Agricultural land once used to produce basic foodstuff is increasingly being used to produce biofuels. According to a recent report by the aid agency Oxfam, the production of biofuels has increased food prices by 30% and pushed another 30 million people into poverty.
Compounded by social upheavals, political instability, and drought, the world's poorest are suffering the most. In Ethiopia, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) representative says over the past few weeks "the number of children requiring theratpeutic feeding, including stabilization, increase tremendously." The cost of some cereals in Ethiopia have increased by 50 to 90 percent.
Globally, according to Oxfam, food prices have risen by 83% in the past three years. These prices will remain or increase so long as the demand for oil, cereals, and the growth in consumer and biofuel sectors continue.
