[Greenbuilding] Bio-fuels impact on food (particularly on "developing countries")

[sanjay jain]

Hello all,

I would have thought this is off topic for this list, but it keeps coming up - so I'll add to it :)

Lot of people talk about how bio-fuels will raise food prices, and concerns for the poor in developing countries.

As Lawrence points out, we really need to look at how we grow things first. I believe that most sustainable-agriculture advocates agree that currently we mostly consume petroleum energy when consuming food grown by modern production methods. So are we currently exporting fuel not food?

Many people argue that global food price increases are good for developing countries. Currently local farmers are not able to compete with food imports.

I have seen first hand the devastating impact of surplus (charity) clothing has done to the Zambian textile industry, the local people can not compete with discarded (free) clothes.

Yes, in the short term there may be some adverse affects from increased food prices, but there are ways to help people through the transition. 

At home in the US, food prices are only lower for foods that aren't good for us! It's actually better for us and the environment to have higher prices. 

Some links:

Food Without Thought:  How US Farm Policy Contributes to Obesity”

http://www.agnutrilink.net

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_policy#Dumping_is_harmful_to_developing_world_farmers

~sanjay







 

       
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