"إذا كنت تستخدم أراضي من الدرجة الأولى للوقود الحيوي، فإنك تتنافس مع زراعة الغذاء. وبالتالي، فإنك ترفع أسعار الغذاء فعليًا من خلال نقل إنتاج الطاقة إلى الزراعة."
— Bill Gates
Simplified Meaning:
When people use the best land for making biofuels, it means there's less land available for growing food. This shortage of land for food crops can make food more expensive. Imagine a farmer who usually grows corn for people to eat, but instead, they start growing corn to make biofuel for cars. Now, there's less corn available to feed people, which makes the corn that is left more costly. This happens because both food and biofuel plants need the same good quality land to grow well. When the priority shifts to biofuel, it affects the supply of food, and less supply usually means higher prices due to demand. Take, for example, when many farmers in a community switch to growing plants for biofuels rather than vegetables. The local markets could struggle to get enough vegetables, causing prices to go up and making it harder for families to afford basic groceries. To avoid such issues, it’s better to find a balance—use land that isn't as great for food for biofuel crops or improve technology to make biofuel without taking away from food production. Balancing the two ensures enough food is grown while also producing renewable energy.