3.2.4.2 Environment and Population

Question 1

Factors that affect food production

Answer 1

Food production varies form place to place.

Climate and soils are the key environmental variables that determine food production.

Population size and skills, technology, capital and investment are the key human variables for food production.

Question 2

What is the global pattern of food production?

Answer 2

Food production has tripled globally in the past 50 years, mostly due to better technology and management.

Crop yields are especially high in Eastern Asia, North America and Europe.

Africa has the lowest food production, especially Saharan Africa.

In 2015 the world could produce enough food for 2940 calories per day.

However in 2018, 820 million people still suffered with undernutrition.

Question 3

Food security

Answer 3

When all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe and nutritional food that will maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Question 4

What is the global pattern of food consumption?

Answer 4

Globally, food consumption has increased over time; there are more people (higher populations) consuming food, and per person they are consuming more food.

Africa still consumes the least calories; over 27% of Africa’s population are affected by severe food insecurity.

Richer countries consume more calories (Europe, North America); North America has the highest consumption rate, followed by Europe.

Asia’s consumption rate has seen the quickest growth.

Question 5

What type of system is farms?

Answer 5

Open systems.

Question 6

Inputs to farm systems

Answer 6

Natural (solar energy, rainwater)

Human (seeds, fertiliser)

Question 7

Transfers in farm systems

Answer 7

Energy and matter are transferred to and stored in the soil, crop and / or animals of the farm.

Question 8

Outputs of farms

Answer 8

The main output is the food produced, however there is other losses such as soil erosion or poor storage.

Question 9

Agricultural productivity

Answer 9

Agricultural productivity is a measure of the amount of food that is produced in an area - its the ratio of agricultural output to inputs.

Agricultural productivity is determined by the type of agriculture system.

Question 10

Types of agricultural systems (5)

Answer 10

• Commercial farming (production to make a profit, high productivity)
• Subsistence farming (enough to feed the family, lower productivity)
• Intensive farming (as much as possible extracted from the land, can be capital and labour intensive)
• Extensive farming (opposite, low capital and labour input so less productive but better for the environment and animal welfare)
• Nomadic farming (farmers move from place to place to grow crops or graze animals on different land)

Question 11

How is agricultural productivity affected by the climate?

Answer 11

The climate affects how successfully plants grow in an area and the animals that can survive there.

Climate also determines the water supply in different regions which is vital for agriculture productivity.

Question 12

Polar climates

Answer 12

Polar climates are found above 66 degrees latitude in the northern and southern hemispheres.

These areas experience the lowest temperatures on the planet.

Populations are low in the polar climatic zone, with around 4 million people in the artic.

Question 13

Polar climates relationship with agriculture

Answer 13

Agriculture productivity is low so traditional lifestyles are based on subsistence.

Arable farming is not possible because of the low temperatures. Therefore diets are usually meat based.

Most of the species that the Artic people hunt leave in the extreme environments of the winter, meaning that they have to migrate seasonally.

Question 14

Polar climates relationship with development

Answer 14

The low temperatures and frozen ground make it hard for people to work in polar environments or construct buildings there, meaning development is difficult.

However there is some seasonal work. Tourism is popular during the summer months and this is usually the time oil and gas reserves become accessable.

Question 15

Arid Climates

Answer 15

Arid areas usually get less than 250mm of rainfall per year meaning it is rare and unreliable. Places in this zone are classed as desserts.

Hot desserts occur around 30 degrees north and south of the equator.

Temperate deserts are found at higher latitudes but are cooler than hot deserts. Temperate ranges can be huge with nights much cooler than days.

Population is very low e.g. population in the Sahara desert is 2.5 million (or 0.4 people per km^2).

Question 16

Arid climates relationship with agriculture

Answer 16

Agriculture is impossible in most areas because rain falls very infrequently.

However rain can be drawn from oasis nearby to grow crops like cereals in the shade. These methods have allowed some people to settle around oases.

Other people in the region are nomadic. This allows people to keep grazing livestock despite the sparse vegetation.

Question 17

Arid climates relationship with development

Answer 17

Economic development is often hindered by the climate but major cities develop if there is enough money to invest in obtaining water.

Question 18

Climate change impacts on agriculutre

Answer 18

Climate change is decreasing agricultural productivity in some areas such as Africa.

However increased rainfall and temperature may increase productivity in North America and Europe by encouraging crop growth.

There may be changes in crops grown. For examples crops that like warmer temperatures such as melons could be grown further north.

Agricultural pests and diseases may increase in some areas.

Question 19

What are three different strategies to improve food security?

Answer 19

• Increasing food production
• Increasing food access
• Reducing waste

Question 20

Increasing food production to improve food security

Answer 20

This can be achieved by:

• Agricultural expansion (more land converted to agricultural use)
• Intensive farming (producing as much food as possible from the land)
• Changing the types of food produced (producing plants take less water than meat)
• Technology (crops can be genetically modified to produce higher yields or to resist pests and disease)

Question 21

Increasing food access to improve food security

Answer 21

This can be achieved by:

• Trade (food can be imported to countries that don’t have enough)
• Improving access to markets (improving transport links make it easier for farmers to sell their produce
• Aid (Food is donated during a famine)