Degradation of land reaching critical global proportions
Smith, A.
Popline 14: 3
1992
PMID: 12343551 Document Number: 325161
The Population Institute recently published a report, titled, Our Diminishing World: The Land/Population Crisis, that explains the relationship between rapid population growth and land degradation in the developing world. As populations in the poorest parts of the world increase, the percentage of land/person continues to decrease. There are approximately 32 billion acres of land, excluding Antarctica, on the planet. That equals only 5.98 acres/person; however, not all this land is suitable for habitation or food production. 1.2 acres is too steep, 1.3 acres is to arid, and 1 acre is too cold. Also, the population of the world is not spread out evenly across the land; thus, in many areas the population density is so high that the demands placed upon the land are greater than its capacity to produce. The Green Revolution that lasted from 1950 through the mid 80s did increase the total amount of yield/acre. Unfortunately the price for such productivity was a degradation of the land. Chemical inputs have contaminated ground water and sterilized the soil, irrigation has caused salinization and water logging (which is a form of decertification), and new tillage practices have eroded the top soil. Grazing cattle have caused enormous amounts of soil erosion and deforestation has removed 911 million acres of tropical forest alone to make room for a growing population. Wood is the single most important fuel source for the people of the developing world; yet, as it becomes scarce from deforestation, animal manures and crop residues have been substituted which further the diminishes the availability of fertile land. It must be understood that family planning save lives, reduces suffering, and slows the damage to the environment. Family planning is the single best way to make an impact in the attempt to end poverty and hunger.