Biofuels and Food Security

In order to improve energy security, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to strengthen agricultural /rural development, the production and use of biofuel is increasing all over the world. One of the most crucial problems is that increased biofuel production is competing for resources with food production. This book conducts an economic analysis of the competition between biofuel and food security on a global level. It discusses what the main driving factors behind the promotion of biofuel programs in each country/region are, and shows the biofuel use to agricultural production ratio at national and global levels. Not only does it cover the global discussion of biofuel and food security from 2006 to 2008 and 2009 to 2013 but it also examines both the historical and current state of biofuel production and food security in China, Japan, Brazil, the USA, the EU, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and other countries. This book further analyzes and categorizes competition between biofuel and food production in these regions in two distinct dimensions. This analysis demonstrates that in certain countries/regions, biofuel production can be seen to have a negative impact on food security and the environment. In contrast to this, biofuel programs have also been shown to promote agricultural and rural development, and to reduce Green House Gas. In order to successfully develop biofuel production programs it is therefore necessary to establish sustainable criteria that cover not only environmental, economic and social impacts, but also the potential impact on food security. An evaluation of biofuel programs in different countries/regions from the point of view of food security is also provided, and a proposal is put forward for the best approaches that we can utilize for biofuel programs in order to maintain compatibility with food security.