Food production systems and food choices Flashcards
What is subsistence farming?
Provision of food by farmers for their own families or the local community - there is no surplus.
What is cash cropping?
Growing crops to sell at the market, not to feed yourself.
What is commercial farming?
Large, profit making scale of production. Aims to maximise yield.
What is extensive farming?
Low energy input and low product output
What is intensive farming?
High energy input and high product output
What is pastoral farming?
Raising animals.
What is arable farming?
Growing crops, to eat or to feed to animals.
What is mixed farming?
Growing crops and raising animals. Manure from animals is used as fertilizer and some crops are used to feed the animals.
Difference in commercial and subsistance, scale:
Commercial is large scale that requires a lot of machinery, chemicals and fossil fuels. Subsistence tends to be more labour intensive but chemicals may still be used.
Difference in commercial and subsistance, industrialisation:
MEDCs have a lot of people working in the industry so they must give them good from large scale production farming. LEDCs have limited industry jobs so most people have to grow their own food.
Difference in commercial and subsistance, mechanization:
Commercial uses lots of heavy machinery that uses fossil fuels and can damage the soil. Subsistence uses draft animals or human power which is less stressful on the soil.
Difference in commercial and subsistance, fossil fuel use.
Commercial production heavily relies on fossil fuel use Subsistence farming uses manual labour and draft animals so fossil fuels are not a problem.
Difference in commercial and subsistance, pest control:
Commericial uses fertilisers which can leach into the soil or runoff can cause eutrophication. Subsistance often uses crop rotations, biological pest control and other more environmentally friendly practices.
Difference in commercial and subsistance, antibiotics:
Large scale production means disease spreads fast so more antibiotics needed.
Types of malnutrition:
Lacking, excessive, unbalanced
What factors effect the food we grow or eat?
Climate
Culture/Religion
Politics
Socio-economic
How does climate affect what we eat?
Certain crops are better adapted to certain climates. This can be combated with greenhouses and irrigation but most crops are grown without this.
How does culture or religion affect what we eat?
Some religions proscribe certain foods, such as pork in Judaism.
How does politics affect what food we eat?
Government can subsidize or put tariffs on certain foods to encourage or discourage their production.
How does economics effect what food we grow and eat?
Depends on how profitable the good is. If it is not, suppliers won’t supply.
When comparing farming systems what should you discuss?
Where Type Inputs Outputs Efficiency Environmental impacts
Intensive farming properties:
Strong selective breeding Genetically engineered organisms Monoculture Reduction in biodiversity Strong soil erosion
Extensive farming properties:
Limited selective breeding No genetically engineered organisms Polyculture Small effect on biodiversity Little soil erosion
Difference between terrestrial and aquatic food production systems:
Terrestrial food production is usually harvested at the first or second trophic level. Cows eat grass so second and all arable farming is first. This is a more efficient use of solar energy than aquatic systems which tend to be a much higher trophic level since typical food fish tend to be carnivorous. Also there is a less efficient initial intake of solar energy because of the reflection of sunlight by water.
