Population, Agriculture, Poverty and Food Security: An Overview

Abstract

There is need for measures to contain food demand by a rapidly increasing world population that topped seven billion in 2012 and is expected to grow to 8.3 billion by 2050 and 10.9 billion by 2100. A combination of population increase in the developing world and unsustainable consumption levels in the developed world is envisioned to pose a stark challenge to the agricultural sector over and above the challenges from climate change, bio-energy and land degradation. Southern Africa experiences one of the highest climate variability in the world; a variability that negatively impacts on food security particularly at the level of small-scale agricultural producers. Thus, globally, and more so in Southern Africa, more focused investments have to be directed towards research that would mitigate impacts of climatic variability and climate change as well as stabilize food supply and enhance food security while mitigating malnutrition. Eradicating extreme hunger and poverty depends on improving agriculture and enacting policies that support small-scale agricultural producers’ productivity and strengthening food processing and fortification.