The biofuels boom and bust in Africa: a timely lesson for the New Alliance initiative

Includes the boom and bust of biofuels investments in Africa; what is the relationship between biofuels and food security?; useful lessons from biofuels investments; the foundation and the implementation of New Alliance in Africa; the challenges of implementing New Alliance Frameworks with African countries; recommendations for policy makers. Concludes that given the evidence of negative impacts of biofuels investments on rural communities’ access to and control of land, water and forests, the New Alliance implementing partners need to consider lessons from the biofuels rush, and take different pathways to avoid such impacts.