Population Growth and Global Food Production

There are currently almost 7 billion people in the world and by 2050 the world's population is expected to be around billion. With one billion people currently going hungry, it raises the question of how we can feed everyone. With slowing annual increases in agricultural yields food security is recognized as a major issue by the U.N. and the G20. Current methods of cultivating crops continue to degrade land, water, biodiversity, and climate.

Scientists have figured out how we can feed the world without destroying the planet. But we will have to drastically change the way we produce food. According to new research, we can feed them all if we make some radical changes in the way we grow our food. Here is the outline of how we can sustainably double our food production:

Halt farming in places like tropical rainforests and wild lands, which are ecologically valuable but have low food output.
Make underused expanses of land in Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe more efficient, boosting current food production by nearly 60 percent.

Make better use of water, fertilizers, and chemicals
Stop eating so much meat, especially in developed countries.
Stop wasting food—about one-third of all food grown is either discarded, spoiled, or eaten by pests.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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