The debate on biofuel vs. food is more of less like the suggestion of a person when we were taking plantion in a park area near our home some 25 years ago. We planted 400 trees almost at the distance of 2x2 meter in a small patch. Someone pointed out that its too close for tree plantation . Plant trees at minimum distance of 3 to 10 m apart as they need space to grow. Now when I pass that park area each day there is only one surviving tree which is of mammoth size. Only one tree survived out of 400 trees in a span of 25 years and all others died. During plantation season which is also a photo session season (at least in this part of globe people care that their face comes in photo next morning in the news paper instead of the name or photo of the tree they are planting) for tree plantation ceremonies millions of trees are planted across the country. How many survive after one two or five or 25 years? Have you made any observation ? Please share it if you have some in front of your eyes. How many trees are cut globally per day and how many are planted each day and what percentage of trees survive. Less than one percent or even less come to attain a full size of a tree as observed in next 10 to 20 years period. Technical aspect of tree plantation requires digging of pits in March and leaving them open for next 4 to 6 months to remove termites and generate required micro flora for tree survival by putting manure mixture etc. Planting of trees in such pits only will survive and attain full size of tree in adverse tropical semi arid and arid conditions. Fears of biofuel plants taking place of agricultural land , perhaps have very narrow view of realtime situation. Just travel across in any country in tropical region or on even Mediterranean region you will find land in thousands of km which is totally barren or no man’s land . Is it suitable for agriculture? Answer will be 9 times no and one time can be yes. Watch how much deforestation is taking place each day in tropical countries. Land is becoming barren , hills are going naked, water channels are drying because plantation is cut for fuel. If plantation is done to prevent the deforestation that will also result in forestation. It is plantation for replenishing the current rate of deforestation (or at least do as much plantation as deforestation is taking place). The bio fuel vs food crops is entirely different issue and forestation for fuel production or sustainable growth utilizing renewable source of energy is another dimension of the problem.