13 Who Will Feed the Growing Population in the Developing Nations? Implications of Bioenergy Production

Purpose This chapter examines whether the supply of food is large enough to feed an increasing world population for the 2012–2050 period. Special attention is given to the implications of bioenergy production on global and regional food security. Methodology/approach For this analysis, a global food security simulation model was developed to determine if the global and regional supply of food, in terms of calories, is large enough to meet the demand and also to estimate the impact on food prices. Findings This chapter found that the global supply of food in terms of calories is insufficient to satisfy food demand in 2050, with food shortages especially significant in Africa. Practical implications The estimated shortage of food may result in significant food-price inflation by 2050.