It turns out that there may be a risk to food security in the Asia-Pacific. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated that the world must increase its food production by 60 percent by mid-century, or risk serious food shortages, according to Reuters.
The world's population is growing at a phenomenal rate. In fact, it's expected to hit 9 billion by 2050, according to RT. As caloric intake increases among the wealthy, food demand is also likely to hugely increase. This means that the amount of food produced must also increase--and quickly.
"If we fail to meet our goal and a food shortage occurs, there will be a high risk of social and political unrest, civil wars and terrorism, and world security as a whole might be affected," said Hiroyuki Konuma, assistant director-general of FAO Asia-Pacific, in an interview with the Chicago Tribune.
That said, the world is making strides when it comes to agricultural productivity. In fact, vegetable production in Asia and the Pacific has increased by 25 percent over the last decade, according to RT. However, 842 million people in the world still remain undernourished, and nearly two-thirds of these individuals live in the Asia Pacific.
As the world's population continues to increase, it's more important than ever to take strides in order to make sure that food production remains high. Although food technology is growing by leaps and bounds, population numbers are also spiking. This means that while food production may be increasing, the world's population could potentially outpace it--especially if wealthier nations consume more.
Currently, the UN body has outlined two options: increase arable land areas and productivity rates, according to RT. Whether these methods will succeed, though, remains to be seen.
