Biofuels and degraded land : the potential role of intensive agriculture in landscape restoration

Many sectors, including biofuels, are targeting degraded lands yet there is no singular definition of what constitutes degraded lands. This publication represents the outcome of a cross-sectoral dialogue and builds on existing experiences both with the agricultural and biofuel sectors, as well as that of landscape restoration more broadly. A tentative, pragmatic framework of considerations is presented that could help decision makers realize the good intention behind investing in biofuel production or other intensive agriculture activities in degraded lands, without the pitfalls of contributing to even greater ecosystem simplification and further marginalising already vulnerable farming communities.