Food, water and oil – the hidden link

Since World War II, agricultural research and development has dramatically increased crop productivity, which along with an increase in the areas under irrigation and cultivation, has allowed us to feed an ever increasing global population. Unfortunately, regional conflicts and droughts still cause famine, and poverty is largely responsible for 850 million people still suffering malnourishment. If we could overcome economic inequity, corruption and food distribution issues, we would be able to nourish everybody adequately.

However, the situation we see today is changing rapidly.
World population is expected to reach about eight billion by 2025, meaning about another two billion mouths to feed. In the same period, we expect climate change to begin to bite in its impact on water supplies in many areas and oil production to potentially peak and start to decline, while growing cities need ever increasing water supplies.

Furthermore westernisation of dietary habits in many developing countries requires more and more water to produce hamburgers compared with rice or wheat. Is there enough land, water and human capacity to produce food for a growing population over the next 50 years or will we run out of water?

On an optimistic note, we might believe that research and development and innovative engineering may help us overcome these issues just as they have in the past. However, many countries in the developed and developing world have significantly reduced their funding of these areas with concomitant focus being given to the major issues associated with urbanisation.

As a scientist, I am concerned about how climate change, petrochemical availability, urbanisation and dietary change will affect us all, not just developing countries.

Science Alert