World Population Growth, Soil Erosion, and Food Security

Since 1950, world food output has more than doubled, but in many cases this impressive gain has been achieved by the adoption of agricultural practices that lead to an excessive rate of soil erosion. At least one-fifth, and perhaps as much as one-third, of the global cropland base is losing soil at a rate that is undermining its long-term productivity. World food production per person will eventually begin to decrease if the loss of topsoil continues at current rates. In view of this, there is an urgent need to realign national priorities everywhere in order to get the brakes on world population growth and to finance the adoption of agricultural practices that will preserve the cropland base.