An international coalition of environmental groups says European
demand for biofuels has driven local communities off their land
in Africa and curbed the production of staple foods. In an
effort to protect communal land in Africa, Friends of the Earth,
an international network of environmental groups, is criticizing
the European Union for driving land acquisition by foreign
companies across sub-Saharan Africa. Report: Africa land for
sale According to a report released by the group last week,
entitled "Africa: Up for Grabs," more than five-million hectares
of land across Africa, an area roughly the size of Denmark, has
been sold to European companies in recent years to meet a
growing demand for biofuels. Companies have been moving into
African markets in recent years to produce palm oil, sugar cane
and other crops that can be used as alternative sources of fuel
in developed countries. The group warns the increasing demand
for biofuels has diverted land from food production, straining
already limited food supp