world population day

Every year on July 11th, we at BETi celebrate World Population Day to acknowledge the remarkable expansion of the human race and the urgent responsibilities that come with it. With the world’s population estimated to reach 10 billion people by 2050, it brings up a crucial question into everyone’s mind. The question of “How to sustainably and fairly feed, house, and supply clean water for 10 billion people?” is a difficult but crucial to find the answer to. This year’s theme, “Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world,” highlights the alarming need to build sustainable systems to support a growing and progressing society. Providing Food for Ten Billion: The Challenge of Food Security So, How Big Is The Issue? To meet demand by 2050, studies show that global food production must increase by more than 50%. Agriculture is becoming more unpredictable in recent years due to climate change, shortage of land suitable for agriculture and the wastage of one-third of the food produced globally is still a major issue that needs to be tackled. The lack of fertile soil, essential nutrients, and water puts agricultural yields at high risk along with natural calamities like droughts, floods and changing climatic conditions. Reduction in agricultural crop yields have also directly affected the world’s population leading to malnutrition, nutrient and vitamin deficiency and overall poor food lifestyle. Innovations and Solutions To tackle the problem of food security, it is crucial to invest in sustainable agriculture. Crop diversity, regenerative farming, and precision farming are parts of sustainable agriculture. We can also increase the consumption of plant-based proteins, and farmed meat. Improving transportation, storage, and consumer education can help to reduce food waste and preserve food production for longer periods of time. Urban and vertical farming also reduce land use and transportation caused pollution while bringing food production closer to urban areas. BETi is pioneering solutions by turning agricultural waste into nutritious mushrooms that are a superfood rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Their innovations include upcycling crop residue by using it as a substrate for mushroom cultivation, reducing pollution and creating new income streams for farmers. There is also production of premium mushroom spawn, ensuring reliable harvests and higher yields even in controlled indoor environments. And finally, growing mushrooms on agriwaste provides essential nutrients, including Vitamin D that help in addressing malnutrition in vulnerable populations and supporting circular farming by using SMS to cultivate new mushrooms. Housing Ten Billion: Sustainable Shelter and Urbanisation The Urban Boom Apparently, nearly 60% of people on Earth will reside in cities by 2030. The need for safe, affordable, and sustainable housing is growing as a result of rapid urbanisation and population boom. Cities must accommodate more people while simultaneously reducing their environmental impact using less water, energy, and land in construction, while still ensuring safety and affordability. A large number of people still continue to reside in informal settlements or architecturally subpar homes due to rise in costs of homes and poorly made homes. Innovative Approaches We can tackle this problem by using environmentally friendly materials and energy-efficient designs for a concept known as “green building” where buildings are designed to last many years and are made using recycled materials. We have seen that modular housing may be built more quickly, scalably but not for long term living. Building homes with less waste shows us that creating livable communities is possible by combining housing, employment, and green areas known as mixed-use development. Supporting neighbourhood projects and inclusive planning is a great way to empower the community. BETi’s model supports urban and rural communities by empowering farmers by training them and providing the necessary resources for mushroom cultivation create new livelihoods, reducing migration pressures on cities and by producing biodegradable materials as BETi’s research into mycelium-based biomaterials offers potential for eco-friendly packaging and building materials and by supporting sustainable construction and reducing plastic waste. Ten Billion Water: Handling a Valuable Resource The Imminent Water Emergency More than a billion extra people will experience acute water stress by 2050. Approximately 70% of the freshwater on Earth is used for agriculture, and demand is gradually growing. Fresh supply is disrupted by more frequent floods and droughts. Drinking sources are contaminated by agricultural and industrial runoff. Billions lack access to sanitary facilities and safely managed drinking water. Effective Irrigation Solutions for Water Security This issue can be addressed by using precision and drip irrigation systems that significantly reduce water waste. Reusing and recycling water is also required for tackling this and it involves cleaning up wastewater for use in industry and agriculture. Rainwater harvesting is the process of collecting and holding rainwater for usage in dry spells. The process of turning saltwater into freshwater, particularly in arid areas. BETi’s mushroom cultivation is water-efficient and environmentally friendly, requiring significantly less water while using agriwaste as a growing medium, using SMS improves soil structure and water retention, helping farmers adapt to drought and reduce irrigation needs and by diverting agriwaste from burning, BETi helps prevent water and air pollution, supporting cleaner water sources for communities. Conclusion In conclusion, although feeding, housing, and watering ten billion people is a huge task, it is not impossible. It requires creativity, international collaboration, and a dedication to sustainability at all levels. Humanity can respond to the demands of an expanding global population by adopting new technology, cutting waste, and placing a higher priority on equity. The integrated approach of BETi shows how community activity, scientific knowledge, and local solutions may contribute to the creation of a more sustainable, just, and resilient society. Let’s emphasize our collective obligation to guarantee that everyone has access to the essentials of life, both now and in future generations, on this World Population Day. BETi encourages everyone to join them in their quest to turn obstacles into opportunities and guarantee that everyone has access to food, shelter, and water in a prosperous, sustainable future on this World Population Day. References