Food production struggling to keep up with population growth (From Salisbury Journal)

Food production struggling to keep up with population growth

4:58pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 in Postbag

REGARDING the article concerning the frightening escalation in food poverty in the UK (Journal, March 14), has it not occurred to anyone that this might be linked to the continuing human population explosion?

Food production is struggling to keep up with increased demand posed by a growing population. As a result, food prices are rocketing. This is driving the poor, both in the UK and in the rest of the world, further into destitution.

Recently the UN has predicted the world’s population will NOT stabilise at nine billion by 2050 as previously predicted, but will continue to climb past the ten billion mark. This is a truly terrifying scenario.

It is of particular concern that the birth rate in the UK is rising sharply. If we fail to halt population growth soon then I fail to see how we can avoid a major global disaster as we will run out of vital supplies of food, fuel and water. I am appalled at how many people are continuing to irresponsibly have large families.

In doing so they are helping to fuel the price rises for basic commodities, which is having a calamitous effect on the poor.

If you really care about the poor then try to limit yourself to having no more than two children. We all have a moral duty to ensure that our children will have the chance to lead happy and prosperous lives in a world that is still beautiful and worth living in.

We will not be able to do this if we fail to halt the population growth.

ALEC TOYNTON, Damerham