Food and Fibre Production Flashcards
Economic
Agriculture is one the most economic activities in the world
90%
90% of the global energy intake is provided from 4 plants and 8 terrestrial animals
60%
60% of the global energy intake comes from rice, wheat and corn
Plant yielding fibres
Plant yielding fibres second most important type of plant after food
Top wheat producers
China, India, USA
Top corn producers
USA, China, Mexico, Brazil
Top rice producers
China, India, Indonesia
50,000
Edible plant species
1000
American plant species that produce fibres
Wheat
Require: dry, mild temperature, sun
Corn
Require: warm nights, sun
Rice
Require: high temperature, sun, wet
Cotton
Require: warm temperature, no frost, dry when maturing
Natural factors
- Temperature
- Soil moisture
- Soil fertility
- Length of growing season
- Frost
- Wind
Human factors
- Level of civilisation
- Cultural, social and political organisation
- Management skills
- Technology
80%
Industrial agriculture produces 80% of the world’s food
Most land
Wheat
World food crisis 2007-2008
Lowest reserve level thus prices rose:
Corn doubled price
Wheat and rice 150%
Developing countries
Growing population results in higher meat consumption, grain consumption and fossil fuel use
Prices
Prices for food are volatile while production is stable due to pressure on farmers to keep up
Wool
Declining in demand and production
% of fibres
Synthetics are taking over the market due to cheaper to produce price
International reliability
International reliability becoming increasingly important due to globalisation
Agribusinesses
Diversifying into multiple country corporations
Technology
Transport technology, communication technology and refrigeration technology all enabled and improved multi nation corporations.
USA
USA supplies over half global grain exports, since 2000 it has been primarily selling to middle income countries such as China and Mexico
