Alimentos, no combustibles: agrocombustibles, precios de los alimentos y hambre

The document argues that agrofuels significantly increase food prices and volatility, contributing to global hunger and poverty. It highlights how biofuel mandates, such as the European Union's 10% renewable transport fuel target, divert land and crops from food production. The report also links large-scale agrofuel production to 'land grabbing' and human rights abuses in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, recommending the elimination of biofuel subsidies in favor of energy efficiency and food sovereignty.

• Agrofuels are identified as a primary driver of increased food prices and volatility, a conclusion supported by international bodies including the World Bank, OECD, and WTO, which state that prices are "sustancialmente más elevados de lo que serían si no se produjesen biocombustibles".
• The production of agrofuels creates additional demand for land and crops, reducing the amount of food available and increasing prices. Specifically, since 2001, agrofuels have accounted for 70% of the increase in maize demand, 13% for wheat, 90% for rapeseed, 47% for soybean oil, and 22% for palm oil.
• Agrofuels strengthen the correlation between food and oil prices because biofuels act as both an agricultural product and an input (via fertilizers and transport), meaning energy price fluctuations are more readily transmitted to food markets.
• High food prices have had severe humanitarian impacts: the FAO estimated that 100 million more people faced chronic hunger and poverty after the 2008 peak, and the World Bank estimated 44 million people fell into poverty between June and December 2010.
• Large-scale agrofuel production leads to 'land grabbing,' where traditional community lands are sold or leased to foreign investors. In 11 African countries, 5 million hectares—an area equivalent to Denmark—have been acquired for agrofuels.
• The report refutes industry claims that non-edible crops like jatropha or camelina do not compete with food, stating that these crops still compete for resources, land, and water, often displacing food production on lands essential for local subsistence.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (n.d.). Alimentos, no combustibles: agrocombustibles, precios de los alimentos y hambre. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Alimentos-no-combustibles.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Alimentos, no combustibles: agrocombustibles, precios de los alimentos y hambre. n.d. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Alimentos-no-combustibles.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Alimentos, no combustibles: agrocombustibles, precios de los alimentos y hambre |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Alimentos-no-combustibles.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternationalndalimentos, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Alimentos, no combustibles: agrocombustibles, precios de los alimentos y hambre}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Alimentos-no-combustibles.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }