2.3.2 Food Flashcards
(23 cards)
How does the amount of food that countries produce vary?
East Asia and North America produce a lot of food
Central America and Africa only produce small amounts of food.
How does the amount of food people eat vary
More developed areas like North America and Europe eat a lot. They can afford to import a large variety of foods and many people have a high income so can buy more food.
Less developed areas like Africa, Central America and parts of Asia consume less food per person because they can’t afford as much and less food is available. China and other NEEs are consuming more as their wealth increases.
Define food security
When people are able to eat enough nutritious food to stay healthy and active. Countries that produce a lot of food or are rich enough to import the food they need have food security.
Define food insecurity
When people aren’t able to get enough food to stay healthy or lead an active life. Countries that don’t grow enough to feed their population and can’t afford to import the food they need have food insecurity.
Give 2 main reasons why global food consumption is rising.
- Rising population
Global population is rising - more people require more food - Economic development
- countries are getting wealthier
- Some NEEs are experiencing high population growth rates and lots of people are getting richer very quickly
- Wealthier people have more disposable income to spend on food. They often buy a greater variety of food and more than they need.
- Wealthy countries can afford to import food all year round so people no longer eat just what’s seasonally available
-industrialisation of agriculture means some countries can produce more food at a lower cost. Food becomes cheaper so people can afford to eat more
3 physical factors affecting food supply
CLIMATE
Countries with climates that aren’t suitable for farming can’t grow much food of their own. Extreme weather events can also affect food supply.
WATER STRESS
Crops and livestock need water to survive. Areas with low rainfall or where water for irrigation is scarce struggle to grow enough food.
PESTS AND DISEASES
Pests reduce yields by consuming crops.
Diseases affect most crops and livestock and can cause a lot of damage if they spread through crops and herds.
3 human factors affecting food supply
POVERTY
People living in poverty don’t often have their own land to grow food. Poverty can also affect people’s ability to farm the land effectively e.g. can’t buy necessary fertilisers/pesticides. At a global scale, poverty means that countries which can’t grow enough also can’t afford to import food from countries with a food surplus.
TECHNOLOGY
Mechanisation of farm equipment increases efficiency as more food can be grown. New technologies such as genetic engineering can help protects plants from disease, increase yields and help them grow better in harsh climates.
CONFLICT
Fighting may damage agricultural land or make it unsafe. Access to food becomes difficult for people who are forced to flee their homes. Conflicts also make it hard to import food because trade routes are disrupted and political relationships with supply countries may break down.
5 impacts of food insecurity
FAMINE
serious lack of food across large area. People unable to get enough food of any sort, leads to starvation and death if situation continues.
UNDERNUTRITION
People need a balanced diet to stay healthy. Undernutrition = not enough nutrients of a particular sort to keep body healthy
SOIL EROSION
If desperate for food, may not use best agricultural practices e.g. may over-cultivate land (grow crops repeatedly, not allow soil time to recover its nutrients)
Pressure to get enough food may also lead to overgrazing - more animals than land can support. Over-cultivation and over-grazing lead to soil erosion.
RISING PRICES
Not enough food available - prices usually increase shops don’t need to lower prices to compete for customers - people will pay any price to get the food they need. Means that the poorest people can’t afford to feed themselves properly.
SOCIAL UNREST
People expect governments to help them get enough food during times of food insecurity e.g during a drought. If governments don’t appear to be doing enough, make the situation worse or distribute aid unfairly, can cause rioting and even civil war.
5 strategies to increase food supply
-irrigation
-aeroponics and hydroponics
-the new green revolution
- biotechnology
- appropriate technology
Irrigation
Artificially watering land so crops can grow. Used to make dry areas more productive/ increase number of harvests and yield of crops.
3 main types:
1. gravity flow - digging ditches and channels to transport ground or surface water to fields
2. sprinklers - spraying water across fields
3. drip systems - dripping water from small holes in pipes directly onto the soil around the roots of crop plants.
Hydroponics and aeroponics
Methods of growing plants without soil.
* hydroponics - plants grown in a nutrient solution
* aeroponics - plants suspended in air and fine mist of water containing nutrients sprayed onto roots. Water drips off roots and used again.
* plants monitored closely and nutrients adjusted to maximise crop yield
* less water required when plants grown in soil and reduced risk of disease and pests means less need for pesticides
* Both very expensive, so currently only used for high value crops
Biotechnology
Genetically engineering crops to improve production. GM crops allow more food to be grown in smaller areas with fewer resources
can be designed ti have
- higher yields
-resistant to drought, disease, pests (reduces pesticide need)
- higher nutritional value
Ethical and environmental concerns:
-may reduce biodiversity as fewer crop varieties planted
-may interbreed with wild plants and pass on their genes/disrupt ecosystems.
The new green revolution
1960s/70s
using mechanisation, chemicals and new strains of plants to increase crop yields. BUT caused lots of environmental problems and mainly benefited large-scale producers and richer farmers. Aimed to improve yields more sustainably using combination of:
-GM varieties
-Traditional and organic farming methods inc. soil nutrient recycling, crop rotation, natural predators to control pests
Appropriate technology
High tech methods - extremely expensive - not practical in LICs. Appropriate technology - better option
Appropriate technologies involve choosing ways of increasing food production that are suited to local environments and the needs, skills, knowledge and wealth of people in these areas.
e.g. in LICS
1. Individual wells with easy to maintain, mechanical pumps - better than large, diesel-powered pumps
2. Drip irrigation system made from local materials - better than imported, high-tech sprinkler systm
3. Planting a variety of local species that can cope with local environmental conditions and have seeds that can be collected and re-planted - better than a single GM variety that must be repurchased each year.
Case study: Thanet Earth - large scale agricultural development.
-overview
-advantages
-disadvantages
Thanet Earth in Kent, south-east England.
4 greenhouses - each the size of 10 football pitches - used to grow salad vegetables nearly all year round using hydroponics.
Aims to be sustainable - each greenhouse has its own power station to provide heat and lighting and rainwater collected from the roofs is used to provide the water supply. Hot air and CO2 from power stations is pumped back into the greenhouses.
ADVANTAGES
-more than 500 jobs created in an area with relatively high unemployment
-British salad vegetables can be grown nearly all year round, reducing reliance on foreign imports - improves UK food security and reduces food miles - better for the environment
-bees used for pollination and natural predators used to reduce pest numbers, reducing need for artificial pesticides
-Hydroponic system is completely automated so each plant gets the right amount of nutrients, limiting amount of fertiliser needed.
DISADVANTAGES
-large area of farmland built on
-natural habitats lost and ecosystems disrupted
- money generated mostly goes to large companies that have invested in it, rather than local communities.
-greenhouses built on high land and artificially lit, causing visual and light pollution.
-large amount of energy required to power the greenhouses and package and deliver the produce to supermarkets.
Methods of moving towards a sustainable resource future
-organic farming
-permaculture
-urban farming initiatives
-fish and meat from sustainable sources
-seasonal food consumption
-reduced waste and losses
Organic farming
- natural processes to return nutrients to soil, so crops can continue to be grown. e.g. crops, animals and empty areas are rotated and natural fertilisers such as cow manure are used, which is less damaging to the environment.
- artificial pesticides restricted and animals not given extra supplements or vaccinations - reduces reliance on unsustainable resources and can protect biodiversity
-organic farmers are encouraged to sell produce close to where it’s grown, reducing food miles.
Permaculture
-a way of living sustainably. Includes trying to produce food in a way that recreates natural ecosystems in an effort to protect soil, insects and other wildlife
- people encouraged to grow own food and change eating habits - eat fewer animal products and more fruit and veg and buy local, organic or fairtrade food whenever possible.
- food production designed to be low maintenance and keep soils healthy so crops can continue to be grown. e.g. mixed cropping involves having plants of different heights and lots of types in one area so available space and light are used better and there are fewer pests and diseases and less watering required.
Urban farming initiatives
-use empty land, roof tops and balconies to grow food and raise animals in towns and cities. e.g. allotment used by urban residents to grow fruit and veg for family
- makes food locally available, reducing need to transport food long distances, so it’s often fresher and more nutritious. Can also be cheaper - improves food security of poorer residents
- adds greenery to cities - making them healthier and more attractive to live in and making urban areas less dependent on industrial agriculture.F
Fish and meat from sustainable sources
-many fish species at risk from overfishing due to increased consumption.
- catch quotas
- fishing methods less harmful to environment
- labelling to allow consumers to make an informed choice.
- raising cattle is bad for environment - forests often cleared to make space for them and they produce lots of methane - greenhouse gas
- grass-feed meat is much more sustainable - animals raised on natural grassland, don’t need feeding on grain (requires space and artificial fertiliser to grow) and provide natural manure for soil.
Seasonal food consumption
-reduces amount of food imported - better for environment
Reduced waste and losses
- 1/3 of food produce is wasted globally - reducing this will make food more available, so less needs to be grown to feed the world’s population
- Schemes and mobile apps help with meal planning - reduce food waste. Also encourage composting so food doesn’t go to landfill and produce methane (greenhouse gas)
Example of local scheme in LIC to create sustainable supplies of food - Agroforestry schemes in Mali
-Koutiala region of Mali, many local farmers begun to use agroforestry techniques to ensure food supply is sustainable
- Mali = very dry. Intensive use of land for farming causes desertification of land, making it less fertile
- farmers shown how to plant stable crops e.g. maize amongst trees and nitrogen-fixing plants
- plants add nitrogen to soil so no artificial fertilisers. Trees provide shade and prevent soil erosion. Also increase nutrient and water content of soil - leaf fall increases organic content of soil so it holds water better. Trees can also be used for building materials
- system increases maize yield and protects soil. It’s sustainable because farmers produce enough food without damaging local environment, so ca continue to use these methods in future.
