Food Supply and Population Growth

 • Our food supply is affected by availability of arable land, crop and livestock yields, food preservation, storage methods and wastage.

 • Crop yields are increased by maintaining the fertility of the land, controlling crop pests and disease, and using improved crop varieties. Livestock productivity is increased by using improved livestock breeds an controlling the pests and diseases that affect them.

 • Foods may be preserved by drying, refrigeration, freezing, freeze drying, canning, pasteurization , chemical preservation, fermentation, irradiation, salting and smoking.

 • The Human population is growing at an exponential rate. We are faced with the problems of controlling growth and of solving the food shortage crisis, especially in developing countries.

 • Population growth is affected by birth rates and death rates. We can control our population growth through family planning (birth control) programmes.

 • Food shortage can be solved mainly by increasing food production.