Abstract
The article outlines the nutrient requirements of plants before describing world population growth, global food requirements and world agriculture today. There is a stark contrast between agriculture in the developed and developing world. This is considered to result from differing levels of access to technology and agricultural inputs, particularly nutrients. The many technological advancements that have enabled agriculture to become highly sophisticated and productive in the developed world are listed. Although there are limited amounts of new land that can come into production to meet the world's growing food demands, data show that the potential for global yield increase is high. Investment in agricultural research is vital if these yields areto be achieved. Unfortunately such investments are currently declining. The close relationships between plant nutrient supply and total food production, crop yield and agricultural sustainability are described. The importance of balancing nutrient inputsis also discussed. World peace is considered an impossibility if global food shortages and starvation threaten. However, technology could go a long way towards creating an abundance of food in the world, the crucial requirement being availability of information. Unfortunately, policy decisions and political priorities are often key factors in affecting this in developing countries.The article outlines the nutrient requirements of plants before describing world population growth, global food requirements and world agriculture today. There is a stark contrast between agriculture in the developed and developing world. This is considered to result from differing levels of access to technology and agricultural inputs, particularly nutrients. The many technological advancements that have enabled agriculture to become highly sophisticated and productive in the developed world are listed. Although there are limited amounts of new land that can come into production to meet the world's growing food demands, data show that the potential for global yield increase is high. Investment in agricultural research is vital if these yields areto be achieved. Unfortunately such investments are currently declining. The close relationships between plant nutrient supply and total food production, crop yield and agricultural sustainability are described. The importance of balancing nutrient inputsis also discussed. World peace is considered an impossibility if global food shortages and starvation threaten. However, technology could go a long way towards creating an abundance of food in the world, the crucial requirement being availability of information. Unfortunately, policy decisions and political priorities are often key factors in affecting this in developing countries.