5 Food Facts

1.   As of 1990 we are using approximately 1,000 litres of oil to produce food from one hectare of land (Pfeifer, 2004).

2.   The US food system consumes ten times more energy than it produces in food energy (Pfeifer, 2004).

3.   There will be an estimated 2-2.5billion new mouths to feed by 2050 (Cordell et al, 2009).

4.   Global food production will need to increase by about 70% by 2050 to meet the global demand (Cordell et al, 2009).

5.   In 1970 it was believed that if the hungry world was to feed itself, it must increase its use of fertilizers by 100% and pesticides by 600% (Paddock, 1970) and the population has almost doubled since then, with the majority of the growth being in developing countries!