What is the day of 'six billion?'

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What is the day of ‘six billion?’

ON 12 OCTOBER the international community will observe the Day of the Six Billion, recording the fact that the world is in the third millennium with an unprecedented six thousand million inhabitants. The last fifty years have been unique in terms of the numbers added to humankind.

The population of our planet was:

  • Only 2.5 thousand million in 1950.

The growth will be markedly slower in future, but in terms of absolute numbers the increase of the next half-century might equal that of the preceding one:

  • a global population between 7.3 and 10.7 thousand million is expected in 2050, with 8.9 thousand million deemed the most likely figure in the present state of our forecasting capabilities.

Population issues in agricultural and rural development

How do population issues relate to food security and the development of rural societies?

Some examples of important linkages are:

Population growth-Intro

The six billion people in the world today have, on average, more food per person than has ever been available on the globe, yet decline in the number of the undernourished is painfully slow. During 2000-2050 the population of developing regions is expected to grow by another 59%.

A decline in population growth rates has started in most developing countries is welcome. But to strengthen food security large increases in food production are needed, combined with a growth in effective demand and improved international trade.

Agricultural intensification and the expansion of land use required can’t ignore the limit of conserving natural resources for future generations. But when adaptations in technology cannot follow the pace of growth in food and agricultural demand, the pressure results in increased rates of use of natural resources. This is a delicate challenge in poor societies, where it is hard to consider the fate of future  generations when there is still concern for a good quality of life for present generations.

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Migration and urbanization

Migration is the most volatile among demographic phenomena: migratory flows can appear, change intensity and even get reversed in a short time. From the viewpoint of economic and social policies migration has a complex nature. Being often a consequence of poverty and lack of food security, it usually is an indicator of problem areas. On the other hand it may contribute to resolve problems in sending areas by reducing population pressure there. But then again, it may deprive those same areas of valuable labour and ...

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