There is a need to use cleared idle agricultural land for biofuel production
in order to avoid adverse impacts on food security and biodiversity. This chapter
examines the potential impacts of biofuel development on biodiversity in Chobe
District, Botswana, using literature review and stakeholder interviews. The stakeholders
interviewed confi rmed that there are signifi cant areas of idle agricultural
land available in the district, but most of it is not cleared. Therefore, the production
of biofuels in Chobe District may on the one hand negatively affect biodiversity
through the clearing of new land, but on the other hand it may not adversely affect
food security since idle agricultural land will be used. The use of marginal land for
biofuel production may also harm biodiversity (plant and animal species). This
chapter shows that the use of jatropha and sweet sorghum for biofuel production is
likely to have a lower impact on biodiversity compared to corn. In conclusion,
research on biology, chemistry as well as agronomic aspects of energy crops should
be undertaken prior to large-scale biofuel development in Botswana.