Feeding the world without destroying it?
By 2025, farmers need to double their food output to feed an estimated global population of eight billion. That’s a startling statistic and what it means is something we all need to start thinking about.
I came across it in a report on the Colorado Ag Classic, a convention of Colorado wheat, seed, corn, sunflower and sorghum producers that was held this past week. Ag experts from the United States Department of Agriculture and Colorado State University talked about the challenges farmers will face in trying to meet future food demands.
Indeed, how we can feed our growing population is a huge issue that needs addressing. After all, feeding people is one thing, but doing it in a way that is also environmentally responsible and sustainable is another. And to my way of thinking, that’s the only choice we have.
This is a huge debate – and there are a lot of opinions out there. For example, here’s a link to a prof at UC Davis, who talks about agriculture and climate change (thanks to @KSFarmBureau). And here’s another to the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota.
Bruce Dracass says:
One thing we all need to do is stop taking food for granted,and stop wasting so much of it. It is estimated that 50% of all food ends up in the trash can. 2 Mabye we need to start making polices in regards to urban sprawl, and things like stopping golf course development on prime agricultural land. 3 I think some countries need to take another look at GMO crops/technology and accept it, we’ve seen increased yields, and reduction in pesticide use, and no more atrizine use in corn so where is the problem? There are many other things we could do, we just gotta start doing them.