When Earth Can't Produce Enough Food

Us modern-day humans require a lot of food to keep us going, and we're craving more than ever. But as the world population continues its inevitable march upwards, the question must be asked: What happens when the planet is no longer able to keep up?

Read More:
Earth Overshoot Day
"August 20 is Earth Overshoot Day 2013, marking the date when humanity exhausted nature's budget for the year."

UCLA students map L.A. County agriculture: 1,261 urban farming sites
"California is known as the produce basket of the nation, but until now, Los Angeles County evoked little of that bucolic bounty."

What is Sustainable Agriculture?
"Agriculture has changed dramatically, especially since the end of World War II. Food and fiber productivity soared due to new technologies, mechanization, increased chemical use, specialization and government policies that favored maximizing production. These changes allowed fewer farmers with reduced labor demands to produce the majority of the food and fiber in the U.S."

The Land Institute
"At The Land Institute, we believe that a solution for the 10,000 year old problem of agriculture — soil loss and degradation, ecosystem destruction, and high energy use — is not only necessary, but possible."

Detroit foodies promote urban farming as way to fight blight, grow economy
"For Greg Willerer, Detroit's new urban frontier is a lot like the Wild West: Grow enough food to support your family, make do with what you have, and rely on your neighbors when you need help."

The Future of Farming, Part 1: Controlling the Environment
"Famine... or feast? Soil... or hydroponics, aquaponics, aquaculture or aeroponics? Nine billion hungry human beings will be living on planet Earth by 2050, according to United Nations estimates."

Cultivate Los Angeles Interactive Map
"This site presents Cultivate L.A., a University of California Los Angeles Master of Urban and Regional Planning Comprehensive Capstone research project, meant to assess the state of urban agriculture in Los Angeles County in 2013."

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[dave]

The problem lies not in whether or not there will be enough food, but rather in whether or not there will be enough good.

[XWX]

I was thinking of something like this the other day. Im glad you all made this information more public! I want us to be able to still live here in my next lifetime

[chrishawkev]

The best solution to all environmental issues: Control human population.

[TheCynicalPixel]

I think farming food nearby would be a really cool, because, not only would you not need to go to the regular store, you could also be more of a part of the community and bond.

[kydismundy]

Dnews!! All I got to say is I freaking love your channel! I watch all your videos and just love it!!! :D

[shorgoth]

One thing that will greatly help, most of the arable soil is currently used for livestock production directly or indirectly (feed). Meat grown in lab take 99% less land, up to 75% less water and other significant stuff like that (don't remember the rest) it isn't as tasty yet and cost a lot to produce right now but soon those 2 issues won't be anymore. And there is clearly no risk for health, at least no more risk than normal meat.

[Elround]

As a Transhumanist, I am fascinated by & in agreement with the core concept: lower a population gradually/ethically before it can't be sustained. Further on in the future (in terms of many centuries), technology will no doubt make infertilization simultaneously pointless and futile to enforce, bring more solutions, and etc. But in the short term something like this might be our only hope of survival until the point when a long term solution becomes reality.

Burn tress,
save a
forest.

[fsdn]

I'm not worried. Last year, the scarce resource scare of the year was oil. Nobody seems worried about that right now. Next year, it'll be copper, or rare-earth metals, or helium, or bees etc. Basic economics tells me that everything will be fine, and the best thing you can do is innovate for your own benefit at your own cost.

[sophiaverbree]

Great I love tomatoes. Well my parents had another garden in my hometown where they grow eggplants, strawberrys, leeks, rhubarb, spinaze, rasberries and blackberries.

[batosato]

We can have plenty of foods, if only, we invest properly. According to last month's IEEE magazine "The Age of Plenty" we can produce enough food to sustain our population but all that is required is better management.

[de]

just a FYI, in some states in america, it is illegal to gather rainwater

[discountconsulting]

Urban and suburban herding would be a great way to control grass without mowing. Modern shepherds wouldn't be bored if they're armed with smartphones. It would probably not be cost-effective if you had to pay people wages for babysitting and herding the animals around but for retirees and unemployed people, it would be a reason to get out of the house and kids would like having the animals around. The manure could be used as fertilizer for local gardens/farms.

[Tamizushi]

The percentage of food used to feed livestock would vary depending how you count since that's comparing apples to oranges, but I see no 50% claims in Jon Fergus's post. On another hand, if you count it in term of original resource used(aka mostly land) I wouldn't at all be surprised if we were able to produce food for over twice as many humans without animal breading. Beside, choosing crops to feed humans rather than livestock would diversify them and that's a great idea in many ways.

[Sandorfitness]

The future will look back and view history as a bad management mistake.

[Synthmilk]

He stated current food production could feed 12 billion, that is approx double the current world population, thus the 50% figure.

[Elround]

Scientists in Japan have started experimentation in in door hydroponics buildings they call (as it is translated) "vegetable factories." But it is not only this fascinating possibility of vertical safe closed environment acres; they are also working on smaller community modules, and...home systems that appear to be about the size of a refrigerator. That'd help with vegetables and fruit, and perhaps tissue engineering "bioprints" could help with meat. ^_^

[CakeForMee]

That ticking in the backround is driving me insane!

[MTheory]

there is more than enough for everyone. enough for everyone's needs, but not everyone's greed.

[melovetorun]

I work at Safeway and everyday there are mothers with 3-5 kids and they're pregnant. All the kids are always dressed poorly or have overweight problems. We live in a sad society.

[Tamizushi]

He didn't say how many people who thought could be fed with current productions without scraping animal farming though, but ok fair enough.