Population, environment and agriculture interlinkages and sustainable development

Abstract

To reduce poverty, the logical and paramount goal of African countries should be to pursue policy objectives of sustainable development. Sustainable development entails the harmonization of population growth with utilization and exploitation of natural resources through redirection and re-orientation of research and development, as well as institutional changes. The basic requirement in this harmonization process is to address challenges posed by the negative synergy arising from rapid population growth, environmental degradation and low agricultural production leading to food insecurity. Historically, African traditional farming methods were suited to the needs of a slowly growing population living off a fragile environmental resource base. As long as the rate of population growth was in line with the carrying capacity of the land and the efficiency of available traditional technologies, these farming systems were adequate to meet the subsistence needs of local communities.