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The environmental damage that is associated with agricultural production may be worse than expected and may be largely irreversible (Ehrlich et al, 1992). Therefore the human population has not only surpassed the current social carrying capacity but is in fact also limiting the future potential biophysical carrying capacity by depleting the non-renewable natural capital stocks (Daily and Ehrlich, 1992).

Internationally the most highlighted dangers to achieving sustainable development are often factors such as greenhouse gas emissions and desertification. These contributors are frequently associated with the industrialised or “rich” areas in the world (UNDP, 1998). However significant and damaging these factors are, a more immediate damage is emerging from LDC’s which largely occur as a result of poverty (IFAD, 1995). These environmental damages include soil erosion, water pollution; overgrazing and deforestation which are often the results of greater dependence on natural resources in these regions. It has been said that these consequences are related to poverty as they are typically associated with subsistence activities which relate directly to the food security within a household (Flint, 2003).

The resultant impacts of the pressures caused by poverty and population growth on the environment are often devastating. Example of this is the continuous deforestation which occurs globally. Between 2000 and 2005, the net loss to forest areas was calculated at 7.3 million hectares annually. This coupled with a loss in diversity of many plant and animal species is a clear indication of how future generations will in fact be left significantly worse off than the current generation (FAO, 2005). In areas such as South Africa where there exists a water supply problem, semi arid regions are more susceptible to the impacts of a rising population pressure. In the North West province, these rising populations combined with an increased wealth and standard of living have been said to afflict almost every possible portion of the environment (NWDACE, 2008).

Environmental degradation in LDC’s is said to occur primarily as a result of rapid population growth, poverty, limited technological development and a lack of scientific research. As a result, these factors contribute to a slow growth in agricultural product which hinders food security and inevitably delays demographic transition in these LDC’s (UNCEA, 2001). The overuse and degradation of natural resources does not only impact the sustainability of the current resources, but the pressure of rising population levels will place a strain on the current food production as well as land required for non-production use such as living areas. As a result people will be forced to move into less productive, less suitable areas as well as into the natural vegetation. These areas are known as marginal lands or frontier lands. These lands also include areas that are ecologically fragile, converted forest frontier land, poor quality uplands and converted wetlands, slo本论文由英语论文网提供整理，提供论文代写，英语论文代写，代写论文，代写英语论文，代写留学生论文，代写英文论文，留学生论文代写相关核心关键词搜索。