ESA: Agricultural and Development Economics Division

ESA home

Economic and Social Department

français

español


about esa	publications	research	projects	food security	conferences

2008 2007 2006 2005 2003-4 2002 2001 2000 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993

SOFA 2008:
Biofuels: prospects, risks and opportunities

The State of Food and Agriculture 2008 explores the implications of the rapid recent growth in production of biofuels based on agricultural commodities. The boom in liquid biofuels has been largely induced by policies in developed countries, based on their expected positive contributions to climate-change mitigation, energy security and agricultural development. The growing demand for agricultural commodities for the production of biofuels is having significant repercussions on agricultural markets, and concerns are mounting over their negative impact on the food security of millions of people across the world. At the same time, the environmental impacts of biofuels are also coming under closer scrutiny. But biofuels also offer the opportunity for agricultural and rural development - if appropriate policies and investments are put in place. This report reviews the current state of the debate and the available evidence on these critical questions. It finds that concerted efforts to reform policies and invest in agriculture will be essential if the risks associated with biofuels are to be reduced, and the opportunities more widely shared.

> Download the full SOFA publication

>	SOFA 2006 Presentation to the FAO Council by Prabhu Pingali, Director, Agricultural and Development Economics Division, November 2006
>	Scientific Facts on Genetically Modified Crops: SOFA featured as the "leading scientific consensus report" by GreenFacts
>	New FAO report on agricultural trade and poverty Agricultural trade reform offers benefits, but the poor could be left behind...
>	Review of the State of Food and Agriculture Presentation to the FAO Conference by Hartwig de Haen, Assistant Director-General, Economic and Social Department, November 2005

The State of Food and Agriculture in Asia and the Pacific 2006

This is the first issue of The State of Food and Agriculture in Asia and the Pacific. Its focus on regional dimensions of food and agriculture makes it a complement to The State of Food and Agriculture published at FAO headquarters in Rome, which focuses on specific issues at a more global level.

> Download the full publication

Latin America and the Caribbean

Trends and Challenges in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Latin America and the Caribbean

> Read the Executive Summary
> Download the full publication

2007: Paying farmers for environmental services

2006: Food aid for food security?

2005: Agricultural trade and poverty: Can trade work for the poor?

2003-4 : Agricultural Biotechnology : Meeting the needs of the poor?

2002 : Agriculture and global public goods ten years after the Earth Summit

2001 : Economic impacts of transboundary plant pests and animal diseases

2000 : World food and agriculture: lessons from the past 50 years

1998 : Rural non-farm income in developing countries

1997 : The agroprocessing industry and economic development

1996 : Food security: some macroeconomic dimensions

1995 : Agricultural trade: entering a new era?

1994 : Forest development and policy dilemmas

1993 : Water policies and agriculture