Optimist views Boserup – Increasing the carrying capacity (1965) People are our greatest resource People can create new technology to solve problems in food production or resources Getting close to the limit of food supply will motivate discovery of new techniques Carrying capacity is therefore increased

This graph shows how the rate of food supply may vary but never reaches its carrying capacity because every time it is getting near, there is an invention or development that causes the food supply to increase. In times of pressure, people will find ways to increase the production of food by increasing workforce, machinery, fertilizers, etc.

Graph to compare Malthus and Boserup

15 mark question: Contrast the two opposing views of the relationship between population size and resource consumption.

Evidence for Boserup?

Evidence for increasing carrying capacity Reclaiming land from the sea Terracing on steep slopes Better irrigation techniques Artificial fertilizers and pesticides New foods such as soy proteins GM foods Scuba rice! Which can withstand flooding for areas in Asia such as Bangladesh where there is increased flood risk due to global warming Development of cleaner fuel technologies instead of oil such as ethanol in cars or electric cars