May 14, 2008

Problems that NEED Design Thinking...

"the U.N. is now clearly saying that the ethanol/biofuel policies aggressively pursued by developed counties have exacerbated the current food crisis. Huge subsidies are being handed out to encourage production of biofuels by converting food products into energy products. This is what is responsible for drastically increasing prices of goods such as corn. So, what are these policies achieving? Developed countries subsidize their inefficient farmers, and the corn grown is then used to produce subsidized biofuels, which makes energy prices cheaper. The net result, to let the rich drive their cars and SUVs cheaply! And, who pays the real price for this? The world at large."

Kamal Nath is India's Minister of Commerce & Industry.