L5 - Ethiopian Optimism Flashcards
Define Thomas Malthus’ theory on food vs population.
• Population increased faster than food supply
• Population increases geometrically – 1, 2, 4, 8, 16
Food supply only increases arithmetically (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
State a prediction that Esther Boserup has made
• A rising population
• led to shortages…
• which in turn stimulated innovation/invention…
• which led to technical breakthroughs…
which led to improvements in resource production (food)
Why may a geographer think pessimistically (Malthus)?
- Increasing population
- Greater demand for resources
- Supply rates are growing (arithmetically) slower than demographic growth (geometrically), won’t have enough resources
- Decrease is primary sector due to low wages and lack of land due to high rates of urbanisation
Why may a geographer think positively (Boserup)?
• Mechanisation – ensures more efficient harvest – releases labour for additional work extending area
• Improved infrastructure – refrigeration/fast railway routes to secure high quality crop access to market – e.g. Golden Quadrilateral.
• Use fertilisers – higher yields, increase intensity
• Use pesticides – improve reliability/ cut down crop losses
• Use agrochemicals – to allow double cropping/overcome rainfall reliability.
• Use irrigation – to allow double cropping/overcome rainfall reliability
• Green Revolution – HYV crops supported by fertilisers/irrigation.
Gene Revolution – crop breeding to improve resistance to drought/salt
What is Ethiopia’s GDP Growth Rate?
10% GDP Growth Rate (8% per capita) 2nd to 11th poorest
How much of Ethiopia’s land is significantly eroded?
50%
How many of the hungriest Ethiopian’s live in the poorest areas?
2 million.
How many acres of farmland was sold to China / India / Saudi Arabia?
100 million acres.
Which type of countries have the greatest consumption of food?
Industrialised countries in 2015 with 3200 k cal per capita a day.
Which two are the greatest sources of energy globally in 2008?
Crude oil and Natural gas
