A Cause of the world food crisis

I am sure you have heard by now the fears voiced by both the IMF and The World Bank about the massive increase in poverty numbers around the world sue to the rise in food prices.

There have been riots in several countries already. An approaching problem...we see it coming. We see it clearly.

In the BBC article Castro in new biofuel attacks,and recently updated, making mention of a second paper written by Fidel Castro, he talked of one of the causes of the rise in food prices. Biofuels. In the paper, as mentioned in the article, he criticized the US policy on biofuels and said such a policy would contribute to the rise in food prices for instead of using the production to feed the worlds poor and hungry, it would go instead to make energy. The sale of this produce would directly compete with the need to feed the world's people and so drive up prices.

So said, so done. In a recent article - "World Bank echoes food cost alarm" - the rise of food prices have been partially attributed to biofuels. Similar reasonings have been echoed by the sister organization - the IMF.

""Less insular biofuels policy in advanced economies would help relieve some pressure"" IMF chief economist Simon Johnson.

Update: July 6-2008
In an article about a Secret report: biofuel caused food crisis highlighted by the Guardian talks of the rise in global food prices and the cause of the of the current food crises is the result of the drive for bio-fuels by the EU and the US. This report was carried out by "an internationally-respected economist at global financial body."

"Senior development sources believe the report, completed in April, has not been published to avoid embarrassing President George Bush."
...

Of Worthy note I find from the article are among its findings that the drive for biofuels are responsible for the rise in the global food crisis, raising food prices up by 75%. This confirmation of what others have been saying, and have been ignored, should be addressed and we need to know how the findings of this report will be used.

"Biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75% - far more than previously estimated - according to a confidential World Bank report obtained by the Guardian."

With the number of global poor persons being increased due to this crisis means that it has already caused a set back in the UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). How long have we been set back remains to be seen? How long will it take the authorities to react to this report also remains to be seen?

"Rising food prices have pushed 100m people worldwide below the poverty line, estimates the World Bank, and have sparked riots from Bangladesh to Egypt. Government ministers here have described higher food and fuel prices as "the first real economic crisis of globalisation".

This leads to the question: did they seriously consider the side-effects of such an initiative? While this is a very good attempt to combat climate change, if the strategies are not well thought out they may actually do more harm than good.

The article concludes of bio-fuel approach "said Dr David King, the government's former chief scientific adviser, last night. "All we are doing by supporting these is subsidising higher food prices, while doing nothing to tackle climate change." In the meantime "people in poor countries cannot afford to eat."