food, farming and the environment Flashcards
what is the current extent of agriculture across the globe
croplands cover 12% of earths ice free land
pastures cover 26% of earths ice free land
= 40% earths surface cleared for agriculture
what are the causes and impacts of negative impacts of farming on the environment
expansion - effect on habitats, biodiversity, carbon storage, soil conditions, GHG, water degradation
intensification - irrigation, fertilizers, pesticides
climate change due to deforestation, methane emissions, nitrous oxide emissions from fertilized soils, rice cultivation- also produces methane
what are the future demands and challenges for agriculture and mankind
increase total agriculture production
increase total food supply
improve distribution and access to food
increase resilience of whole food system
methods that both reduce the environmental impact of farming and increasing food production
stop expanding agriculture
close yield gaps
increase agricultural resource efficiency
shift diets and reduce food waste
conflicts of interest between animals and the environment
good animal husbandry essential
collaboration on international scale
what is global food security
when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to to meet their dietary needs and food preferences.
how to stop expanding agriculture
reducing emissions from deforestation
developing certification standards for agricultural products so that supply chains can be assured crops weren’t grown on lands created by deforestation
economic drivers and incentives to benefit from forest protection
how to close yield gaps
increase production on existing agricultural lands
adopting lessons from organic systems and precision agriculture
how to increase agricultural resource efficiency
reduce water- reduce evaporation from irrigation canals, mulching, drip irrigation
reduce fertilizers- economic incentives for farmers, precision agriculture, organic farms approcaches
how to shift diets and reduce waste
reduce portion sizes
provide consumer education
better storage
