Promoting food security in response to global population growth.

The challenges brought on by a rising population globally create opportunities for the generation of conceptions that are essential for sustainable development.

In response to united nation projection on an expected rise in world population to 9 billion by 2050, a post by Paul Polman (CEO at Unilever) on the need for food production to be doubled by 2030 alone invited many interesting arguments and questions.

In reaction to Paul Polman’s post, Jordan fengel stated that the world is already over-producing and wasting tons of food, enough to feed the current global population and coming generations, he argued that the problems of food insecurity are within the existing policies and procurement factors that prevent proper distribution of foods to those in need and thus what is needed is  #circulareconomy as well as # blockchain technology to apply transparency and ease-of- access to all global consumers.

According to Gianluigi Cuccureddu, the 9 billion population growth by 2050 is just a fear – mechanism to boost food production. He sarcastically added that the world can supply 9 billion people with food if they were already here, hence the problem is not food production but rather food distribution. He lamented that we throw away tons of food per day, while people elsewhere die of famine. He summarized that destroying over production is capitalism-mechanism hence we need to review the total system to promote food security by 2050.

Patrick Hubert, questioned the need to double food production by 2030 alone. He argued that the world population would not have doubled by 2030 since the global population is already 7 billion now and there is already +/- 30% of food production wasted.

In the light of these allow me to ask the following questions.
Do you think united nation projection on an expected rise in world population by 2050 is a fear -mechanism to boost food production?

Does the expected rise in global population to 9 billion by 2050 create opportunity for smart agriculture especially in countries such as China, United States, Thailand and India…?

Does it mean GMO food production has to increase?

Does it imply that we have to begin to put measures and policies in place to shrink global population by 2050?

In my opinion, I do not believe that the united nation projection on population growth by 2050 is a fear-mechanism to boost global food production, I do not believe that it will create opportunities for only smart agriculture nations to use to their advantage. I believe the united nation projection on population growth by 2050 is a key input to global leaders, countries and citizens to understand the possible opportunities and challenges they may encounter as the world proceed towards the future. The current opportunities and challenges that the world faces today should enlighten you on what to expect in future with a ½ increased population. The implications of overwhelming world population growth spreads out widely to put pressure on global systems and resources that predispose people especially both women and children to health problems, hunger and societal dangers.

I am of the view that pragmatic policies should be made and implemented to manage food wastage and food distribution in a sustainable way to all global consumers. Therefore, our global focus should be on developing appropriate measures to be implemented to prevent and reduce food wastage through proper education of people on the production of wholesome food, food storage and preservation as well as on what they truly need rather than eating for the sake of it.

I believe food production needs to be sustained as well as food distribution and food wastage managed accurately not because of united nation projection of rise in population to 9 billion by 2050, but because food insecurity is still an unsolved problem at certain part of the world which will compound by 2050 if not addressed.

As we work towards attaining sustainable agriculture and sustainable development globally, we should therefore not have the tendency to ignore the need to manage food wastage and address global food distribution problem, but rather we ought to encourage and push forward appropriate measure to ensure proper food distribution globally, reduce food wastage as well as take stances towards GMO companies receding sustainable agriculture and increasing public health problems worldwide.

#sustainability #circulareconomy #manufacturing #sustainablefinance

By: Samuel Edem Cofie