Agriculture Provides for Growing World Populations
Editor’s Note: During Wyoming FFA Advocacy Week at the end of January, members were challenged to write a 250- to 500-word essay responding to the following prompt: “By 2056, the world population is expected to swell to more than 9 billion people. What answers can agriculture provide in sustaining the world over the next 40 years?” Students were also asked to capture the spirit of ag advocacy and to be creative in their essays. Submissions poured in from around the state. The winning essay was written by Cheyenne 11th grader Aaron Kersh.
A single, small drop of water comes falling from the sky. It falls hundreds of feet until finally it comes down and lands on a calm, quiet pond. Although the drop of water is very small, it creates a ripple on top of the calm water. This ripple becomes a ring that spreads throughout the entire pond.
How can one small drop of water have such a big effect on something that is much larger than it is? One small act of caring is much like this little drop of water. It may not seem important, but it makes a bigger impact than one would think. With the world population expected to swell above 9 billion people by 2056, what the world needs more than ever is agriculture. The world needs hardworking, honest and caring people, and agriculture is the industry that can supply them.
The agriculture industry is our nation’s backbone. Without agriculture, people would lack food, shelter and clothing, and subsequently, every other industry would fail. Agriculture is arguably our most important industry because it is what allows many other parts of society to function. The proper function of the world is dependent on agriculture.
The question is, though, how can agriculture improve and help feed this population that is growing exponentially? The answer might seem complex and challenging to accomplish, but I believe that it is much simpler than we are making it out to be. We can achieve this dream by simply caring for other people.
The people in this world who face issues such as hunger and poverty simply need people to care for them. They need people to realize that they need help and that they cannot do it all by themselves. The world is an incredibly imperfect place, and it may never be perfect. But it can certainly become better than it is today. Society needs more people to exert an influence just like the raindrops on the pond. A single drop of water can exert an influence on the water, but imagine the impact it could have if many drops fell on this pond.
In order to accommodate for a growing population, we need to worry more about the future rather than the present, and the future starts with today’s youth. The next generation is the one that is going to have to solve all the issues that we face. It is important that we train these young people to be leaders and advocators. That is why organizations such as FFA and 4-H are so important. We need people who are willing to be different and stand out above the rest.
The world needs more leaders and fewer followers. It needs people to stand up and fight for what is right. It needs more FFA. The more raindrops that fall on the pond, the greater the change is going to be. The world can change for the better with positive leaders.
