WHEAT PRODUCTION IN THE FUTURE
The world population growth rate from 1993 to 2000 is estimated at 1.5 percent, while the growth rate of wheat production from 1985 to 1995 was 0.9 percent (CIMMYT, 1996). If population growth continues to double the growth of wheat production, there will likely be serious difficulties in maintaining a wheat food supply for future generations. World population was projected to be 5.8 billion people at the end of 1997 and is expected to reach 7.9 billion by the year 2025, or roughly a 35 percent increase (United States Census Bureau, 1998). In simplistic terms and assuming little or no change in world per caput consumption of wheat, a projection of 786 million tonnes of wheat will be required annually for human use in the year 2025, an annual production increase of 204 million tonnes above production in 1997. This underscores the need to rapidly and continuously increase production. Greater wheat production can be achieved in two ways: (i) by expanding the wheat area; and (ii) by improving the yield per unit area sown. In addition, reducing pre- and post-harvest losses would make more wheat available for consumption.