Summary
Over the last few years, there has been growing interest in bioenergy, due in part to its potential for rural development and climate change mitigation, and as an energy alternative given the high price of oil. At the same time, concerns regarding the potential negative impacts of bioenergy have also grown and have led to the development of a range of voluntary standards aimed at ensuring the sustainability of bioenergy production. This report includes results from three case studies to examine the opportunities and challenges for smallholders presented by: 1) bioenergy as a new type of value chain, and by 2) bioenergy certification schemes. Understanding the specific challenges and opportunities for smallholder inclusion in bioenergy voluntary standards and certification is crucial in order to ensure that modern bioenergy development delivers on its rural development and poverty reduction potential.