What are the main causes of food shortages? Flashcards
(12 cards)
What are the main causes of food shortages?
- Rapid population growth
- Climate change & natural disasters
- Conflict & war
- Poor agricultural practices
- Inadequate infrastructure (e.g., storage, roads)
Give an example of how conflict causes food shortages.
In Yemen, ongoing conflict has disrupted food distribution, leading to famine conditions.
What are the impacts of food shortages?
- Malnutrition and health issues
- Economic problems (e.g., inflation, poverty)
- Social unrest and migration
- Reduced productivity
Give an example of malnutrition as an impact.
Sub-Saharan Africa has high levels of child stunting and undernourishment due to chronic food insecurity.
What are some solutions to food shortages?
- Technological advancement (e.g., Green Revolution)
- Government policies (e.g., subsidies, food distribution)
- Sustainable agriculture
- International food aid
- Education and awareness
How did the Green Revolution help India fight food shortages?
- Introduced high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds for crops like wheat and rice.
- Increased use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides to boost output.
- Improved irrigation systems (e.g. tube wells, canals) made farming more reliable.
- Mechanisation through tractors and harvesters improved productivity.
- Government support through minimum support prices (MSP) gave price stability to farmers.
- Result: India became self-sufficient in food grains and moved from a food-deficit to a food-surplus country by the late 1970s.
Name two Indian policies aimed at reducing food shortages.
- Public Distribution System (PDS): Subsidised food to the poor
- Food Security Act (2013): Legal right to food for two-thirds of the population
What are limitations of the Green Revolution?
- Regional imbalance (mainly benefited NW India)
- Environmental degradation (soil exhaustion, water overuse)
- High input costs not affordable for all farmers
Why is evaluating short-term vs long-term solutions important?
Because food insecurity can be immediate (e.g., during a famine) or chronic (e.g., due to poor farming systems).
Short-term solutions (immediate relief):
* International food aid (e.g., from WFP)
* Emergency imports
* Cash transfers or subsidies for food
Long-term solutions (sustainable impact):
* Education on farming techniques
* Irrigation investment (e.g., rainwater harvesting)
* Land reforms to provide secure access to farming land
* Climate-smart agriculture (e.g., drought-resistant crops)
* Rural infrastructure like roads and storage facilities
Helps build resilience and reduce dependency on aid.
How are food shortages connected to other issues?
Food shortages are deeply interlinked with:
* Poverty: People can’t afford food even when it’s available, creating food insecurity.
* Health: Malnutrition weakens immune systems, making people vulnerable to disease and reducing life expectancy.
* Migration: People may move from rural to urban areas or across borders in search of food or better livelihoods.
* Education: Poorly educated farmers may not adopt modern techniques, limiting productivity. Also, hungry children often drop out of school.
* Population pressure: High birth rates strain land, water, and food systems, especially where carrying capacity is already exceeded (e.g., in Bangladesh).
These interconnections mean solving food shortages also helps tackle multiple development challenges.
What is an example of a sustainable agricultural practice?
Drip irrigation in semi-arid regions of India reduces water waste and increases efficiency.
Drip irrigation is a method of watering crops where water is delivered slowly and directly to the roots of plants through a system of pipes, tubes, and emitters.
* Saves water (uses up to 30–50% less than traditional methods). * Reduces weed growth and soil erosion. * Increases crop yield and efficiency.
How do population dynamics affect food shortages?
High birth rates and young dependency ratios increase food demand and stress resources.
