Transcript for the Piece Audio version of Argentina Jumps on the Biofuels Bandwagon

Lede: Corporate experts and financiers held the First Biofuels Congress of the Americas in Buenos Aires today to promote biofuel production in the region. Former US Vice President Al Gore will address investors, NGO?s and soy producers at the congress to spearhead biofuel production in Argentina. Marie Trigona has more from Buenos Aires.

((( 00:00))) [Marie I] Inexpensive land, cheap labor and plentiful bumper crops of soybeans make Argentina a prime target for the production of ethanol and bio diesel. Argentina is already offering tax-incentives to step up investments for the biofuels market which is expected to triple by 2015. Argentina?s vice-president Daniel Scioli welcomed international financiers to the Biofuels Congress, saying that Argentina is eager to develop biodiesal technology and production. ((( 00:20)))

[Voice Over Daniel Scioli 00:39] We have the satisfaction to show the world that Argentina is already exporting biodiesal. We are hopeful and are creating favorable conditions to lure investments to this sector. We are developing the necessary infrastructure, improving our highways and ports to transport and store the fruit of our applied intelligence. We are completely convinced that alternative biofuels will convert Argentina into a global leader in renewable energy. ((( 01:00)))

((( 01:00))) [Marie II] Investors and institutions attending the First Biofuels Congress of the Americas paid 500 dollars a head to attend the event, which was closed off to media outlets not allied to biofuels. A study published by the National Academy of Sciences found that neither ethanol nor biodiesal can replace petroleum without having an impact on food supply. Biofuel proponents brushed off any criticism of the renewable energy industry. Juan Carlos Iturregui president of the Foundation for InterAmerican Development said that biofuels can only bring positive results. ((( 01:25)))

[Voice Over Juan Carlos Iturregui 00:25] Biofuels can propel development. They bring a very important factor which is the ability to compete and develop. This has already been proven, let?s not get tied up with supposed theories and false debates. There can be food for everyone. There can be biofuels for everyone. ((( 01:55)))

((( 01:00))) [Marie III] Renewable energy proponents hope that Argentina?s soy production will fuel biodiesal for export. Argentina is the third-largest soybean producer in the world after the United States and Brazil. Top soil erosion and pollution caused from pesticides and fertilizers have been just some of the side effects to soy. According to Oscar Delgado, a farmer from the northern province of Salta, soy production has led to the violent eviction of small farmers and indigenous from lands cleared for soy bean plantations. ((( 02:25)))

[Voice Over Ocscar Delgado 00:29]
In the northern region of Argentina, in the provinces of Jujuy and Salta, local residents are witnessing a grave situation because of the expansion of the mono-crops. Most serious is the expansion of trans genetic soy in Salta that has produced the eviction of small farmers and indigenous from lands. The local government in Salta supports these evictions, the government is supporting these new businessmen coming to the province. ((( 03:00)))

((( 03:00))) [Marie IV] Local environmental groups and farmers held a parallel event to present the dangers of biofuels, especially the effects on food production and prices. They also held a protest outside of the hotel where the Biofuels Congress of the Americas was held. Soledad Ogoliano, from the assembly for food sovereignty said that multi-nationals like Monsanto and Repsol YPF, a Spanish-Argentine petroleum company, speculate large profits while putting Argentina?s food production at risk. ((( 03:15)))

[Voice Over Soledad Ogliano 00:38]

The immediate effect of this kind of production is: massive desforistation like we are seeing now in the forests in Chaco, the Amazon, and other areas that are large sources of biodiversity that are destroyed for mono crops, only one agricultural crop, generally trangenetic like soy. We are talking about production that is highly concentrated because it requires large amounts of capital and investments in technology. It is no longer agricultural food production in the hands of local communities, but simply large scale production of commodities. ((( 03:55)))

Local environmental groups will organize a series of protests against the corporations investing in biofuel in the coming months. Subsequent bio-fuel congresses will take place in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil this year. For Free Speech Radio News I?m Marie Trigona in Buenos Aires.