Global food crisis vs population growth

Submitted by Lawrence Mashimbye

“No food”, “expensive food”, “unaffordable food”. Our future is jeopardised by the current food crisis. Famine seems more of a reality than ever, and if we are not prepared to change our ignorant approach toward population growth, things might even get worse. The recent food summit in Rome was full of political statements filled with decisive information. However, I am of the opinion that there should have been greater focus on demographic papers that address population growth.

Daily, increasing numbers of people are crying out for food. Strange, considering that we are still increasing the demand for food through rampant population growth. Nobody denies the joy of a new addition to the family. In my own family tradition, a newborn is welcomed by ululating “minkulungwana“.

As harsh as it may seem, I propose that we rather do the opposite in these times of shortages and famine. This might be upsetting to some, as it is difficult to think of our families as part of the problem; after all, we all love our dads, moms, brothers, sisters, spouses and concubines. No one can celebrate when their beloved pass away. However, despite our affections, more careful family planning is needed to secure our future.

There is no need for microscopic scrutiny to realise that the underlying cause of the food crisis is population growth. I know that economists, sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists, historians, and philosophers might disagree with this hypothesis and probably have theories of their own. However, I am willing to bet that all these theories and opinions can be traced back, directly or indirectly, to our current state of overpopulation. Only a blind man would be oblivious to the rapid population growth in regions such as Africa, India and East Asia — also the places where the food crisis is at its worst. Countries with more people to feed have to increase either food production or imports, as people always need to eat.

The simple answer would be to produce more food — that is, “Get off you’re your lazy butts and increase production.” However, at what cost? Currently the environment is already under great strain. Do to the environment what you want it to do to you; environmentalists will agree with me on this. They have been advocating awareness of global warming and the destruction of the ozone layer. Increased production of food is long-term suicide. Our environment can take no more. The current food crisis is a warning and serious consideration should be given to population control.

How can population control be effectively implemented? Let’s look at fertility and family planning. Yes, people have a natural urge to reproduce. However, in this era of food shortages we need to start dealing with these “urges” and take the call for decreased numbers of newborns seriously.

British economist Malthus has made a strong case in this regard. In advocacy of his theory, he constructed a graph reflecting food supply growing in an arithmetic fashion and population growth in the geometric fashion. At one stage of his graph, population growth exceeds food supply and clearly predicts disaster. Our current situation resonates well with this stage in Malthus’s graph.

Population growth increases the demand for food, pure and simple. The agricultural and production sectors cannot cope with this increased demand. Should we look for a more immediate solution? Should we kill people to reduce the demand for food? Where shall we start? I guess not with me. We can ultimately only deal with population growth through effective family planning and perhaps by looking more seriously at fertility (as controversial as that maybe). The food summit in Rome should at least have come up with strategies to reduce fertility as a step towards eliminating the food crisis. This, I believe, will also go along way towards poverty alleviation.

In closing I would like to quote a simple but effective adage: if we live and breed like rabbits, then we shall perish like rabbits.

Lawrence Mashimbye is a Mandela Rhodes scholar pursuing MSc (Med) in epidemiology and biostatistics (public health) at Wits University. He enjoys public debate, politics, and business discussions