News
Fewer people feeding more people
Worldwatch Institute says the global agricultural population, individuals dependent upon agriculture, hunting, fishing and forestry for their livelihood accounted for 37 percent of the world’s population in 2011. (The most recent year for which data are available). That is a 12 percent decrease since 1980.
However, while the percentage of agricultural population has decreased, the actual number of people in agriculture actually increased from 2.2 billion in 1980 to 2.6 billion in 2011. At the same time, the non-agricultural population doubled from 2.2 billion to 4.4 billion.
Also of note, agricultural population grew in Africa, Asia and Oceania and declined in the Americas, Europe and the Caribbean during the period. Africa and Asia accounted for 95 percent of the world’s agricultural population in 2011 while the Americas accounted for less than 4 percent.
But, while the world’s agricultural population grew only slightly from 1980 to 2011, global agricultural output increased 112 percent according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Per capita production of agricultural goods increased 35 percent during the period.
Looking ahead, the FAO projects global agricultural population will decline another 0.7 percent from 2011 to 2020 while the non-agricultural population will increase 16 percent.
Read more from Worldwatch Institute here:
I think farmers do a great job of producing more with less. I also think those who out-of-hand go along with condemning so-called “factory farming” need to examine why they feel as they do. The increased population demand for meat has resulted in some amazing cost-saving methods that also include humane animal handling. The main people who are screaming the loudest about animal enterprises are those who would eliminate animals not only from our diets, but also from society. Why is the majority listening to the propaganda of a minority with a cult-like belief system? It’s that their propaganda is so well done to play on emotions rather than intellect. In addition, animal enterprises are really just now starting to realize how damaging the anti-animal-use organizations are to animal businesses and what it’s going to take to reclaim the conversation and reframe the issues for true *animal welfare* rather than sociopathic *animal rights*.