The only solution to the joint effects of population growth and of the competition between non-agricultural uses of land and farming is an increasing intensification of production in order to satisfy mankind's increasing food needs. The eco-energy analysis of industrial farming shows that increased productivity so far has been achieved by injecting an ever greater quantity of energy from fissile fuel into agroecosystems. Consequently the energy productivity of crops (kcal of foodstuffs produced per kcal of energy used in its production) is decreasing. Moreover, world supplies of phosphate fertilizers are limited and fossilized hydrocarbon is becoming rarer. The constant increase in the cost of energy and of mineral fertilizers used in farming make it unlikely that the present food production structures will be maintained in the future or that food can be produced for a world population of ten billions.
