Global Food Problems

1679 Words7 Pages

Today , some of us wake up to a full meal while nearly 1 billion others wake up to nothing in the developing side of the world . An estimated number of 3.1 million children under five die each year due to poor nutrition and yet , population continues to grow rapidly showing no signs of stability especially in poor nations . The unfortunate facts state that the population will double and reach 9 billion by mid-century. Increased population means higher human activity , higher consumption rate and further environmental degradation , all which will impose pressure on Earth's ability to provide our basic needs . In other words , Earth's resources are not expected to be doubled with the population which means that the global food system will …show more content…

As a matter of fact , policies can help make farming more sustainable and help overcome many issues regarding food security . For example , some farmers use inefficient irrigation wasting vast amounts of water and many other farmers apply more fertilizers than plants can use . These excess nutrients run off fields and pollute rivers and lakes, and the cost of the damage caused to the environment is considered a negative externality meaning that the cost is not compensated by the producers .This can be regulated by setting out policies that will make farmers and other producers pay for the things they use from the environment . Another way is to pay farmers for ecosystem services , for instance , the European Union has established policies that will pay farmers extra for maintaining wildlife habitat and biodiversity . This is actually a useful idea because it encourages farmers to contribute to ecosystems and biodiversity which are vital for food security and nutrition . A third way is to tax pollution or waste . This is a useful policy that will allow consumers in the west who throw out a huge amount of the food to become more efficient . But while such approaches may sound beneficial , they might result in …show more content…

Climate change , water scarcity, energy consumption , and increased population are the main challenges that impact the global food system today and they require immediate action plan before things get out of control . An important action plan that can help enhance Earth's productivity is to apply science and use appropriate technologies such as the famous technology of genetic engineering , soil-conservation , and better management of agricultural productivity . One of the major causes of poverty and hunger in the world is due to the unequal distribution of food which is a serious conflict that needs be solved through the reduction of food losses and consumption of meat products and by empowering women to do small scale farming in Africa. .The third aspect or strategy focuses on establishing a robust legal framework to regulate food sustainability by restraining agriculture from destroying the environment . We can only imagine the consequences of overpopulation by 2050 severely affecting food security if it is not well-managed . Therefore ,we need to remember that the path our world takes in the future depends on the choices we make