Food vs fuel: Ukraine war sharpens debate on use of crops for energy (Financial Times)

From
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Published on
15.06.22
Impact Area
Food security

Food vs fuel: Ukraine war sharpens debate on use of crops for energy (Financial Times)

Financial Times published an article stating that soaring food prices caused by the war in Ukraine have increased the risk of famine, raising pressure on producers of low-carbon fuels derived from crops and sparking a “food versus biofuel” debate. Before Russia’s invasion, global biofuel production was at a record high. In the US, the leading biofuels producer, 36 percent of total corn production went into biofuels last year, while biodiesel accounted for 40 percent of soyabean oil supplies. IFPRI stated, “Now is not the time [for governments] to be encouraging the conversion of food crops to energy through artificial policy incentives or mandatory blending targets.” (See the blog post, Do No Harm: Measured policy responses are key to addressing food security impacts of the Ukraine crisis)

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