rch is expensive; therefore biotechnology companies cannot conduct research for people who cannot pay for it. Most of the world's hungry populous are too poor to buy traditionally bred crops, much less the expensive products researched using biotechnology. Many believe that there is as much land for agricultural purposes today, as there was 50 years ago. I do not believe this is so, due to urban expansion across the world. As with land, the supply of accessible water is limited. Not all of the waters can be extracted, since some needs to be left in the rivers to safeguard the environment. Agricultural technology is dependent upon irrigation for soil moisture, so that food production can continue, coupled with the application of fertilizers. Water irrigation is a water intensive activity. Irrigated agriculture has proven to be more productive than rain fed agriculture, producing 40 percent of world food production. In countries such as North Africa, water will be needed to provide adequate supplies for cities and for a healthy populace. Africa is also the driest continent and suffers the most from unstable rainfalls. Since Africa's agricultural production has not kept pace with its population, they are also in trouble nutritionally. Other countries such as Latin America have plenty of water, but lack water use efficiency and pollution control. Hopefully, as the need for water increases, it will stimulate efforts to develop new water supplies and use current supplies more efficiently. But irrigation can be detrimental by means of fertilizer run-offs, salinization, and environmental pollution. Still, water development for food production constitutes an important element for increasing food security. By the year 2020, Habitat for Humanity says that two thirds of the world's people will live in towns and cities. Land is being converted from rural to urban use at three times the rate of urban population growth. ...
