Evolution of Food Systems

Question 1

What is a major change in modern food systems compared to historical ones?

Answer 1

Shift from local sustenance to globalised, export-oriented systems

Question 2

What does global diet homogenisation mean?

Answer 2

A few species dominate human diets globally
90% of plant calories from just 15 species
76% of animal protein from: milk, eggs, beef, chicken, pork

Question 3

What drives modern food system change?

Answer 3

Urbanisation
Increased income
Trade liberalisation
Industrialisation

Question 4

What are scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions in food systems?

Answer 4

Scope 1: direct emissions
Scope 2: energy use
Scope 3: embodied emissions

Question 5

What is the environmental cost of livestock production?

Answer 5

40% of crop calories are fed to livestock
Significant land and emission costs

Question 6

What role did colonialism play in shaping global food systems?

Answer 6

Forces movement of crops/labour
Destruction of Indigenous systems
Establishment of export-oriented plantations
Unequal trade patterns

Question 7

Why is crop diversity important for resilience?

Answer 7

Diverse crops buffer against pests, diseases and climate stress

Question 8

What is the significance of millets in ancient agriculture?

Answer 8

Millets are heat/drought tolerant
Require few inputs
Supported resilience for thousands of years in Eurasia

Question 9

What are dark soils and why are they relevant today?

Answer 9

Soils enriched with biochar and organic waste by ancient societies (e.g. Tera Preta)
They inspire modern soil restoration and carbon sequestration techniques

Question 10

What makes decentralised food systems more resilient?

Answer 10

Local control, diverse cropping, less dependence on central infrastructure
Better suited to climate stress and disruption

Question 11

How has globalisation impacted modern food systems?

Answer 11

Increased reliance on imports
Longer supply chains
Environment externalities
Homogenised diets
Social vulnerability

Question 12

What ancient irrigation system is still inspiring today?

Answer 12

Qanat systems (e.g. Iran, Oman)
Gravity fed underground canals linked to water tables
No fossil energy required

Question 13

What can be learned from pre-Columbian Amazonian societies?

Answer 13

Societies with diverse, decentralised agroforestry and dark soils were more resilient to climate shocks than hierarchical, intensive systems