As agriculture production for biofuel increases, the debate between “food versus fuel” continues to heat up.  Defenders of new biofuel crops such as jatropha, the scientific name for Central America’s piñon plant, claim that the crop will not displace traditional food crops and will give farmers an economic advantage.  Foes counter that biofuel corporations are eclipsing small farmers in India and Brazil by cultivating massive plantations of non-edible crops.   A new report, the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2007-2016, provides insight into the long-term impact on food security of the biofuel production in the agriculture sector.  Structural changes in agriculture, specifically for increased feedstock for biofuel production, will keep agriculture prices at historic high levels for the next decade, says the report.  These higher commodity prices will raise costs for developing countries that import food as well as the urban poor.  The report also states that, while higher feedstock prices caused by increased bio-fuel production will benefit feedstock producers, it also means extra costs and lower incomes for farmers who need the feedstock to provide animal feed.

PHOTO: Plantations of jatropha are cultivated in Brazil and India.