Do we now cultivate food crops for vehicle(machines) instead of people,I hope not

[Ajayi joshua oluwatobi]

There has been a war between machine and man on the use of maize,cassava and other sources of starch,and it seems machines are winning by each passing day people now channel tonnes of food crops meant to feed people into the processing of bio-fuel making millions of people hungry,the multinationals who invest millions in biofuel research are just interested in enriching themselves and not the what is best for the world,the energy the sun produces in a second is more than the energy man has used in 10,000 years and the sun has deen in existence for 4.6 billion years and will still be there for 7 billion years more, do the maths and you will see that we can produce enough energy to make this world a ................. (i am speechless) but that is an enormous amont of energy you know,if these multinationals can invest 50% of what they invest into bio-fuel into solar energy production then there will be enough energy that is also eco friendly and affordably to the world so there will not be a reason to use our precious cassava and maize for biofuel therefore there will be enough for people to eat and be happy.

[Louis Loizou]

Hi Ajayi. I hope you had a Happy Christmas.

The change that has to happen has to happen at many levels. You are well aware of the need for advocacy in Nigeria and your words and concepts are strong. The leadership of young people like you will play a vital part in waking people up to the issues.

As you know the multinationals are just interested in making gigantic profits - this goes for agri-industrialists, drug companies, petro-chemical corporations, and so on.

The strength that we have is that all these companies cause suffering of many kinds to people of every continent. So know that you are not alone in Nigeria or in Africa. Farmers go broke every day in Europe and America, as well as India and many other countries, and now other industries are being hit in more indirect ways by the same motive - greed. It was greed by the gamblers who call themselves Bankers that caused the financial meltdown of 2008, and it will get a lot worse in 2009. People in the UK, Europe and America did not have a very happy Christmas this year. They are not spending money despite government efforts to get people spending.

The time is right for the people of the North to see through the myth of their prosperity. It is just paper money, digits on computer systems - the only true wealth any nation has are its resources, and that puts the larger, less developed continents at the top.

This is why the multi-nationals are trying to take over India, Africa, South America. They are trying to seize the last remaining resources as their power over oil is reduced, and as oil is challenged as a plausible future source of energy. Their GMO products and their bio-fuels have been rejected by the EU, following the example of the UK.

It is our job in the UK, EU and USA to ensure that people have a clear understanding that their governments do not care about them at all - only when it comes near to an election. Instead of changing the direction of our society, our leaders are trying to keep the dying patient of "bad capitalism" alive by putting it on life-support machines, in my analogy this means by propping up a corrupt and collapsing global banking system. Those of us who understand reality say "bring it on" - the sooner the corrupt and out-dated monolith of global capitalism dies the better. We will all suffer in the short term, but in the medium to long term - well, look at the example of Cuba that we all examined during the Festival. They have challenges still, but we KNOW they will overcome them. It's a matter of spirit and determination. Self-determination.

Sometimes when I consider the size of the problem it seems hopeless and I feel very alone. I think all of us experience that when faced with the giant corporate greed of the multinationals, and the collusion of governments in their greedy agendas. But this last year I believe that they exposed themselves for the hypocrites that they are. The people are not "spending the economy out of trouble" which is what they hope for. I believe a similar mood is developing in the USA. Even the fattest, most complacent nation on Earth will realise this year that "the party is over" (words of the governor of the Bank of England). That there are limits. That a new way is needed.

It is time for such as you to become the leaders of the world out of this madness into down-to-earth sanity. We are here to ensure your message gets through. Please mobilise all your friends, colleagues, brothers and sisters to keep you advocacy views coming on this site. We need your words, your spirit to broadcast to the world.

Power to your elbow.

Louis.

[dayo oyediran]

the whole issue of biofuel or agrofuel can be regarded as a propaganda that is being put in place to re-colonize the developing nations again. if there is any urgent need for us to find an alternative to petroleum, options like solar, air or hydro supplies should be the priorities on our mind. and if truely we are unable to get the way through these means (or yet to be through with our research), it is advisable that each nation should device a means of providing her own biofuel. a situation whereby the agricultural lands of some nations will be used to provide fuels for others is purely a case of insanity... if our leaders who signed these non-human friendly agreements are ignorant, we chose to be wise and stand up for our rights!