I can't find any topics in this forum related to the food issue. So I started this topic. If there is any though, please direct me to the appropriate topic.
Basically, as I am setting city populations, I realise this is a serious problem. Tokyo, having the largest urban population in the world (~35 million) is equivalent to 42 in city population in civ. I doubt Tokyo can generate 84 food in the most ideal case, not to mention it will overlap with other cities, and there will be significant unhealthy penalty for food. Tokyo is the extreme case, but in general, I do think we need roughly another 100% food production in order for most of the cities to be sustainable.
There are many ways I could think of to handle this problem.
1) Decrease the food cost per population from 2 to 1. This will not increase food production but decrease food required by 50%. This solution is simple but it will make Siberia good for city placement (which is unrealistic).
2) Create new terrain type.
3) Add new food resources, or change current food resource bonus.
4) Increase improvements food bonus.
5) Great person food bonus. In GEM, I've changed Great Merchant to produce +3 food and normal Merchant to produce +1. We can even make new great person type called great farmer for example.
6) Corporation. Use those corporations that can generate more food to help boosting food production.
7) Add new buildings to provide food bonus.
8) Add food bonus technology.
9) Civic
Comments?
Commenting in general, agricultural (i.e. this includes food) production has risen over the centuries due to increased agricultural productivity, but especially in the 19-20th centuries due to the industrial revolution. IMO the best way to simulate the latter would be a tech-building combo - perhaps doubling the food generated per farmland square. (Just a thought.)