Population and food : global trends and future prospects / Tim Dyson.

xix, 231 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm.

041511974X hbk
9780415119740 hardback
0415119758 paperback
9780415119757 paperback
9780203977156
0203977157
9781134811694 electronic book
1134811691 electronic book
9786610113118
6610113114

B 79 DYS.P

The world's population is expected to grow by about 2.2 billion people between now and the year 2020. There is no doubt that feeding these extra mouths represents the principal challenge currently facing the global system of agricultural production and trade. Population and Food examines recent trends in food production and assesses the prospects for feeding humanity up to the twenty-first century. Synthesizing a mass of statistical data and drawing on case material from Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, North America and the Middle East, the book suggests that food production in most world regions has kept ahead of population growth. Considering likely future trends in climate, land resources, water availability, trading patterns, farm inputs and technological innovation, the author argues that there should be no insurmountable problems in meeting the world's food demand to the year 2020 and questions the current pessimism voiced about future food prospects.

Contents : List of figures; List of tables; Preface; Abbreviations; 1. PESSIMISTS AND OPTIMISTS : Population and Food; Some history and theory; Some anti-Malthusian views; The modern neo-Malthusian case; A question of balance; 2. POPULATION AND FOOD TODAY : Introduction; Data sources and data quality; Dividing up the world; The definition and extent of hunger; Cereal production, consumption, trade and aid; Population growth and food supplies; An aside on food security; Concluding remarks; 3. POPULATION AND FOOD : RECENT TRENDS : Introduction; Trends in world cereal production; Where is the 'green revolution'?; Food crises and famines; Regional cereal production trends; Re?sume? and commentary; Changes in harvest variability; Trends in food trade and aid; Trends in food production, availability and variety; Concluding remarks; 4. EXPLORING THE FUTURE : DEMAND AND SUPPLY : Introduction; Future demand for cereals; Future supply of cereals; Weighing 'demand' and 'supply'; Overview of the scenario; Concluding remarks; 5. EXPLORING THE FUTURE : POTENTIALS AND CONSTRAINTS : Introduction; Global atmospheric changes; Soil and water; Farm inputs, crop developments and research; Physical and human capital; Institutions and markets; Food prices; Concluding remarks; 6. EXPLORING THE FUTURE : REGIONAL VIGNETTES : Introduction; Sub-Saharan Africa; The Middle East; South Asia; The Far East; Latin America; Europe and the former Soviet Union; North America and Oceania; Concluding remarks; 7. CONCLUSIONS, FORECASTS, CAVEATS, TEMPERED HOPE : Preamble; Conclusions; Forecasts; Caveats; Tempered hope; Appendix : Country Data and Food Security Index, around 1990; Bibliography; Index;

Includes bibliographical references (pages 212-222) and index.

Global environmental change series.

London : Routledge, 1996.

English