The problem of population in the world is Hydra-headed issue because it means different things for different people. In a sense, we can say the world is overpopulated in view of the number of people on earth - about 8 billion. That's not a joke. But, have we considered the distribution of people on the face of the earth? I'll look at this matter from three angles.
#1. Rural to Urban Drift:
It's obvious there is a very high population in towns and cities, as compared to the villages and rural areas. In many communities, I believe that more than 75% of their citizens are living in urban areas, leaving mostly the elderly ones at home.
People move into urban areas in search of greener pastures because those are the places they can more easily find work in offices, factories or meet customers for their goods and services. In addition, urban areas are where they get access to modern infrastructure like electricity, better roads, recreational facilities etc. Besides, there is a higher income rate there, which translates to a higher standard of living.
So, people, especially, young ones keep moving to towns, leaving the villages for the elderly ones who have to settle for farm work to survive. To worsen matters, where farming activities are manually done (as in developing nations), they are tiresome and stressful hence, less attractive to the young folks, or anyone that can afford to leave the village, even if it means living in densely populated areas of the town where the sanitary condition is nothing to write home about. They don't mind living in squalor since to maintain a hygienic and pleasant environment, devoid of diseases is not easy there.
To solve this imbalance in population distribution, the government should spread the developmental projects such as building all-season roads that will provide access to the hinterlands. Government should also encourage the location of factories and parastatals close to villages so that workers would live there. To make them live happily, facilities like electricity, pipe borne water, schools and hospitals, among others should be provided.
#2. Control of Population Increase:
To say that the world is overpopulated is not out of place even though some people are suggesting it is not yet apparent. The fact is that if we continue with our current birth rate, we might eventually get to the point of crisis. We don't have to reach where we begin to run from pillar to post before something is done.
In this case, it is wise to control our birth rate in order not to overshoot the carrying capacity of the earth. As it is, while some people are conversant with modern means of birth control, many do not know what these methods are. All the pills, injectables, vasectomy and the likes do not mean anything to them. Some may have heard quite alright but, don't have access to them.
And so, we must use education as a tool to help tap the benefits of birth control methods. It should also be noted that religion, or should one say misunderstood religion is a factor against the use of contraceptives. Some religionists teach their followers that the use of contraceptives is a sin against God.
How can God who wants you to live happily on earth encourage you to reproduce the number of children you cannot cater for in the area of food, housing, education and so on? Education is very crucial here so as to help unlearn what uniformed religious teachers have been teaching.
Inasmuch as it's unrealistic to place a ceiling on the number of children per couple, it's unwise to have uncontrolled procreation. Besides bringing up a child is more than providing the material needs, it includes both the social and spiritual angles.
If one is not prepared to make positive impacts on the child, it makes no sense to bring a child into the world. A child should have good morals and be a blessing to mankind.
#3. Manage the Steady Rise in Population:
As it stands, the population will always increase. This means the world must learn how to manage the situation. And so, the basic needs of man which are first, food and shelter have to be taken care of without forgetting other necessities.
In the case of food, Science has done well by producing fertilizers and system of farming to increase crop yield but, it's still needful for researchers not to relent in developing varieties that are pest, disease and drought resistant.
In housing, skyscrapers are good but a more imaginative housing designs is needed for a more comfortable living.
As for power, since fossil fuels are particularly nonrenewable and atmospherically, nonfriendly, we need to change gear. Nuclear energy is not really out of place but, a less hazardous and environmental friendly source of energy should be worked out. This is where solar, wind and hydro sources have to be put on the front burner.
A lot really is needed to be done if the world would be able to manage its steady increase in population as the years go by.