Aug 9, 2020
The potential of the prickly pear
Exploiting a sustainable source of food, employment and biofuel from the desert
photo Raychel Sanner @unsplash
The humble prickly pear cactus, prevalent throughout South America and across the Mediterranean, has been reimagined by one local Mexican company as a sustainable biofuel. The benefits of a crop that produces a high food yield, requires minimal water, and whose inedible waste products can be turned into biofuel are clear. Not only that, but the project makes social, economic and environmental sense. This expanding company has even signed a deal with local government to provide all official vehicles with biofuel.