Economic development and food production–consumption balance: A growing global challenge

Kolleen Rask () and Norman Rask
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Kolleen Rask: Department of Economics and Accounting, College of the Holy Cross
Norman Rask: Department of Agricultural Economics, The Ohio State University

No 1117, Working Papers from College of the Holy Cross, Department of Economics

Abstract: Rising affluence in major developing countries (principally China and India) and increasing diversion of agricultural resources for energy production (USA and Brazil) sharply increase agricultural resource demand. Food consumption and production changes during development are analyzed using resource-based cereal-equivalent measures. Diet upgrades to livestock products require fivefold increases in per capita food resource use, reflecting a consistent pattern which is only marginally affected by land base. Food consumption increases exceed production during early development, leading to imports. Consumption eventually stabilizes at high incomes, but production falls short in land-scarce countries. Pork and poultry consumption increase the most; less efficient beef and dairy production command a majority of agricultural resources.

Keywords: Economic development; Food consumption; Agricultural self-sufficiency; Cereal equivalents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O20 P51 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 11 pages
Date: 2011-12
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (16)

Published in Food Policy, Volume 36, Number 2, April 2011, Pages 186-196.

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hcx:wpaper:1117

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