TITLE:
Building a sustainable food system.

AUTHOR:
Ehrlich AH

SOURCE:
In: The world at the crossroads. Towards a sustainable, equitable and liveable world: a report to the Pugwash Council, edited by Philip B. Smith, Samuel E. Okoye, Jaap de Wilde and Priya Deshingkar. London, England, Earthscan Publications, 1994. :21-38.

ABSTRACT:
Carrying capacity is defined as the maximum population size of an organism that can be supported by its environment without degrading the environment's capacity to support it in the future. It is shown that of all the important elements of the Earth's human carrying capacity, food supply is probably the most critical. The main problem is the increasing food supply demand due to rapid population growth. This report focuses on the challenges and opportunities in building a sustainable food production system. It is noted that agriculture plays a critical role in maintaining food production; however, major constraints to food production include land degradation, water shortages and pollution. Other limitations indicated are in the areas of use of fertilizers, biotechnology, and poverty. To address the situation, solutions for developing ecologically sound and sustainable agricultural systems are cited. The need to control population growth and overconsumption of resources while striving to enhance the quality of life for all people is highlighted.

YEAR:
1994

PIP#:
151182