Will Asia’s food shortages be exacerbated by new Global Biofuels Alliance, with crops diverted?

Policies and subsidies for crops to boost the use of biofuels and advance associated technology may cause food supply issues, say analysts

Plus, increased production of biofuels may mean more palm oil plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia, aggravating climate change

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US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the launch of the Global Biofuels Alliance on September 9 in Delhi, during the G20 summit. Photo: via TNS

Published: 4:00pm, 23 Sep 2023Updated: 5:28pm, 23 Sep 2023

Environmentalists are split over whether the launch of an international biofuels collaboration at this month’s G20 summit in India may end up harming climate mitigation efforts and exacerbate food shortages.

The Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) – its members including India, the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil – aims to help boost global efforts to meet net-zero goals by accelerating the use of biofuels.

Import-dependent nations are also searching for alternatives following a surge in crude oil prices recently to around US$95 per barrel.

Biofuels are produced quickly from biomass – from plants and agricultural waste, including from animals – rather than by the very slow natural processes involved in fossil fuels.

But analysts say that using more biofuels may result in the diversion of crops like sugar cane and rice for fuel, which could exacerbate food shortages and lead to more deforestation.

“Food should never be diverted for activities which have nothing to do with food security

Trade and food policy analyst Devinder Sharma

Instead, they say, it’s better to focus on renewable energy production.