POSSIBILITIES OF AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION

Is it possible to satisfy the growing demand for food taking care of t he environment and of the resources? To answer this question an analys is of the future demand of food and of the potential capacity of agric ultural production is made for different regions. To think in a well f ed population through a sustainable use of resources is not utopic. Hu mand population will stabilize in the incoming century and the planet has a gr eat potential for food production, many times greater than th e future stabilized demand. Moreover, the amazing technological develo pment is providing tools unthinkable a few years ago. To reach the goa l, it is necessary to make a strong investment in agricultural researc h and extension, in education and in rural development. Thus, the solu tion from the tecnical point of view is highly possible. Aspects relat ed to moral decission of men leave some doubts about the future of man kind. There is no doubt that if starvation, serious nutritional proble ms and severe degradation are taking place in parts of the world and t he perspectives for certain areas of the world are not encouraging, is not because Malthus was right, bill because egoism and lack of solida rity prevail. The key question is not whether we can to feed mankind, it is whether we want to do it.