Bio-fuel is one viable option being tested to replace fossil fuel in the future, though many negatives can draw from it, including deforestation, energy used to produce bio-fuel versus the amount it generates and food security.
A recent meeting of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) held in the Italian capital, Rome, has emphasised the need to consider food security ahead of bio-fuel sources.
The meeting of close to 750 organisations, including 130 government delegations, and 50 private sector organisations, confirmed that bio-fuel “should not compromise food security, and should especially consider smallholders.”
Smallholders including family farmers, fishers and others whose livelihoods depend on their agriculture in developing countries account for most of the 840 million chronically hungry people in the world, according to the recent United Nations hunger report, the State of Food Insecurity in the World.
This is a statistic that should not go unmentioned in the race to find a different fuel source to replace fossil fuels.
The development of bio-fuels can cause “both opportunities and risks in economic, social and environmental aspects,” according to CFS.
“In some cases, current bio-fuel production creates competition between bio-fuel crops and food crops.”
The link between organic fuel sources and food security is one between the balance of food sources for third world countries and the needs of transportation that could be in risk in the near future if fuel sources were to be exhausted.
The meeting also looked at possibilities in bio-fuel research and food security across the globe stating that, “governments and other appropriate stakeholders are encouraged to review bio-fuels policies, where applicable and if necessary, according to balanced science-based assessments of the opportunities and risks they may present for food security.”
CFS recommended modulation of the supply chain between food, feed and energy, depending on conditions.
Governments should continue to support the development of bio-fuels, and aim for alternative fuel sources though not of the edible kind, CFS said.
Other forms of fuel could be found from waste, CFS added.
Other issues that arose from the meeting include policies and visions to help “build a country-owned vision” for smallholders.
CFS called on governments, together with smallholder organisations, civil society, the private sector, research institutions and international development partners to boost investments for smallholders.
The importance of smallholder agriculture will be highlighted in 2014 during the International Year of Family Farming.
CFS looked at other critical issues and efforts to overcome chronic hunger and severe poverty, including agricultural investments and food security in pro-longed crisis situations.
At the end of the meeting, Gerda Verburg of the Netherlands was elected as the CFS Chair for a two-year term succeeded Yaya Olaniran of Nigeria.
