5.2 Terrestrial food production systems and food choices Flashcards
sustainability of terrestrial food production systems influenced by (11)
- scale -> larger = more intensive
- industrialisation / mechanisation = efficiency + higher yields BUT = enviornmental degradation, soil erosion, habitat desctruction
- fossil fuel use = transport, machinery, production of synthetic fertilisers
- seed/crop/livestock choices -> NO monoculture -> supports resilient livestock breeds
- water use = excessive irrigation -> depletes natural water resources / degrades aquatic ecosystems
- fertilisers (synethetic) = nutrient runoff, water pollution, soil degradation
- pest control = chemical pesticies -> affect on ecosystems & sometimes human health
- pollinators
- antibiotics = antibiotic resistant bacteria -> posing risks to human health
- government policy and legislation = incentivisation of sustainable practices , protecting natural resources, promoting biodiversity, fair trade initiatives
- levels of commerical vs. subsistence food production = food security & sustainability -> local food systems, small-scale farmers = lower dependence on global markets
green revolution
the application of science and technology to agriculture, leading to high - yielding varieties, breeding programmes, widespread use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, irrigation, etc -> growth in food production outpaced the growth of population
inequalities in food production and distribution general
- world is growing by over 80m people each year -> more food is needed
- larger population of people in the world will become middle and high income earners, and there will be a corresponding change in diet from grain based to meat and dairy based
food miles
the distance that a food travels to its destination
food waste LEDCs
- farmer / producer level
- inefficient harvesting
- inadequate local transport
- poor infrastructure
-> produce handled inappropriately + stored in unsuitable conditions - mold/pests destroy large quantaties of food material
- food spill’s from badly maintained vehicles / bruised when vehicles drive over poorly maintained roads
cultural factors influencing food prod. systems
- religion (eg most Hindus dont eat beef and Islam and Judaism forbid the consumption of pork)
- predominantely vegetarian (India)
ecological factors influencing food prod. systems
- land availability
- climatic conditions
- water availability
eg. arid regions focus on drought - resistant crops + efficient irrigation techniques
political factors influencing food prod. systems
- government subsidies to promote production of certain food types
eg. EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) includes financial support for farmers who adopt organic farming practices - import/export regulations affect availability and affordability of specific food products
- food security and self-sufficiency goals may drive policies favouring certain production systems
economic factors influencing food prod. systems
- cost effectiveness
- profitability
- market demand
- global trade dynamics / market forces -> shape competiveness of different production methods
eg. countries with large agricultural sector may prioritise large scale industry farming for export purposes
land availability
- human population growth-> food demand increases -> pressure on available land for food production
- urbanisation -> conversion of agricultural land into urban areas = decrease in available land for food production
- soil degradation (erosion, nutrient depletion, pollution) = lower fertility + productivity of agricultural land = limited land to support feed production
- use of land for production of biofuels rather than food crops
->more grain is used for biofuel, less grain (and land) is used for the production of food or human use
when does agribusiness occur
when food production is not to satisfy the community’s needs but is to ensure profitable return for capital investment
purpose: to maximise productivity and profit in order to compete in a global market
main characteristics of agribusiness
- large scale monoculture
- intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides
- mechanised ploughing and harvesting
- food production geared to mass markets inclu. export
how have modern farming techniques lead to decrease in biodiversity or increased run off pollution
- genetically modified crops used to increase yield -> effect on wild populations if modified species cross pollinate with wild ones
- synthetic fertiliser -> eutrophication
about how much water is wasted globally in growing crops that never reach the consumer?
about 550 billion cubic meters
energy use: about how many calories of energy are required to produce on calorie of food?
7-10 (varies dramatically depending on the food)
what are LEDCs suffering from in terms of food inequality
- undernourishment (their food intake does not contain enough energy)
- malnutrition (their food intake lacks essential nutrients such as protein and minerals)
- a child dies from hunger every 6 seconds
what percentage of total amount of food produced never makes in onto a plate?
30-50% (1.2-2 billion tonnes of food wasted)
case study: China and
- 1,200-year-old rice-fish farming system where rice and fish are cultivated together in paddy fields.
- Fish provide nutrients to the rice, eat insects, and reduce the need for pesticides.
- Farmers’ incomes increased as fish prices rose from 20 Yuan to 120 Yuan per kg.
- Recognition as a GIAHS site attracted over 100,000 tourists, boosting local businesses.
- Villagers opened five restaurants, increasing local economic activity.
- Reduced emigration as improved livelihoods allowed locals to stay and invest in their community.
two types of terrestrial farming
- commercial farming (for profit - often a single crop)
- subsistence farming (produces only enough to feed the farmer and his or her family, with none to sell for profit)
intensive farm meaning
take up a small area of land but aim to have very high output (through large inputs of capital and labour) per unit area of land
extensive farm meaning
large in comparison to the money and labour put into them
how to value efficiency of farm system
comparing outputs (eg marketable product) to inputs (fuel, labour, transport, fertilizer, dealing with waste products) per unit area of land
environmental impacts of food production systems
- soil degradation from erosion
- desertification
- eutrophication from agricultural run off
- pollution from insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers
- loss of valuable habitats (eg wetlands drained from agriculture)
- disease epidemics from high density livestock farming and monoculture
increased sustainability of food production can be achieved through
- altering human activity to reduce meat consumption
- planting buffer zones
- increasing consumption of organically grown, seasonal and locally produced food products
- improving accuracy of food labels to assist consumers in making informed food choices
evaluate the strategy for increasing sustainability in terrestrial food production systems: human attitude to eating meat
- improving accuracy of food labels in supermarkets would help consumers make increasingly better food choices
- buying locally produced food would minimize food miles used in transportation, limiting its ecological footprint
- buying food that minimizes pesticide use also offers a more sustainable choice
- should people in MEDCs who have historically enjoyed eating high levels of meat consumption be allowed to influence patterns of food consumption in developing countries, where societies have only recently switched to higher levels of meat consumption?
evaluate the strategy for increasing sustainability in terrestrial food production systems: organic farming
- provides ecocentric approach to farming by achieving an ecological balance
- conserves soil fertility
- prevents pest outbreaks
- preventative rather than reactive measures
- sustainable at local level (BUT if done at global scale, would scale up unsustainbly eg. more animals for manure to fertlise crops)
- prevents use of GM crops which can offer tolerance to drought, diseases, and pests (reducing farmers need for pesticides) and enhance nutritional value (to fight malnutrition in LEDCs)
evaluate the strategy for increasing sustainability in terrestrial food production systems: buffer zones
- areas of land containing native vegetation that are adjacent to or surround agricultural land
- support biodiversity that is absent from arable land (often monoculture)
- support insect predators that limit crop pests
- reduce pesticide use
- preserve species lost from the farmed area, thereby supporting local food chains
- limit fertilizer and pesticide run off
- control air and soil quality
- many countries provide financial incentives for farmers to leave buffer zones on their land
- without incentives, may be unsustainable as locals and farmers themselves may argue that this money is better spent elsewhere
inputs to food production systems include
- fertilizers
- water
- pest control
- labour
- seed
- breeding stock
- livestock growth promoters
outputs to food production systems include
- food quality
- food quantity
- pollutants
- consumer health
- soil quality
system characteristic of food production system
diversity (monoculture vs polyculture)
efficiency equation
Efficiency of Lower Trophic Levels
- Producing food from plants (primary producers) is generally more efficient in terms of energy and resource use compared to animal products.
- Typically, only about 10% of energy is transferred between trophic levels.
inequalities in food production and distribution specific points
- import tariffs
- export subsidies
- increased demand for biofuel, increase in meat rich diets, increased oil prices -> no problem for MEDCs
- export - driven economies in LEDCs
- increased demand for land for biofuels
- agriculture in MEDCs = technocentric
- agriculture in LEDCs = old fashioned, labour intensive, small scale mixed cropping
food waste MEDCs
- retail / consumer behaviour
- rejection of food bc it doesnt meet retail standards (size, appearance)
- retailers encourage excesse purchasing (“buy one get one free”)/ sales = wastage at home
efficiency of terrestrial food production system - yield
plant-based food production (grains, fruit, vegetables) often provide greater quantity yields of food per unit area compared to meat production
greater energy efficiency in plant - based diet
energy is lost every step moving up food chain = food from higher trophic levels (meat) has less available energy
greater energy efficiency in plant-based diets - feed conversion efficiency
- animals raised for meat require to feed to grow and develop
-> large portion of energy lost through bodily functions, metabolic processes
greater energy efficiency in plant-based diets - land use efficiency
- producing meat = large amounts of energy needed for grazing, growing feed crops
-> land could be used more efficiently - plant - based diet can better optimise land use -> maximise food production per area + mitigating pressures on land resources
evaluate the strategy for increasing sustainability in terrestrial food production systems: monitor and control
- governmental and intergovernmental bodies -> monitor and control standards and practices of multinational and national food cooperations
- Commission of Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change:
-> intergration of sustainable agriculture into national/international policies
-> dramatically increased investments in next decade
inclu. national research, development budgets, land rehabilitation, economic incentives, infrastructure improvement
