Green or Mean: Is Biofuel Production Undermining Food Security? Rob Vos

Achieving food security in Ghana: Does governance matter?

“…The traditional notion of food security as the availability of food on the market was problematic as mere availability does not guarantee access to food, especially among the poor and vulnerable (Akudugu & Alhassan, 2013). Similarly, nutrition, health, and the associated conditions especially in developing countries also gained attention in global food security and development debates (FAO, 2017; Vos, 2015).…”

“…But to what extent do existing governance mechanisms and frameworks at different spatial scales significantly address food insecurity? According to Vos (2015), governments' policies are inadequate in addressing critical problems, such as food insecurity, and driving transformative change in society. Candel (2014) also posits that existing food security and governance studies at global levels are characterized by fragmented and inconclusive results, which greatly affect clarity of food security and weaken policy recommendations.…”

“…This contends with findings from Latin American countries where governments' policy regimes and programs and the supporting legal frameworks for food and nutrition security have improved access to food among the poor and minimized poverty (see FAO, 2017). Nevertheless, regime shift and the corresponding poor harmonization of policies negatively affect food security (Vos, 2015). For instance, Sahley and others (2005) note that lack of policy harmonization and coherence, and the underlining politicization of food security, have rendered many Malawians food insecure.…”

Thought for Food: Strengthening Global Governance of Food SecurityThis chapter was written in the author’s personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this chapter are exclusively his and do not necessarily reflect those of FAO or its member states.

“…By 2023, biofuels will consume 12 percent of the global coarse grain production, 14 percent of vegetable oil production, and 28 percent of sugarcane production, according to OECD-FAO estimates (OECD and FAO, 2014). While conceived as part of measures to mitigate climate change, net contribution of agricultural feedstock production to reducing greenhouse gas emissions is, at best, only very slight (Vos, 2009), while it adds to continued intensive use of water, energy, and chemicals in agriculture and aff ecting food security. Such subsidies have also stimulated large-scale land acquisitions in…”

Globalization at a Crossroads : Key Challenges for the Twenty-First Century

“…Prices of basic grains have been further pushed up by demand for those crops for use in heavily subsidized biofuel production in developed countries (see e.g. Vos, 2009). Stimulus of biofuel production in turn has been a response to the felt need to enhance energy security and substitute fossil fuels for renewable and cleaner primary energy sources.…”