Random Questions

Question 1

How would you distinguish between the global hunger index, the global food security index, and the food security risk index?

Answer 1

Global Hunger Index – calculated by the international food policy research institute. 3 indicators are proportion of people food-energy deficient, children under who are underweight, child under 5 mortality rates
Global Food Security Index – annual measure of the state of global food security. Indexes affordability, availability, quality/safety
Food Security Risk Index – calculated with 12 indicators that measure the availability, access, and stability of food supplies across 196 countries

Question 2

What was Malthus warning us about?

Answer 2

The Malthusian Catastrophe. Is where the population grows too large and we wont be able to feed them all. It will lead to famine, war, and disease. Could happen from fertility decline, pathogens, changing climate, trade disruptions.
Has been held back by innovation in food production, transport, and processing

Question 3

Can you identify the 6 stages of a famine in the Irish famine chronology?

Answer 3

Local agronomic failure (crop failure)
Local food prices rise and food cannot be imported
Hoarding and speculation
Poor exhaust their resources
Starvation
When food comes back, they have no more funds to buy it

Question 4

In the food supply chain, between the farmer-producer and the retail consumer, list 3 factors each affecting price: a) from the producer to retail consumer, and b) from the retail consumer to the producer.

Answer 4

A) Processing, transportation, production
B) Transportation, human resources, disposal

Question 5

What is meant by traceability in the food supply chain? What is it for?

Answer 5

Traceability mean being able to know where exactly your food has been from the farm to your plate (processing, farm, etc.). It is to be able to trace back food in order to know where it can from and who made an error when problems occur.

Question 6

What is meant by infrastructure deficiencies when it comes to storage and transport?

Answer 6

Produce that is fresh has limited time to be transported and is harder to store. Thus, fresher, healthier food is more expensive than processed food is.

Question 7

What were the innovations in food storage and supply chain from Napoleon’s march to Moscow?

Answer 7

The tinning/canning was a major innovation that allowed for longer food storage. Also considered nutrition and created rations that held the nutrients needed for a balanced diet

Question 8

What is driving land leasing agreements for agricultural land between countries?

Answer 8

Richer countries are able to rent land and produce food for cheap that can be sold back at home for higher prices. Poorer countries need the money, but are taking fertile land away from their own farmers.

Question 9

How are refugees escaping wars taken care of by the World Food Program?

Answer 9

Provided with food and water. Make up on of the biggest tent communities.

Question 10

What are the benefits of regular ploughing promoted by J Tull?

Answer 10

Improved fertility, reduced need for manure

Question 11

What were causes of the desertification in the Prairies almost a century ago?

Answer 11

Dust bowl – deep ploughing, several years oof drought, severe dust storms

Question 12

Why is no-tillage important to Saskatchewan agriculture?

Answer 12

Prevents the dust bowl from happening again, maintains soil health and increases organic matter in soil

Question 13

Try to summarize the multi-faceted approach to developing food security in Ethiopia in about 150 words. (Try to find the right keywords to use in this short space).

Answer 13

Monitoring and intervention, improving food and nutrition security, crop improvement/biofortification, aquaculture, address gender issues, education/ presentations

Question 14

From our various examples, what are local hurdles to adopting progress in agriculture?

Answer 14

Cost of production, limited products/smaller farms, pathogens, seasonal foods, boring food choices

Question 15

How does a greenhouse provide a constellation of opportunities (and indirect benefits) to a small community?

Answer 15

Heating (like for a school), opportunity for money, healthy food options, more diverse food, prevent reactive interventions

Question 16

What is the difference between food sovereignty and food security? Why is food sovereignty hard to achieve? (There are several reasons, try to list four or more).

Answer 16

Food sovereignty is self-sufficiency, food security is making sure people have access to food.
Is hard to achieve because problems with supply chain really affect it, makes it harder to have diverse diet, more expensive food, food needs to be able to move where it is needed

Question 17

If return on investment in agriculture research is profitable, what are the reasons for private investments to shy away from it?

Answer 17

Takes a long time to get return on investments, many aspects of contracts can not be protected by IPR

Question 18

what will happen to family diet for family who spends less than $5 per day when food prices rise?

Answer 18

will spend same amount on food, but quality will go down and they will eat less variety

Question 19

what could be a solution to the Irish famine

Answer 19

remove the tariffs put on imported grain so grain can be brought in

Question 20

examples of catastrophic disruptions to the food chain

Answer 20

Irish famine
Saint Anthony’s Fire (ergot)

Question 21

Major sources of waste

Answer 21

cosmetic appeal, retailers, quality control

Question 22

5 international organizations that are important for food security

Answer 22

World food program
World bank group
CGIAR
food and production organization of the UN
IFAD

Question 23

describe responsibilities of one international food security organization

Answer 23

CGIAR - maintain genetic diversity of the world’s main crop plants and contribute to development/distribution