With 1 billion people chronically hungry, now is the time to address family planning

"With one billion people chronically hungry and Earth's population expected to increase by 50 percent before the end of the century, it's time to get serious about family planning," a Los Angeles Times editorial states. "At one point, the prevailing wisdom was that nations needed robust birthrates to protect their economic welfare, and that if only we could produce food more efficiently, feeding the Earth's burgeoning population wouldn't be a problem," it continues, adding, "Now … we know better. Or we ought to." The editorial continues, "No one has a good solution. That's why family planning assistance is one of the most important forms of humanitarian aid that the United States and other developed nations can provide." It concludes, "Without the necessary resources and an existing economy prepared to absorb large numbers of new workers, nations that promote high birthrates set themselves up for economic distress and political unrest" (8/10).