Growing Elephant Grass in Brazil – A Lesson in Data, Resilience, and Innovation

In 2012, I embarked on an ambitious project to grow elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) in northeast Brazil for use in combined heat and power (CHP) applications. This perennial lignocellulosic grass is well-known for its high growth rates and significant biomass yield, making it ideal for energy purposes, particularly when pelletized. However, growing it under arid, sandy soil presented challenges. Such inhospitable soils are often favored for energy crops to avoid competing with better growing conditions needed for food crops. This approach aligns with the broader goal of sustainable land use, ensuring that food security is not compromised by energy production.

From the outset, we faced the daunting task of selecting the right species of Pennisetum to thrive in Brazil’s northeast semi-arid climate. The genus Pennisetum contains a wide range of species, with estimates ranging between 80 and 140. Given the lack of readily available data, our approach relied on consultations with agronomists from Embrapa, Brazil’s leading agricultural research institution, thorough review of non-digital research, and assessing the availability of seeds from various sources.

We ultimately selected 12 species to test, each planted on one hectare (approximately 2.47 acres). Our goal was to evaluate their growth rates, moisture and silica content (which can form ash deposits on combustion chamber walls), and yield on a dry basis. Over several growth cycles, we collected data on crops harvested every six, seven, and eight months, refining our understanding of the interplay between timing, yield, and plant health. This experimental phase was critical to guiding future commercial decisions.

The data we gathered laid the groundwork for a pellet production project, attracting an investor who engaged an independent agronomist to validate the findings and assess risks. Despite this due diligence, the investor strongly pushed for selecting the highest-yielding species for monocropping across the project’s 36,000 hectares (approximately 89,000 acres).

This decision stemmed from a fundamental aspect of agricultural operations: yield per hectare/acre is not only a key driver of the cost structure of the entire operation but also serves as the primary “currency” for evaluating investment viability. It is the unit of information that shapes investment decisions, with everything geared toward maximizing this metric, often at the expense of other critical considerations like long-term resilience and sustainability. A more diversified approach, incorporating a mix of species, would have offered greater protection by naturally reducing pests and improving soil health. This strategy could have minimized chemical use and bolstered climate resilience, creating a balanced, productive ecosystem over the long term.

This experience reinforced a critical point: agricultural financing often prioritizes short-term yield over long-term sustainability. Climate change, which threatens to make already arid areas even more inhospitable, demands more adaptive strategies. A diversified approach, informed by robust data, not only reduces risks but also enhances outcomes over time.

My elephant grass project highlighted the need for smarter, data-backed agricultural strategies and deepened my passion for creating solutions that align economic incentives with sustainable practices. At Layer 1 Agriculture, we leverage today’s wealth of agricultural data to bridge the gap between financing conditions and sustainable farming practices. By integrating data-driven risk mitigation strategies, we empower farmers, insurers, and investors to achieve better long-term results, even under challenging environmental conditions, building a future where data, innovation, and sustainability converge to transform agriculture for the better.