Feeding the World in 2050

Forty years from now will there be enough food to supply the world’s growing human population? Perhaps the best answer is “It depends”. It depends on how much we can improve the energy efficiency of producing and transporting food. It depends on what we are willing to eat (“Excuse me sir – would you like the beef or the crickets?”). It depends on what we do about climate change, how much damage we do to the environment, and how efficiently we use our precious supplies of fresh water. It depends on whether we’re willing to use genetically modified crops.

A special section of Science magazine available online examines some of these and other issues on the subject of food security. There are some pretty interesting and thought-provoking ideas out there. There’s even an article on what kinds of careers might be available for persons interested in this subject.