‘You can’t just force people!’

Could the growing of bio fuel crops save many European farmers who have experienced problems in selling their output in recent decades?

There might indeed be very attractive prospects in this regard. But this debate about over-production in Europe misses the point. At the global level, far from having too much we have too little food to meet the needs of the whole population. And the key means of production needed by farmers, i.e. water, is becoming increasingly scarce in many regions of the world. Farming uses up to 70% of global water consumption. Rice cultivation requires a particularly large amount of water.

In China, rice is part of the staple diet, but there is a growing problem both with water supplies and with water quality in that country. Let us extrapolate this trend. In twenty years time I think people will be astonished to see that we have set aside land areas which are perfectly suitable for agricultural purposes. Instead, we are trying to grow meagre crops at great expense in areas of the world where the conditions are unfavourable.

You are overlooking the fact that in many poor regions farming is the only source of food, employment and income for the population. Social and political reasons mitigate in favour of a functioning agricultural system.

That is of course correct. I am simply pointing out that nature is in growing contradiction with these demands in many parts of the world.

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