"The global food crisis had numerous causes,

including the diversion of agricultural land to biofuels

production, rising prices of fertilizer and oil (energy prices

are a significant supply cost in mechanized cereal production

as well as transport), production falls in some countries,

low food stocks and speculation in the food market.

The volatility of global markets can, through a series of unfortunate

events, suddenly push scores of millions of people into poverty and

raise the risk of famine."

Alex de Waal – Mass starvation – The history and future of famine