ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the energy dilemma of tropical agriculture. Energy helps boost yields per unit of land and enables human labor to be more productive, thus aiding the twin foundations of economic improvement in agriculture. The transition from living off energy capital on borrowed time to living off energy income is inescapable; conscious planning to bring it about is preferable to the severe economic dislocations and human suffering that an unplanned transition would surely bring. Through diversification of energy sources, recycling, and general natural resource conservation, major improvement in the current energy situation is possible. A tradeoff exists between expending more fuel in large tractors or more time in smaller, more energy-efficient tractors. The production of biocides requires massive energy inputs; it takes about 9 liters of oil equivalent to produce, formulate, package, and transport one kilogram of biocide. Energy costs incurred in obtaining essential food nutrients, as well as other substances, also vary with the source.
