How to balance human reproduction and food production?
We have to develop technologies to achieve a continuous increase in food production at least at the same rate as the increase in population. Limiting the growth of population is important because it is putting pressure on the limited natural resources, which are already over-exploited. However, we have learnt from the experience of economic and social development of countries ahead of us that success in population comes with socio-economic development, particularly with female education and employment. There is a strong correlation between the reduction in fertility rate and the level of education, particularly of women. Female illiteracy is only 19 per cent in Kerala and the population is increasing at a rate of about 0.7 per cent per annum. In Punjab female illiteracy is 58 per cent and the population is increasing at the rate of 1.2 per cent. In Bihar female illiteracy is 82 per cent and the population is increasing 2.4 per cent per year. Thus, we must re-double our efforts on impro
