We must not wait for famine.

Agriculture Ministers meeting in Berlin have issued a statement saying that food production in the world will have to rise by 60% by 2050 to feed an expected population of 9 billion people. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 870 million people were undernourished in 2011-12. These would probably be those who are not receiving an adequate number of calories everyday. However, vast numbers are surviving on cheap carbohydrates but cannot afford adequate amounts of proteins, such as meat, fish and eggs, milk, fruits and vegetables, which are more expensive. These are known as ' empty calories '. In rich countries rates of obesity are higher in the poor than in the rich, who can afford a balanced diet, adequate in calories but high in nutrients. That is why lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and heart attacks which were once thought of as diseases of the rich, are commoner in the poor. The statement is both stupid and defeatist. The ministers have accepted that they will do nothing to control and reduce populations of their countries. The World bank provides a list of the total amount of arable land in each country of the world. Arable land is used for temporary crops, such as grains, vegetables and legumes, as opposed to agricultural land which is used for permanent crops, such as fruit trees, rubber, coffee, and for pasture. Percentage of arable land in Algeria is 3.1%, Angola 3.3%, Bahrain 1.8%, Bhutan 2.4%, Egypt 2.9% and Costa Rica 4.9%. All these countries will probably be importing food and if populations continue to grow increasing demand will raise food prices to unaffordable levels, leading to famine. Arable land is not only limited but is being lost at the rate of 38,610 square miles every year. Exposures by WikiLeaks show how Syria suffered drought from 2006-10 and its UN representative, Abdullah bin Yehia predicted social unrest in 2008. One alternative is Genetically Modified food but these have not been tested for safety. Bacillus thuringiensis produces Cry proteins which are toxic to insects. While BT cotton maybe safe surely BT Brinjal needs to be thoroughly tested over years before being allowed. More ominously GM food is controlled by huge multinationals who do not allow production of seeds. If we do not reduce populations famine and epidemics will. Do we really want that?