Human population and human activities are expanding rapidly on land area with the passage of time. Consequently farmland is shrinking. On the other food demands are also increasing day by day. To fulfill these needs agricultural area may not suffice in future. Thus, the human attention may divert more towards the production of water food and aquaculture may supersede agriculture in future.
Scientific research based answer of the question is needed.
As a researcher in aquaculture field myself, aquaculture and agriculture must come hand in hand. Global warming will ultimately affect the food security while ocean acidification might change the food composition of the fish natural diet, hence might affect aquaculture production.
With an estimated 2.7 Billion mouth to feed in 2050, freshwater will be shrinking and more research in aquaculture are moving towards utilisation of saltwater as medium for food production. According to FAO, aquaculture has already leading the major food sector in terms of global production and there are a lot more room to grow especially in mariculture.
A great article for further reading:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2015.00046/full
http://www.fao.org/3/i9540en/I9540EN.pdf
Article Combined Effects of Ocean Warming and Acidification on Copep...
Even in a meal of a non-vegetarian human, the meat part hardly constitutes 10 to a maximum of 15-20% of the total weight of the meal, the rest all being of vegetarian component. As per my knowledge, only Eskimo's meal is an exception.
No doubt, the per capita consumption of especially fish & allied organisms is still below par, especially in the 3rd world countries & may be, herein as a source in case of developing countries, increase in aquaculture development will certainly be to the fore & will supplement the food requirements of the underdeveloped ones.
Another point that needs attention is that any govt in these 3rd world countries has plentiful amounts of waste lands, out of which some of it can be taken up for agriculture. Though availability of field water for agriculture through waste water recycling, RO of seawater, construction of canals, construction of reservoirs, check dams, holding up of rain water through plentiful of vegetation on mountains & hills - all of these have yet to be picked up in these countries.
Wanton use of biocides & cessation in use of organic manures have led to low productivity in agricultural fields.
Difficult to say if aquaculture will supersede agriculture in future. Anyway, aquaculture has still many margins of growing; however it has also an environmental impact.
The main issue for the food in the future is the sustainability and the right distribution in the world.
I think no, Although water has occupied most of the area on the earth but only few are using for aquaculture, on the other hand large area of agricultural land using for production of agricultural crop. And we need more agricultural food sources than aquaculture. Good question Mr. Khan, best wishes
As a researcher in aquaculture field myself, aquaculture and agriculture must come hand in hand. Global warming will ultimately affect the food security while ocean acidification might change the food composition of the fish natural diet, hence might affect aquaculture production.
With an estimated 2.7 Billion mouth to feed in 2050, freshwater will be shrinking and more research in aquaculture are moving towards utilisation of saltwater as medium for food production. According to FAO, aquaculture has already leading the major food sector in terms of global production and there are a lot more room to grow especially in mariculture.
A great article for further reading:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2015.00046/full
http://www.fao.org/3/i9540en/I9540EN.pdf
Article Combined Effects of Ocean Warming and Acidification on Copep...
Can aquaculture supersede agriculture in future?
With a human population increase at a fast rate and lack of land for agriculture in general and consequent restriction of yield from agriculture, it is a matter of time that food from terrestrial sources become inadequate for producing food for man and his domestic animals; this would also lead man to begin depending more on aquaculture. Right now, we are depending on aquaculture more for farmed fish, considerably for animal proteins and less so for food as a whole. This would change as indicated above and aquaculture will supersede agriculture. The increased production through aquaculture than through capture has already come into being, see for e.g., below:
WORLD FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION (MILLION METRIC TONNES) (FAO, 2018)
For 2016 For 2011
Total capture 90.9 ( INLAND:11.6 + MARINE: 79.3) 92.2 (10.7+81.5)
Total culture 80.0 (INLAND: 51.4 + MARINE: 28.7) 61.8 (38.6+23.2)
Total WORLD PRODCTION
Capture & culture 170.9 mmt (excludes seaweeds etc.) 154.0 mmt
In my point of view, Aquculture could't completely supersede Agriculture near future as there is a huge food demand will increasing day by day. However, to meet these demand both water and land area is indespensible and complementery for each other. So, I think a better sustainable integration system will be dwveloped in forthcoming days.
Good question by Asad Ali Khan.....
It may increase but not supersede, aquaculture is difficult for common farmers needs more investment and monitoring
The world’s population is forecasted to increase to 9 billion people by 2050. Fish Farming (Aquaculture) is the only option to continue supplying fish products to the growing population.
Fish Farm production is projected to grow from 47.2 million metric tons (“MMT”) in 2006 to 93.6 MMT tons by 2030. Wild fish catch (wild fisheries production) is expected to decline from 64.5 MMT to 58.2 MMT in the same period. Fish Farming will need to produce an additional 46.4 MMT to meet the gap in the world’s seafood needs.
Farming salmon is about seven (7) times more efficient than raising beef.
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