Human Geo 9.4 Questions

Question 1

Trade in food has increased rapidly in the 21st century. Explain world agricultural imports:

Answer 1

Before WWII, Europe was the major importing region (former colonies supplied food). East Asia & former Soviet Union became net importers in the ’50s, then Southwest Asia/North Africa, then South Asia & sub-Saharan Africa, then Central Asia in 2008. Japan, then UK, then China, then Russia are the leading importers.

Question 2

Explain world agricultural exports:

Answer 2

The US is the world’s leading exporter of grain (and 1/2 of all maize). Globally, agricultural products move from the Western to the Eastern Hemisphere. Latin America is the leading export, country followed by North America (US % of exports are declining though their amount of exports is increasing), Southeast Asia, & the South Pacific.

Question 3

How do most developing countries raise funds by selling crops to wealthy consumers in developed countries?

Answer 3

To expand production, subsistence farmers need higher-yield pesticides, seeds, fertilizers, & machinery. Some supplies can be secured by trading food, but for many African/Asian countries, they import them from other countries. But farmers lack the money to buy them from developed countries, so to generate funds, they must produce something they can sell in developed countries.

Question 4

Give an example and explain more about export/import crops in developing countries:

Answer 4

In Kenya, women do subsistence agriculture (to feed family) and men do the cash crops/making money. The sale of export crops brings developing countries foreign currency, but the more land devoted to export crops, the less for domestic consumption (so sales from exports may be used to feed people, not increase productivity). The US passed 3 laws in 1954 to sell grain at low interest rates and give grants to needy groups of people.

Question 5

Some Latin American & Asian developing countries have export crops that can be converted to drugs. Explain about Cocaine and Marijuana:

Answer 5

Cocaine is from coca leaf (Colombia, Peru, & Bolivia). Most cocaine eaters & abusers are in developed countries, and the principal shipping route is from Colombia by sea to Central America, then by land from Mexico to US. There are 182 million Marijuana (from Cannabis) users and most in the US is from Mexico. It’s cultivation is NOT expanding.

Question 6

Some Latin American & Asian developing countries have export crops that can be converted to drugs. Explain about Opioids:

Answer 6

Opioids= drugs derived from opium poppy plant AND synthetic substances manufactured into pain-management medications. 19 million are opiate users. Afghanistan is the source of 90% of opium, and most traffic flows from there through Iran & Balkans to Western Europe. A 2nd route goes through Central Asia to Russia. Cultivation of opium poppies & coca leaf are expanding.

Question 7

What are past and present views about how to feed the world’s population?

Answer 7

Historically, world food production increased by expanding the amount of land devoted to agriculture (pioneers migrating to sparsely inhabited land). Now, scientists think the further expansion of agricultural land can’t feed the growing population bc pop increases much more rapidly than agricultural land.

Question 8

Where can the most severe loss of agricultural land to urbanization be observed?

Answer 8

At the edge of the string of cities along US east coast. Loss of 500,000 acres of prime agricultural land as urban areas develop. Most threatened agricultural land: Maryland (where Baltimore & DC have coalesced into a continuous built-up area).

Question 9

How have Maryland officials used a GIS as part of an overall strategy to minimize sprawl?

Answer 9

A GIS was used to identify which farms to be preserved by making a series of soil quality, economic, & environmental maps that were combined into 1 map. Apparently, 4% of the state’s farmland had prime soils, significant environmental features, and high projected population growth, and 25% had 2 of the 3 factors.

Question 10

Explain about semiarid lands that can’t support many pastoral nomads:

Answer 10

They are overused due to rapid pop growth (the nutrients in soil become exhausted). The Earth Policy Institute says 5 million acres of world land has been degraded (34% due to overgrazing, 30% deforestation, 28% agricultural use).

Question 11

How does excessive water use threaten other agricultural areas?

Answer 11

Especially threatens dry lands w/ irrigation, where the underground water level rises and water-logs the roots. 10% of all irrigated land is waterlogged (mostly Asia & South America), and plants may be damaged if there is salty water. Mesopotamia may have collapsed partly due to water-logging and excessive salinity in its farmlands near the Tigris & Euphrates rivers

Question 12

What is the 1st method by which farmers increase the supply of food through intensificationf of production?

Answer 12

-Suddenly in the late 20th, subsistence farming practices started needing to provide for a rapidly increasing pop AND urban residents who can’t grow their own food. Pop growth compels subsistence farmers to consider new approaches to produce more food. 1) new farming methods are adopted (population provides workers for plows, weeding, manure, terraces, irrigation).

Question 13

Explain about the 2nd method (land is left fallow for shorter periods)

Answer 13

5 basic stages in the reduction of fallow farmland:
1. Forest fallow: Utilized for 2 years and left fallow for 20.
2. Bush fallow: Utilized for 8 years and left fallow for 10.
3. Short fallow: Utilized for 2 years and left fallow for 2.
4. Annual cropping: Fields are used every year and rotated between roots & legumes.
5. Multi-cropping: Fields are used several times a year & never left fallow.

Question 14

Describe the invention of 3 “miracle seeds” during the green revolution:

Answer 14

In the ’50s, scientists conducted experiments for a higher-yield form of wheat, and 10 years later, “miracle wheat seed” was ready, and it responded better to fertilizers and matured faster. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines, worked to create a miracle rice seed, and they made one in the ’60s. Recently, a high-yield maize seed was developed.

Question 15

What happened to these “miracle seeds?”

Answer 15

They were diffused rapidly, & wheat production in India doubled until they had a surplus. The green revolution prevented a food crisis in developing regions at that time. To take advantage of the seeds, farmers used more fertilizer/machinery and 3 critical substances to improve fertility were discovered. The green revolution prevented a food crisis in developing regions at that time.

Question 16

To take advantage of the seeds, farmers used more fertilizer/machinery and what 3 critical substances to improve soil fertility were discovered?

Answer 16

1. Nitrogen, the most important fertilizer, is found everywhere. China is leading producer. Urea (Europe) and Ammonia Gas (US) are combinations of nitrogen & hydrogen, but the cheapest way to produce them uses fossil fuels ($ increases along with the fertilizers), so many farmers can’t afford them.
2. Phosphorous reserves are in China, Morocco, & US.
3. Potash reserves are in Canada, Russia, & Ukraine.

Question 17

Describe the distribution and use of GMO’s throughout the world:

Answer 17

12% of farmland was devoted to GMOs in 2017. Especially widespread in the US; usage increased rapidly from 2000-2010. 3/4 of food Americans eat has at least 1 GM ingredient, and North America is responsible for 1/2 of the world’s GM foods, & developing countries (esp. Latin America) are responsible for 1/2. The US has urged developing countries to use GMOs (like Africa).

Question 18

What are the positives of GMOs in Africans’ views, and why is injecting antibiotics in animals controversial?

Answer 18

1. Africans are divided, and their positives are: higher yields, more nutrition, & resistance to pests. To some people, GMOs even taste better.
2. Injecting antibiotics into animals (increase weight/growth) is controversial. Officials fear it promotes the development of resistant superbugs that make people sick, so the practice was banned (Europe-2006, US-2017).

Question 19

For what 3 reasons is African opposition to GMOs strong?

Answer 19

1. Health Problems: large amounts may reduce antibiotic effectiveness & could destroy longstanding ecological balances in local agriculture.
2. Export Problems: European countries (main destination of Africa’s exports) require GMOs to be labeled and shun them, so Africans are afraid European customers will stop buying their exports.
3. Increased dependence on the US: US transnational corporations make most GMO seeds, so Africans fear that biotech companies will introduce a “terminator” gene that makes Africa keep buying seeds every year.

Question 20

The US food industry opposes labeling GMOs, and US voters are divided over it. What are both sides of the fierce debate over them?

Answer 20

-Many countries (Europe, India, China) require labeling. US consumers may want to cut back on GMOs until more is learned about their long-term effects. Mandatory labeling would give consumers info to make a decision. However, GMO labeling might unnecessarily spook consumers (though GMOs have similar nutrition to non-GMOs). However, mandatory labeling would disrupt US agriculture, and the private sector is even increasingly labeling GMO-free products.

Question 21

What is organic farming sensitive to?

Answer 21

Complexities of biological/economic interdependencies between crops & livestock (which are integrated at the individual farm level). This integration reflects a return to mixed crop & livestock farming, which was common until mid-1900s (when farmers became specialized). Organic & Conventional foods are now raised globally for export to the US, but a wide range of foods are also produced and consumed locally.

Question 22

Describe more apsects/characteristics of organic farming:

Answer 22

GMO seeds aren’t used in organic farming, and animals eat crops grown on the farm (not confined to pens). There’s an intense moral/ethical debate over confined livestock, which leads to surface & groundwater pollution, and manure doesn’t contribute to soil fertility. Also, antibiotics are administered to animals only for therapeutic purposes.

Question 23

Describe how US Midwest farms are damaged:

Answer 23

More likely to be damaged by too much rain than by drought. Heavy rains can was away the protective layer of top soil and deposit it in bodies of water. The practice of churning/tilling soil before the next year’s seeds are planted in conventional farming loosens the soil particles, so they might be washed or blown away by rain/wind.

Question 24

Give an example of the problems that come with US states growing rapidly despite limited water supplies:

Answer 24

California farmers produce 1/3 of US vegetables and 2/3 of fruits/nuts, which takes a lot of water. Much CA farmland doesn’t get enough rain, and a recent drought has stressed out their agriculture and their residents. To protect CA’s agriculture, homeowners and businesses have been required to make substantial cuts in their water usage (ex. replacing grass lawns & flowers with native landscapes of rocks and desert plants).

Question 25

What 2 main sources does California’s water come from?

Answer 25

1. Surface water (water that travels or gathers on the ground, like in rivers/streams/lakes).
2. Groundwater (water that’s pumped out from ground).
   After years of drought, the volume of water in CA’s rivers/lakes has been reduced, so the % of CA’s water coming from surface water has declined.

Question 26

What are 3 agricultural policies in the US designed to improve the financial position of farmers?

Answer 26

1. Farmers are encouraged to avoid crops that are in excess supply and encouraged to plant fallow crops (ex. clover, used for grazing/forage/hay) to restore nutrients.
2. The gov’t pays farmers when certain food prices are low. The gov’t sets a target price for a commodity and pays farmers the difference.
3. The gov’t buys surplus production and sells or donates it to foreign governments. Also, low-income Americans receive food stamps for buying food.

Question 27

Explain about farming subsidies in the US and Europe:

Answer 27

The US averages $20 billion a year on farm subsidies. They are lower when market prices rise and production is down (due to poor weather conditions in the US or political problems elsewhere). Most farmers get subsidies in Europe (more than Americans) as a commitment by the EU. They preserve rural village life, but create needlessly high food prices.

Question 28

Government policies in developed countries point out what fundamental irony in worldwide agricultural patterns?

Answer 28

In developed regions such as North America and Europe, farmers are encouraged to grow less food, whereas developing countries struggle to increase food production to match the rate of growth in the population.