RAWALPINDI, April 23: The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has warned that increasing demand for liquid bio-fuels, such as bio-ethanol and bio-diesel, conversion of agricultural land for their production and increased use of natural resources could be detrimental to women in rural areas.

In a new study, the agency urges countries to adopt measures to ensure that women have the same opportunities as men to benefit from the increased production of bio-fuels.

The study, entitled “Gender and equity issues in liquid bio-fuels production -- minimising risks to maximise opportunities” also states that a number of developing countries that produce, or have the potential to produce, bio-fuels are also food insecure.

For this reason, it is important to assess the potential impact of bio-fuel production on food security. Converting agricultural lands for bio-fuel production could force women out of the lands used for farming, and harm their ability to provide food.

In addition, the increased use of natural resources, such as water and firewood for bio-fuel production, means less resources would be available for use by women, who already have to travel long distances for collecting such material.

Therefore, FAO calls for further examining the socio-economic effect of liquid bio-fuel production on men and women.

It also urges bio-fuel development strategy that is both environmentally sustainable and pro-poor, and which will protect the agricultural activities of small farmers, especially women.

Recently, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food called for a five-year moratorium on bio-fuels, after warning that converting crops such as maize, wheat and sugar into fuels was driving up prices of food, land and water.

The Special Rapporteur noted that while the argument for bio-fuels is legitimate in terms of energy efficiency and combating climate change, the effect of transforming food crops, such as wheat and maize into agricultural fuel, is “absolutely catastrophic” for hungry people and would negatively impact the realisation of the right to food.