Martina Francisca Baidoo

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is widely seen as the most feasible near-term solution for reducing aviation emissions, yet its expansion in Africa raises critical questions about land use, agricultural resilience, and economic viability. This study examines the SAF transition in Sub-Saharan Africa to assess whether SAF production can support aviation decarbonisation without worsening pressure on fragile food systems. This narrative literature review synthesises evidence on SAF market trends, approved conversion methods, biomass feedstocks, land governance, supply chain readiness, financing conditions, and policy frameworks. The results show that while Sub-Saharan Africa possesses considerable biomass potential and new opportunities for rural value creation, the deployment of SAF faces structural challenges such as insecure land tenure, smallholder-focused farming systems, poor logistics, climate-sensitive production methods, high capital requirements, and limited certification and regulatory support. The findings further indicate that poorly managed expansion of energy crops can increase competition for land, water, labour, and capital, thereby threatening food security and damaging the environmental credibility of SAF projects. The study concludes that SAF development in the region should therefore be approached not as a purely technical fuel replacement strategy but as an integrated transformation involving aviation, agriculture, and industry. A phased, safeguards-driven pathway is proposed, prioritising residues and waste, inclusive production models, strengthened sustainability governance, and risk-reducing investment frameworks.

This study aimed at evaluating the potential biogas production from four main sources, in terms of the volume of methane for energy production and the equivalent avoidable carbon dioxide emissions in 2020 through to 2030. It was based on the projection of methane production from common livestock and poultry manure, possible landfills, wastewater treatment plants, and palm oil mill effluent. This paper uses sound and reliable methodology to estimate the biogas potential of these major resources, which could lead to significant achievement in environmental sustainability via biogas generation and carbon dioxide emission reduction. The results showed that a total of 690.7 million m³ and 848.74 7 million m³ of methane could be obtained from all the sources considered in 2020 and in 2030, respectively, which translates to about 1.84 TWh_el and 2.28 TWh_el. It also meant that a total carbon dioxide equivalent emission of 12.36 million tCO₂-eq and 15.82 million tCO₂-eq could be avoided in 2020 and 2030, respectively. The results of this study therefore, show the remarkable contribution that biogas technology can make, as well as serve as an immediate technical information for policies makers, government agencies, and potential investors on the development of biogas technology in Ghana. Significant achievements can be made when comprehensive attempts are made so as to provide sustainable energy by integrating and improving livestock rearing, application of comprehensive solid and liquid waste management system and usage of best practices for managing agro-processing residues, which are integral part of the socio-economic activities in Ghana.