The India based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is promoting the use of sweet sorghum  feedstock  for producing  bioethanol saying this would strike a balance between food security and environmental protection. Sweet sorghum also known as the ‘smart crop,’ can link the poor dry land farmers  to the biofuel market, with out compromising on their food security, or causing environmental damage. Sweet sorghum is a carbon-dioxide neutral crop, which is why it is called a smart crop. Read more...

Cutting back biofuel plans essential: Oil World --

 A Germany based oilseeds analyst Oil World Forecast has claimed that governments worldwide may reduce their targets to increase biofuel use in view of the rising food prices.  Most biofuels are currently consumed in the US and Europe. However biofuel targets are too ambitious; even at this early stage, biofuel use  is leading to severe food shortages and consequent increases in food prices. Read more...

Climate change to leave world hungry  

Bio fuels have already been blamed for the soaring food prices. Now according to a study by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, climate change may cause significant declines in crop and pasture production in over a third of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The study says that climate change will affect an additional 35 to 170 million people leaving them undernourished in the second half of the century.  Read more...

FAO report claims soaring cereal bill

According to FAO, the cereal import bill of the world's poorest countries will rise by 56 percent in 2007/2008, due to a sharp rise in international cereal and oil prices. This comes after an equally significant  increase of 37 percent in 2006/2007. For low-income, food-deficit countries in Africa, the cereal bill is projected to increase by 74 percent. The FAO report says that in recent months, following the imposition of new export restrictions by major exporting countries,  prices of rice in the global market have increased significantly,  Read more...

UK parliamentarians favour rethinking on biofuels policy

Despite suggestions from scientists, UK government had refused to reconsider its biofuel policy. Now the government has come under fire from MPs for refusing to rethink its policy on biofuels. According to MPs, it would be a mistake to allow  biofuels to be produced from cereal crops such as rapeseed. Read more...