Agriculture has a dual role as an energy user and as an energy supplier in the form of bioenergy.
This energy function of agriculture offers important rural development opportunities as well as one means of climate change mitigation by substituting bioenergy for fossil fuels. This report focuses on the challenges and opportunities of advancing modern bioenergy technology, in general, and on the technical, environmental and economic benefits of the energy function of agriculture, in particular. This report has been prepared as a contribution of FAO to the 9th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development to be held in April 2001 and its follow up, which is expected to accelerate the global move towards more sustainable energy systems.