Farming Flashcards
What is monoculture cropping and what are the advantages/disadvantages?
Where only a single crop is being grown
Advantages - can produce more of that crop
Disadvantages - increases chances of pests which can affect all the crops
What are fertilisers and what can it impact?
May be needed in areas of poor soil quality.
Can lead to eutrophication which increases concentration of nutrients in surrounding water. This impacts biodiversity
What is pesticide and why is it bad?
Used to get rid of pests
A significant amount sprayed reaches other destinations (due to wind). This affects biodiversity, creates air and water pollution, and can be harmful to humans
What are fossil fuels and what can burning fossil fuel lead to?
Carbon rich deposits such as coal, oil, crude oil used for energy
Burning fossil fuels for energy leads to greenhouse gases, leading to global warming. This can lead to increase prevalence of drought or floods
What is aquaculture and what are the disadvantages?
Breeding fish, other seafood and aquatic plants in a defined marine area.
Disadvantages:
- Reduction in biodiversity
- Water use in artificial habitats
- Uneaten feed can lead to aquatic waste
- Close proximity of fish farming can amplify disease and parasite spread
What is food processing and why is it bad?
Converting raw/whole food into food products we purchase
Includes the production of packaging materials which majority of the packaging ends up in landfill
How can we reduce food wastage?
- Divert more surplus foods to food rescue sector
- Educational campaigns
- Invest in research, technological improvements, agricultural efficiency
- convert waste into animal food
- explore different types of packaging
- compositing
- donate unwanted food
What is digital farming and why is it good?
the use of digital technology integrated into agricultural production methods
it does not require farmers or any help
What is vertical farming and what are the 3 types?
Crops being grown in vertically stacked layers with soilless farming techniques
- aquaponics
- hydroponics
- aeroponics
What are genetically modified foods and why is it used?
Foods that have been derived from an organism which has had a gene introduced into its genetic make-up that results in that gene expressing a desirable trait
- reducing a foods allergen potential
- improving the efficiency of modern food systems
- focus on sustainability and reducing the foods systems environmental change
What is entomophagy?
the use of bugs and insects to produce food
What is cellular agriculture/3D printing?
Cell cultures to grow cultured meat (also known as lab-made meat as an alternative to livestock farming
