Food price pressure

"Food prices rose 40% last year because of rising demand and other factors"

Its not specified in the article, but among the other factors is the increased demand for corn and other cereal crops for biofuels. Certainly, its not the only factor but it is certainly contributing.

I think the EU & US should reconsider there policies on biofuels.

The EU mandates for 10% of petrol to be from biofuels by 2020. The US Energy Act calls for 3 6 Billion gallons of annual biofuels production by 2022.

Madness - these mandates, will potentially crowd out more effective technologies such as electric cars. I think these mandates should be done away with and the focus given to including transport in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Of course, that wouldn't please one of the key special interest groups in the EU & US: Farmers.