13.2 India: how human and physical factors combine to cause food insecurity Flashcards

1
Q

Describe rapid population growth:

A

17 million extra people per year

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Describe the natural environments in India:

A

Mountains, deserts, grasslands, tropical and temperate forests

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the three major ecological zones in India:

A
  1. Himalayan mountains in the north
  2. Indo-Gangetic Plain in the centre
  3. Peninsular Plateau in the south
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the decline in food production mainly due to?

A

Poor wheat harvests

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Where in the world does India rank for wheat and rice production?

A

Second highest in the world

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What proportion of world’s hungry are found in India?

A

One-third

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are the threats to food security in India:

A
  • Unreliable weather patterns
  • Increased frequency of droughts and floods
  • Declining water table
  • Increased soil erosion
  • Urbanisation reducing land availability
  • Green Revolution having adverse socio-economic and environmental impacts
  • Inefficient infrastructure led to waste
  • Small-scale farmers disadvantaged by globalisation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Describe the Punjab region:

A

In the northwest
Occupies less than 2% of the land area
Produces two-thirds of food grains
Used to be known as ‘the bread basket of India’

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the physical challenges facing India’s food security?

A
  • Water shortages
  • Increased temperatures
  • Soil erosion
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Describe Punjab’s climate:

A

Semi-arid
630 mm per year
21 degrees average temperature

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Describe Punjab’s seasons:

A
  1. Hot season (April – June)
  2. Rainy season, 70% of rainfall (July – September)
  3. Cold season (October to March)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Water shortages: what has caused frequent droughts?

A

Unreliable monsoon rains in the past 16 years

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Water shortages: what have farmers done to compensate for droughts?

A

Drawn more groundwater for crop irrigation = accelerated decline in the water table

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Water shortages: what % of groundwater supplies are over-exploited?

A

80%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Water shortages: consequence of water shortages on farmers?

A

Expensive equipment must be purchased to drill to huge depths leading to financial stress = high suicide rates among farmers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Increased temperatures: what is the impact on crops?

A

Crops have reached their maximum heat tolerance leading to decrease crop yields

17
Q

Increased temperatures: what extreme weather event has exacerbated water table drop?

18
Q

Soil erosion: characteristics of rainfall

A

Intense and heavy

19
Q

Soil erosion: consequence of intense and heavy rainfall

A

Little infiltration due to hard baked earth and high levels of overland flow leading to erison of fertile upper layers of the soil

20
Q

Soil erosion: what % of rainfall is lost to run-off?

21
Q

What % of land degradation is due to water and wind erosion?

22
Q

What are the human challenges facing India’s food security?

A
  1. The Green Revolution
  2. Government Policy
  3. Impact of globalisation
23
Q

Green revolution: what was the aim?

A

To make India self-sufficient in food grains and to reduce the dependency on imports

24
Q

Green Revolution: what was introduced in 1960s?

A

High yielding varieties (HYVs) of rice and wheat

25
Green Revolution: what qualities did the new crops possess + what did this create?
More resistance to heavy rain and wind damage than traditional varieties As a result, the agrochemical business grew
26
Green Revolution: what were the socio-economic and environmental disadvantages?
- HYVs dependent on intensive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides - Favoured large wealthy farms - Agrochemicals adversely affected soil and water quality - Widened gap between rural rich and rural poor as small farmers couldn’t cope with cost of inputs
27
Government policy: what did the Indian government introduce in 2013?
The National Food Security Bill to alleviate food shortages
28
Government policy: what was the focus of the NFS Bill?
Subsidising grain purchases rather than addressing supply issues
29
Government policy: what were the supply issues?
Inefficient transport and storage leading to food waste | High food prices and limited quantity and quality of produce
30
Government policy: what other government area has been unpopular in India?
Limitations on FDI in the food retail sector | Has the potential to bring expertise and innovation from firms like Walmart
31
Globalisation: what have been the adverse effects on Indian agriculture?
1. Small-scale farmers unable to compete with large-scale agribusinesses 2. Agricultural products increasingly imported from ACs into India 3. Small-scale farmers forced into high-value crops leading to food insecurity 4. GM crops sold by MNCs at exorbitant prices
32
What are the key requirements for the future?
- Increased government investment in agriculture into machinery, fertilisers etc - Better prices for farmers through direct selling at farmers markets - Reduced input costs through shared labour and organic farming - Improvements in local food distribution centres and infrastructure - Appropriate technology to manage water supply