Ohio State University.

Primera

 

San Jose, 12 July 2023 (IICA). Biofuels development has tremendous potential in the Americas given the region’s vast agricultural production as well as many countries’ commitment to advancing the industry, which contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fostering sustainable agricultural practices.

This is the message conveyed by three international experts in a new episode of the “IICA en Acción” podcast series of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). The podcast includes a segment devoted to the Living Soils of the Americas initiative spearheaded by the organization specializing in agriculture and rural life in the hemisphere together with the Rattan Lal Carbon Management and Sequestration Center (C-MASC) of The Ohio State University.

“The Americas is the region of the world that has achieved the greatest progress with respect to biofuels, both in terms of production as well as use or consumption. The mandatory blending of ethanol in gasoline is an average of 18% in the region, which is much higher than in any other region of the world”, noted Federico Salcedo, a regional bioethanol consultant for the U.S. Grains Council.

He added that certain countries have an even higher percentage, such as Brazil and Paraguay, which have a 27% and 25% blend, respectively. A few other countries have not yet embarked on this path, “which represents a challenge but also an opportunity”, explained the expert.

According to Salcedo, “the vast majority of Latin American countries produce oil, but they are not self-sufficient. However, most South American countries have the potential to produce biofuels given their focus on agricultural production”.

Patrick Adam, Executive Director of Argentina’s Corn Bioethanol Chamber, highlighted the advantages of “biofuel, a word that involves many stakeholders, many sectors and many raw materials. We focus primarily on bioethanol because it is competitive, and is the one with the greatest potential to grow in the short and medium term”.

During his interview with “IICA en Acción”, Adam referred to a meeting held in Costa Rica in May, which was attended by 320 participants, including international specialists, government authorities, aviation businessmen, and leaders of the fuel industry and the main biofuels chambers of the Americas.

The Pan American Liquid Biofuels Coalition (CPBIO) was launched during the meeting by 25 organizations, which signed a declaration in which they called for a more robust institutional framework and greater coordination to promote biofuels.

“The coalition has allowed for identifying commonalities, and we are determined to assist all countries in advancing the development of bioethanol, which fosters regional development, generates genuine employment, and allows for reducing the carbon footprint by up to 80%”, said Adam.

In turn, Carlos Mateus, Legal Director of the National Biofuels Federation of Colombia, stated that “agriculture is the sector with the greatest prospect of advancing, growing and developing new products and raw materials that are more productive and efficient”.

The interview will be available on IICA’s Spotify channel as of 10 July.

A large number of officials and experts on soils and sustainable agriculture have participated in the segment of the podcast dedicated to the Living Soils of the Americas initiative, sharing their experiences and the progress achieved in different countries of the region.

For example, to name just a few, the program has interviewed IICA Director General Manuel Otero; award-winning Rattan Lal, one of the world’s leading experts on soil sciences; Argentine Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Juan José Bahillo; and the Chief of the Natural Resources and Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, Terry Cosby.

Private sector entities that have partnered in this initiative, namely Bayer, Syngenta and PepsiCo, have also participated.

More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int

Share

Related news​

San José, Costa Rica

June 5, 2025

At IICA, Costa Rican cacao producers are recognized for the excellence of their products and for their contribution to rural development and nutrition in the region

Experts analyzed 15 samples of cacao from various parts of the Central American country, with the five that received the highest scores then declared winners of the 2025 competition. The same five samples were sent to Rome, Italy, where they will represent Costa Rica in the international “Cacao of Excellence” competition, the stepping stone to the International Cocoa Awards.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Turrialba, Costa Rica

June 3, 2025

On a study visit to Costa Rica, ministers of Agriculture, rural youth and women of the Eastern Caribbean were introduced to improved agricultural practices

The mission began with two days of activities at IICA Headquarters in San Jose, including meeting with the IICA Director General, Manuel Otero. The visitors then travelled to CATIE.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José, Costa Rica

June 2, 2025

Ibero-America sees biofuels as a solution to decarbonize the energy sector  

The annual meeting of the Ibero-American Association of Energy Regulators (ARIAE), held in San Jose and Guanacaste, Costa Rica, featured the II Entrepreneurial Forum, attracting 200 participants, including the Costa Rican Minister of Environment and Energy, the Executive Secretary of the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) and authorities of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB); the XV Regular Annual Meeting of the ARIAE General Assembly, which was attended by 17 regulatory agencies of ARIAE; and the XXVI Annual Meeting of ARIAE Energy Regulators.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins