Special Issue: Green Management for Sustainable Sugar Industry

Abstract

Sugarcane has been cultivated for human and animal consumption for centuries, and in recent years, its potential is being increasingly exploited for its immense agro-industrial value. World sugarcane production has more than 500 years of history and integrates the agricultural activities of growing, harvesting and transportation of sugarcane with industrial production in sugar mills and integrated industries viz. ethanol, power, feed, paper, board and biobased products. Sugar industry and sugar crops are a potential source of renewable energy, bio-fuels, bio-electricity and bio-materials, as well as a food crop and widely recognized as a source of rural livelihoods and socio-economic transformation in developing countries. Like many other industries, the sugar and sugar-bioproduct industries are facing important sustainability issues and opportunities. The relatively low and fluctuating profit from sugar, surpluses of sugar, world-wide trend to produce alternative from renewable raw material, reduce greenhouse gases, waterand energy-intensive factories and refineries, and increased consumer demands for sustainably manufactured products are putting pressure on the industries to diversify for sustainability. The progressive transition from conventional sugar mill and distilleries to bio-refineries, coupled with climate change, has led to multiple problems encompassing crop vulnerability to biotic and abiotic stress, high cost of production as well as its adverse impact on environment, which are serious concerns. World over, systematic efforts are underway to determine critical issues that threaten the environmental and economic sustainability of sugar industry and green management intervention to improve their profitability and productivity vis-a-vis a reduction in the cost of production. This special issue of Sugar Tech is a unique collection of a total of 21 review articles and research papers based on the views and experience of many experts, highlighting the existing knowledge of Green Technologies and its benefits for sustainable sugarcane production and industry. Besides, it will also include articles on the use of sugarcane as raw material in bio-refineries to produce sugar and biomassbased value-added products and derivatives in cleaner environment. Other important contributions in this special issue cover ecological concerns related to sugarcane/sugar crops production and processing, bio-intensive sugarcane agriculture, carbon sequestration, water and energy footprints, corporate social responsibility (CSR), bio-based products from sugar crops, green business initiatives and sustainability issues. & S. Solomon [email protected]