Food and Population

[IceSoul]

I was reading this article on the BBC about food prices doubling (or more) in the next 20 years and I wonder how it will effect a country like Pakistan that’s turning out babies like China’s turning out electronics.

Rising food prices increase squeeze on poor - Oxfam

The prices of staple foods will more than double in 20 years unless world leaders take action to reform the global food system, Oxfam has warned.
By 2030, the average cost of key crops will increase by between 120% and 180%, the charity forecasts.
Half of that increase will be caused by climate change, Oxfam predicts, in its report Growing a Better Future.
It calls on world leaders to improve regulation of food markets and invest in a global climate fund.
“The food system must be overhauled if we are to overcome the increasingly pressing challenges of climate change, spiralling food prices and the scarcity of land, water and energy,” said Barbara Stocking, Oxfam’s chief executive.

Funny how this report doesn’t even mention population control. I mean, surely increasing population is the main (in fact only) cause of increase in demand for food.

As an example, the maid who works in our house is a widow and has 6 children. Now I don’t think the government of a poor country like Pakistan has any responsibility to feed this horde hers. She (and her husband) should have had some sense.

Sometimes, I feel like Pakistan will forget all about America/India/Taliban/Business/Electricity when the food crisis really hits. And hit it will. Pakistan’s population is expected to reach 300 Million + by 2050. By then food prices would’ve of course doubled many times over and global warming would have started to really take its toll. At that time, Population will be Numero Uno on the list of our problems…

[Asif1981]

Re: Food and Population

the world can only sustain so many people before it reaches breaking point. When I lived in Bradford our next door neighbour had 7 children all paid for by state benefits and she was always moaning that she could not cope. Just imagine if she had to work for a living like your maid, maybe then she would have kept he rlegs shut.