Agriculture, population and their impact on the global environment

Perhaps, the global warming is the most serious problem that humankind faces today. Agriculture not only supplies food, feed and fiber but also is the source of energy. The combination of population growth and economic development with the decreasing per capita land area, growing needs of energy and increasing demand of quality food, especially in the developing countries, puts a great stress on arable land, water, energy and biological resources. The rush toward liquid biofuels affects virtually every aspect of the field crop sectors, ranging from domestic demand and exports to price and the allocation of land area among crops. This study reveals that the global environment is influenced by cropping patterns, dietary choices, food supply and international trade, and population growth might be the main key. Production of genetically modified (GM) crops might be useful in reducing growing pressure on natural resources and on the environment, if that does not conflict with safety and biodiversity. If the population can be stabilized to a 1990-level and food spoilage and other waste limited to 10%, then about 28% of the present world food supply could be conserved. It may facilitate the countries to export their surplus food to the food deficient countries and may play an important role to reduce food insecurity and poverty, and reduce the pressure on land, water and other natural resources, help abate environmental burden, as well as might open the door for future liquid biofuels to build a sustainable world. INTRODUCTION Greenhouse gas emission, which has increased remarkably due to tremendous energy use, has resulted in global warming, perhaps the most serious problem that humankind faces today. Efforts are underway in every sector of human activities to conserve the available natural resources, abate global warming potential and to improve the energy and food security. Agriculture not only supply food, feed and fiber but also is the source of energy. If agriculture fails to produce adequate amounts of foods containing enough nutrients in balance to meet human needs, people's health will deteriorate, national morbidity and mortality rates will rise, national development will decline, social and political disruption will evolve and human suffering will severely increase.