I do agree that population growth is an issue, but I don't agree fully with the arguments here. People were starving when we were 1 billion, 3 billion and now also when we are 7 billion. It is still mainly poverty and inequality that make people starve, and not biological limits. It is technically possible to feed even more people - yields can increase a lot in many places. The problem with production is that it is not done in a sustainable way, and that we occupy a too big share of the total biosphere for human civilization. In that sense, a smaller population would be beneficial.
I certainly agree with this. The focus has been too much on technology in agriculture, while poverty and hunger has mainly other causes. Poverty is rather a cause for low production than the other way round (admittedly, it goes both ways to some extent). It is good that the FAO sees this clearly now. I assume the direct experience of the Director General in Brazil has contributed to this.
Some of these are useful technologies. But none of them, even together, will give us a "sustainable" growth or economy. To look at technology for solutions to problem that are mainly social are not useful. It is greed and capitalism that brought us where we are. New technologies will not change that.
We can already produce enough food and shelter with existing technologies. It is our economic system that perverts the situation, not the lack of technology.
The Food Threat to Human Civilization
I do agree that population growth is an issue, but I don't agree fully with the arguments here. People were starving when we were 1 billion, 3 billion and now also when we are 7 billion. It is still mainly poverty and inequality that make people starve, and not biological limits. It is technically possible to feed even more people - yields can increase a lot in many places. The problem with production is that it is not done in a sustainable way, and that we occupy a too big share of the total biosphere for human civilization. In that sense, a smaller population would be beneficial.
The End of Hunger and Malnutrition
I certainly agree with this. The focus has been too much on technology in agriculture, while poverty and hunger has mainly other causes. Poverty is rather a cause for low production than the other way round (admittedly, it goes both ways to some extent). It is good that the FAO sees this clearly now. I assume the direct experience of the Director General in Brazil has contributed to this.
Writing the Future
Some of these are useful technologies. But none of them, even together, will give us a "sustainable" growth or economy. To look at technology for solutions to problem that are mainly social are not useful. It is greed and capitalism that brought us where we are. New technologies will not change that.
We can already produce enough food and shelter with existing technologies. It is our economic system that perverts the situation, not the lack of technology.