CIMMYT review 1977
CIMMYT occasionally looks over its shoulder at the population clock. On January 1, 1977 this clock showed 4,056,000,000 people in the world. The clock was advancing 200,000 persons per day, 6 millions per month, and 73 millions per year. During the decade just past -from the mid-sixties to mid-seventiesradical changes occurred. Population in developing countries rose 30 percent, from about 1400 millions to about 1800 millions. And grain production in developing countries kept pace but barely, rising 31 percent during the same years. Thus more than 100 developing countries -measured as a group- preserved their inadequate per capita grain production. These developing countries have continued to import 10 to 12 percent of their total annual grain requirements. Imports have generally ranged from 30 to 35 million tons a year, and rose to an all-time high in 1974 when 48 million tons were imported at a cost of over $10,000 million. Better harvests in 1975 and 1976 reduced imports to the former trend line -still a 10 percent grain deficit. The crops assigned for CIMMYT's attention -wheat, barley, and maize- continue to provide between 40 and 50 percent of the calories and protein consumed in developing countries. Wheat production rose 50 percent during this past decade when population rose 30 percent. Maize production rose 38 percent in the same years. But about half of these gains were made possible by a larger area planted. Over the next decade, population growth in developing countries will again be 30 percent or a little more, and the food requirements of developing countries will again rise by 30 percent or more, just to maintain the present inadequate diet. In this next decade, most of the increased grain production must come from increased yields on present cropland. Very little new cropland can be opened up. If 30 percent more grain is to be produced by higher yields, that can be achieved only by better technology at the farm level. It is against such a target that CI MMYT reports its rrogress in 1976, and plans its activities for the years beyond.
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| Format: | Report biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
CIMMYT
1977
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| Subjects: | AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, DISEASE RESISTANCE, ECONOMICS, FINANCE, GENE POOLS, GERMPLASM, INFORMATION SERVICES, STATISTICS, TESTING, TRAINING, EXPERIMENTATION, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10883/3601 |
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| Summary: | CIMMYT occasionally looks over its shoulder at the population clock. On January 1, 1977 this clock showed 4,056,000,000 people in the world. The clock was advancing 200,000 persons per day, 6 millions per month, and 73 millions per year. During the decade just past -from the mid-sixties to mid-seventiesradical changes occurred. Population in developing countries rose 30 percent, from about 1400 millions to about 1800 millions. And grain production in developing countries kept pace but barely, rising 31 percent during the same years. Thus more than 100 developing countries -measured as a group- preserved their inadequate per capita grain production. These developing countries have continued to import 10 to 12 percent of their total annual grain requirements. Imports have generally ranged from 30 to 35 million tons a year, and rose to an all-time high in 1974 when 48 million tons were imported at a cost of over $10,000 million. Better harvests in 1975 and 1976 reduced imports to the former trend line -still a 10 percent grain deficit. The crops assigned for CIMMYT's attention -wheat, barley, and maize- continue to provide between 40 and 50 percent of the calories and protein consumed in developing countries. Wheat production rose 50 percent during this past decade when population rose 30 percent. Maize production rose 38 percent in the same years. But about half of these gains were made possible by a larger area planted. Over the next decade, population growth in developing countries will again be 30 percent or a little more, and the food requirements of developing countries will again rise by 30 percent or more, just to maintain the present inadequate diet. In this next decade, most of the increased grain production must come from increased yields on present cropland. Very little new cropland can be opened up. If 30 percent more grain is to be produced by higher yields, that can be achieved only by better technology at the farm level. It is against such a target that CI MMYT reports its rrogress in 1976, and plans its activities for the years beyond. |
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