It is estimated that the population of the world reached one billion in 1804, two billion in 1927, three billion in 1960, four billion in 1974, five billion in 1987, and six billion in 1999. It is projected to reach seven billion by late 2011, and around eight billion by 2025. By 2045-2050, the world’s population is currently projected to reach around nine billion, with alternative scenarios ranging from 7.4 billion to 10.6 billion.
In spite of the fast growing population, we know that the world is getting more prosperous. More buildings were constructed all over the world, bridges to connect the islands, more inventions, advancement in technology and more housing subdivision developed in different places for better living.
With this trend, it is expected that people from poor urban areas will become highly professionals and something of the order of 65-70% of the world’s population will be moving from urban to cities for living.
As societies evolve, the economic and employment markets change continuously. Changing population ages, woman re-entering employment and medical advances have a dramatic effect on certain job sectors.
As a matter of fact, it was reported that the top ten most in demand popular careers for 2011 in the US are; Network Systems Analysts, Physician’s (–foul word(s) removed–)istant’ Medical (–foul word(s) removed–)istants, Medical Records and Health Information Technicians, Software Engineers, Physical Therapist Aides, Fitness Trainers, Database Administrators, Veterinary Technicians, Dental Hygienists. In Canada: In-Home Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Programmer Analyst, Physician and Surgeon, Teacher, Special Education, Pharmacist, Psychiatrist, Radiological Technician, Registered Nurses, Physiotherapist. In UK: Data Communications Analysts, Marketing Officer, Software Engineers, Medical Administrator, Community Nurse, Advertising Agency Account Executive, Customer Services (–foul word(s) removed–)istant, Information Officer, Administrator, Engineer.
If that is the scenario, who are the people in agricultural level to produce sustainable food to seven billion people all over the world? As we know that as population increases the demand for basic commodities such as food, water and energy will be increasing as that prosperity increases.
It is alarming. I think the government will provide (–foul word(s) removed–)istance to agricultural sector that address malnutrition.
According to the government’s chief scientific adviser, Professor Sir John Beddington, the study provides compelling evidence for governments to act now.
Professor Sir John Beddington commissioned a two-year study involving 400 experts from 35 countries. He was among the first to warn of “a perfect storm” of a growing population, climate change and diminishing resources for food production.
The Foresight report says that the food production system will need to be radically changed, not just to produce more food but to produce it sustainably.
Professor Beddington said: “We’ve got to actually face up to the fact that this is a complicated problem which involves vastly different levels of society and we need to be persuading policy makers not to think about food in isolation, not to think about climate change in isolation, not to think about water in isolation, not to think about energy in isolation. All of them are intimately related.”
