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As the world's population grows, land that was once used for farming is being converted into land used for housing. Experts estimate that .07 hectares (or about two acres) is the minimum amount of land needed for a person to live on a vegetarian diet, but more than 465 million people live in countries with less available land than that for farming---and that number is expected to balloon to 740 million by 2025.
Water is also becoming a huge problem. Currently, 750 million people live in countries with a scarcity of water or stressed water supplies. Rising temperatures are contributing to famines that are depleting many sources of fresh water. - Lack of birth control contributes to large families living in poverty-stricken areas. Accordingly, experts believe that making birth control available to people in highly populated areas will help lower birth rates and help curb growth. This could help make food more readily available.
- Exporting crops provides money for farmers, but some nations export crops such as rice, grains and beans to other countries rather than feeding their own citizens.
- There are significantly fewer farmers today than there were in the 1950s, as changing climates and decreasing amounts of farm land have forced many farming families to give up their livelihood and move to cities to find other types of work. In addition, much former farm land has been converted into living quarters for growing populations.
- The United Nations has set up the Food and Agriculture Organization to chart and provide data on the agriculture, nutrition and economics of the world's nations. The UN also created the International Fund for Agricultural Development, which lends money to improve food production and reduce malnutrition around the globe. This organization also works to provide agricultural employment to people in developing nations. There are also private organizations, such as Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), that provide similar services.
