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One of the most pressing problems is sustainably arable land. The most productive farmland in the world has been progressively losing topsoil because our modern
by DavidAdams 11y ago
One of the most pressing problems is sustainably arable land. The most productive farmland in the world has been progressively losing topsoil because our modern mechanized agriculture methods are wasteful. This topsoil was deposited over millions of years by wild grasslands, then eroded away over 150 years. And as the world's population grows, much of the remaining potentially productive farmland each year gets paved over by exurbs. http://world.time.com/2012/12/14/what-if-the-worlds-soil-runs-out/ http://world.time.com/2012/12/14/what-if-the-worlds-soil-run...
- Houshalter 11y agoStill, we have vastly more farm land than we technically need. Most of it goes to growing food for meat, which could be significantly reduced if there was a shortage. There is also tech on the horizon to produce food more efficiently, e.g. bacteria can produce sugar much more efficiently than sugar beets.