PLZ HELP I need your opinion on my next step in "Virtual Villagers The Lost Children".?

I'm on Level 2 of all techs except Culture where I am Level 1. My food supply consist of coconuts, crops and stew. My fishing is stopped due to algae. Should I get Level 3 of farming so I can get rid of the algae and have unlimited fishing? My food supply is always running low but no one has starved as yet. I only have one Master Scientist and Farmer (which is needed to get rid of algae) and they are getting old. Should I, instead of getting Level 3 of farming, get Level 3 of medicine so that my two Masters will live long enough to get rid of algae? It takes me a while to aculate tech points and I don't think they will live long enough while I try to get the Farming tech points to rid the algae. I don't know how long it takes to get Masters. I have several adept scientists and one adept farmer but I worry that my Masters will die and my adepts will not turn masters in time to rid the algae. Also the more population you have...do they go through the food supply faster? TY