Biofuels and Food Security in Developing Regions
Summary
Biofuels have emerged as a key renewable energy option in many developing regions, offering promise for energy access, rural development and climate mitigation. Yet their expansion often competes with food production for land, water and cultivation inputs, raising concerns over potential impacts on food security. Recent analyses emphasise that outcomes depend heavily on crop choices, land management practices and governance frameworks. When biofuel value chains are integrated with sustainable agricultural systems—through the use of waste residues, intercropping or degraded lands—synergies can be achieved, such as improved soil fertility, enhanced livelihoods and reduced post-harvest losses. Conversely, poorly regulated expansion can exacerbate land-use conflicts, undermine dietary diversity and increase food prices. Policy measures, from targeted subsidies to safeguards on smallholder rights, play a pivotal role in reconciling energy and nutritional objectives. A holistic approach that aligns biofuel development with national food security strategies and local needs is essential for long-term sustainability.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Biofuels and Food Security in Developing Regions publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in biofuels and food security in developing regions across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Biofuel: A fuel derived from organic materials such as plant biomass or waste, used for heat, power or transport.
Biomass: Organic matter, including plant residues and waste, that can be converted into energy or biofuels.
Food security: The state in which all people have reliable access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet dietary needs.
Liquid biofuel: A biofuel in liquid form, such as bioethanol or biodiesel, produced from crops or organic waste for use in engines.
References
- Bioenergy and nutrition: Positive linkages for the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Energy and Environment (2023).
- Potential markets and policies for sustainable liquid biofuel production with emphasis to Eastern Africa countries: a review. Energy, Sustainability and Society (2024).
- Assessing land use change from food croplands to rubber in Ghana's Ellembelle district: Implications for food self-sufficiency. Scientific African (2024).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.