Fueling disaster: a community food security perspective on agrofuels

As the United States&rsquo; appetite for agrofuels continues to grow and other countries join this trend, the ecological and social footprint of agrofuel consumption will be increasingly felt throughout the world. Recognising the growing interdependency of our food and energy systems, this report addresses the agrofuels debate from what, the authors assert, is a fresh perspective: that of communities who are trying to feed themselves. <br /><br />It is argued that case studies, testimonials from farmer and indigenous movements, and reports from international and U.S. agencies demonstrate that the trend towards massive expansion of agrofuel production is the latest in a progression towards industrial agriculture and corporate consolidation of the world&rsquo;s land, food, and water resources. This report exposes the threat of industrial-scale agrofuel production to community food security through examination of the following areas: food security and the right to food agricultural workers&rsquo; rights community economic development environment The paper concludes that the principles of community food security imply that fuel is not a priority over food, and governments&rsquo; actions to make it so undermine the world&rsquo;s hungry and struggling rural communities. Unless the agrofuels market builds new wealth that stays in rural economies, strengthens the social fabric of communities, and builds greater resilience for an uncertain future, communities will gain very little from agrofuel production.A number of key actions for individuals that focus on food security and developing real sustainable energy solutions are suggested. Among these suggestions, targeted specifically at US citizens, are: sign groups/organisations on to the moratorium on global agrofuels trade resist the threat to the hungry from increasing food prices and dwindling food supplies by advocating for price stabilisation and national food reserves support sustainable agricultural practices that reduce energy consumption. Promote more localised food systems to reduce food mileage publicise the conflict of interest when agribusiness corporations gain greater control of the fuel industry, and vice versa organise communities to resist corporate control of local food and energy resource and call for enforcement and strengthening of anti-trust and anti-monopoly measures focus the energy debate on conservation and energy consumption rates. No alternative to fossil fuels will be able to meet current and future energy demands, the authors assert, if we do not decrease our energy usage altogether and put a major emphasis on conservation <br />