Disastrous Food Wars Could Rage Worldwide By 2050

In less than four decades, the world's population may be scrambling for food. It's a sobering thought to realize that despite the fact that we waste more than one-third of the food we produce, food shortage will be the most critical issue humanity faces by 2050 as the world's population soars to nine billion people, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development. Dr. Fred Davies, senior science adviser for the agency's bureau of food security said that by that time, food wars could break out all over the world as resources begin to stretch thin.

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"For the first time in human history, food production will be limited on a global scale by the availability of land, water, and energy," Dr. Davies told AG Professional. "Food issues could become as politically destabilizing by 2050 as energy issues are today."

With the world population projected to increase by almost two billion people in just four decades, we would have to increase our food production by 70 percent, and although new biotechnology and agricultural technology have made farming and food production easier and more plentiful, we simply can't keep up with demand, and the new technologies do not trickle down to the small farmer.

Joanna Fantozzi is an Associate Editor with The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @JoannaFantozzi