CIRJE-J-99. Iwami, Toru, "Global Sustainability of Population and Food", October 2003.

Since the publication of The Limits to Growth, there have appeared worries about the sustainability of the population growth, on the one hand, and food supply, on the other hand. However, the world food production per capita has been increasing so far, although there remains a wide gap in consumption among countries, in particular between developed and developing counties. What matters about food is not its quantity of supply as a whole, but its distribution. Developed countries are required to reduce, or even abandon agricultural protection whereas developing countries should increase food production, thereby promote better economic conditions in poor rural areas. The actual "limits to growth" are rather environmental damages that are caused by the advanced agricultural technology.