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B6.2 - Feeding The Human Race > Food Security > Flashcards

Flashcards in Food Security Deck (6)
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1
Q

What is food security?

A

Food security is the ability of human population to access affordable food of sufficient quality and quantity.

2
Q

What factors affect food security?

A
  • increasing human population
  • changing diets - as people become wealthier, the variation in diets increase. This often includes more meat which is more energy intensive to produce than plant products.
  • climate change - global warming will cause droughts and deserts will expand.
  • new pests and pathogens may evolve making them immune to treatments that should kill them
3
Q

Why are some foods unaffordable for some people?

A

Agricultural costs are increasing, and recent high oil prices have increased the costs of storing and distributing food.

4
Q

How do farmers increase efficiency?

A
  • maximising photosynthesis - industrial glasshouses that control light levels, temperature and water.
  • using fertilisers - fertilisers help the soil remain fertile as a plant removes the minerals from the soil as it grows
  • removing competition and pests - herbicides used to kill weed, insecticide used to kill insects, fungicide to destroy disease causing fungi
  • planting variety of crops that are pest resistant, or that produce a higher yield
5
Q

What is intensive farming?

A

Intensive farming techniques aim to produce the maximum food product yield from the minimum area of land. They use:

  • fertilisers and pesticide to aid plant growth
  • maximising animal growth rates
  • minimising labour inputs through using machinery
6
Q

What is organic farming?

A

Organic farming uses natural methods of producing crops and raising animals.
It avoids use of artificial chemicals.
Yields are smaller so products are more expensive.