1 Billion People in Africa

The 2009 World Population Data Sheet, released by the Population Reference Bureau and USAID, disclosed that there are now 1 billion people in Africa. They also project that the population will double again by 2050 since the growth rate is currently increasing by 24 million people each year.

In sub-Saharan Africa, women usually have an average of 5.3 children, while the global average is 2.6. Niger is the country with the highest fertility rate at 7.4 children. The major reason for this is lack of education (especially for women) and the need for family planning. Only 30 percent of children attend secondary school in sub-Saharan Africa and do not have access to necessary resources.

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--Jessica Milstead

Source: allafrica.com

Overpopulated Regions Strain Water Resources

In a country with over 1.1 billion people, water is an important resource needed to grow huge crops that sustain the region. Nasa just released findings that water tables in northwestern India are falling at a rate of 4cm per year. The 100 million people in this region are using irrigation techniques that funnel 90 percent of the runoff from the Himalayas to fields around Delhi.

While technology can help to reduce water consumption with more efficient practices, reducing the population growth rate would provide a means for a more sustainable future. Providing education in family planning, and basic education for women would reduce the problem of overpopulation.
--Jessica Milstead

Source: bbc.co.uk