Energy crops for biofuel production or for food? - SWOT analysis (case study: Greece)

• “Energy crops for biofuel production or for food?” is the dilemma posed.
• SWOT analysis is applied to answer the dilemma for Greece.
• Each option has strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Need for food and energy challenge humanity. Producing biofuels from energy crops leads to the dilemma: “energy crops for biofuel or for food?” This paper aims to answer this dilemma through the SWOT analysis, for the first time for Greece. Results of the first alternative show strengths including creation of direct and indirect jobs (Biofuel production industry), diversity of energy supply, and positive contribution of the greenhouse effect. Weaknesses include environmental impact, and dependence on land availability (additional need of arable land other than that required to grow food). Energy and climate change priority on policy agenda, EU directives promoting the use of biofuels, and economic competitiveness with fossil fuels, could create the external environment to promote bioenergy production. Conversely, results of the second option show strengths including food security, and non-risk of deforestation in order to find new land. Weaknesses include failure to increase employment opportunities by not creation of indirect jobs, and non exploitation of marginal lands. Respective external environmental factors include solution to food crisis, use of second generation biofuels, and development of new and non-edible varieties. Dependence on fossil fuels and failure to comply with the world agenda regarding climate change, constitute threats for this option.