Conceptualizing Sustainability

Abstract

"Despite the recent success in expanding global food supply--today's population of 5.8 billion have, on average, 15 percent more food per capita than the global population of 4 billion had two decades ago)--shamefully, more than 800 million are still chronically hungry, mostly living in rural areas. Moreover, reports of civil unrest caused by shortages of food or high prices are all too frequent. Thus, the International Commission on Peace and Food in their report Uncommon Opportunities note that 'food has become a symbol of our collective human endeavor to create a better world for all'. Food production depends ultimately on sound and productive natural resource systems. The per capita availability of land and water for agriculture is limited and declining as a consequence of increasing population, degradation and redirection of land and water to domestic and industrial uses. Moreover, significant environmental costs have been associated with the past successful agricultural growth, such as salinization, soil erosion, lowering water tables, and loss of biodiversity."