2. Poverty

Population overgrowth decreases per capita income growth and increases the number of people who are trapped in poverty.¹ The problem of poverty associated with population overgrowth has multiple implications. First, population overgrowth leads to the exploitation of agricultural land. Observing the global distribution of poverty and population overgrowth, it is clear that population overgrowth often occurs in countries with relative poverty. These countries often heavily rely on agriculture and land. With increasing population growth, the exploitation of agricultural land will increase as well, eventually rendering the nation facing a situation where there is no land left to be used.² This also leads to the problem of food insecurity as there will be less land to cultivate but more people to be fed.

Second, poverty also implies limited access to education, which will not only increase the likelihood of the next generation being trapped by poverty but will also lead to a higher birthrate. Access to education, particularly women’s access to education, has been proven essential for lowering birth rates, since the opportunity costs of bearing children increase for women who receive education.³ When access to education becomes limited, population overgrowth starts to reinforce itself.