(Click on Image to Enlarge)
As Biofuel Demand Grows, So Do Guatemala’s Hunger Pangs -- New York Times
GUATEMALA CITY — In the tiny tortillerias of this city, people complain ceaselessly about the high price of corn. Just three years ago, one quetzal — about 15 cents — bought eight tortillas; today it buys only four. And eggs have tripled in price because chickens eat corn feed.
Meanwhile, in rural areas, subsistence farmers struggle to find a place to sow their seeds. On a recent morning, José Antonio Alvarado was harvesting his corn crop on the narrow median of Highway 2 as trucks zoomed by.
“We’re farming here because there is no other land, and I have to feed my family,” said Mr. Alvarado, pointing to his sons Alejandro and José, who are 4 and 6 but appear to be much younger, a sign of chronic malnutrition.
Read more ....
My Comment: I am not surprised by this news (I have been posting on what has been the impact of biofuel growth on world food stocks in this blog for years) .... what I am surprised about is that it is the New York Times that is reporting this story. Bottom line .... some green technologies have consequences, and in this case it is hunger and poverty for millions followed by the unrest and instability that it brings..
No comments:
Post a Comment