The productivity and other characteristics of biofuel crops are factors to be con­sidered as a potential response to food security concerns. Plants have not been domesticated for high-scale biofuel production, although the biotechnology advance is the quickest and most efficient way to rationally transform plants to biofuel feedstock. Here the differences between highly developed and developing countries are so big that influence of biofuels on food security is not a priority. For example, the United States has up to 60 million hectares of transgenic (genetic modified) crops mainly for livestock and biofuels; at the same time, Colombia uses 50,000 hectares for textile and other uses. So, for the transgenic soy and corn, where productivity per hectare could be four times more than in the case of the same native crops, one hectare in the United States replaces four hectares in Colombia. The challenges or opportunities in biotechnology for improving biofuel crops have been studied in detail by Gressel (2008). The author of this work, as many other scientists in the world, considers that transgenic crops are imperative for the production of biofuel. Based on this work and other reviews, the expected contribution from biotechnology to bioethanol production, from the point of view of food security, is presented in Table 12.4.

Global population may possibly exceed 6 billion by 2050. Approximately 90% of the global population will reside in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Today, the population of these countries suffers from malnutrition problems and energy insecurities. Transgenic crops represent promising technologies that can make a vital contribution to global food and biofuels security. However, harmony and high level research (to avoid the possible dangerous aspects of using transgenics directly for human food) are the key words to reach these purposes.