Sweet sorghum ethanol value chain: Issues and the way forwardB V SReddyauthorAAshok KumarauthorP PRaoauthorChRavinder ReddyauthorThe ICRISAT-NAIP-ICAR sub-project on ‘Value Chain Model for Bioethanol
Production from Sweet Sorghum in Rainfed Areas through Collective Action
and Partnership’ focused on developing and establishing sustanable bioethanol
value chain models by addressing issues involved along the value chain
components. The sweet sorghum value chain encompasses sweet sorghum
production and transportation of stalks distillery or crushing unit, crushing
stalks for juice extraction, syrup production from juice, ethanol production
from juice and or syrup, ethanol blending with gasoline and utilization of
the by-products, bagasse, vinasse, etc. For successful implementation of
the value chain models, based on the core competencies, a consortium of
partners involving public sector research and development organizations
(ICRISAT, DSR, IICT, CRIDA, ILRI and SVVU) and private sector ethanol
distillery (Rusni Distilleries Ltd.) was formed with ICRISAT as consortium
lead. Aakruthi Agricultural Associates of India (AAI), an NGO, was engaged to
assist in implementation of the project activities that relate to mobilization of
farmers and their capacity building in cluster villages. This unique consortium
of private-public-people-partnership (PPPP) was in place to help reach the
goals by harnessing the synergies of the partners. The information presented
in the previous sections is based on the results obtained from implementation
of the project work plans from 2008 to 2012. This chapter describes major
issues encountered during implementation of the work plans, the issues
related to sustaining the sweet sorghum based ethanol value chain in the
state of Andhra Pradesh, India, and the way forwardSorghum2013International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid TropicsBook Section