Food Security Flashcards
The Impact of Food and Food Security on Society, Local and Global Markets, and the Environment
• Society: Food insecurity leads to malnutrition, poverty, and health problems. It can cause social unrest and political instability.
• Local Markets: Food shortages increase prices, making healthy food unaffordable for low-income families.
• Global Markets: Food demand affects trade and economy, influencing supply chains and exports.
• Environment: Food production uses natural resources (water, soil, energy), and poor practices lead to deforestation, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
The Availability, Access, and Utilisation of Food
✔ Availability: Sufficient food production and distribution.
✔ Access: People must have money and infrastructure to buy food.
✔ Utilisation: Food must be nutritious, safe, and prepared properly to support health.
Factors affecting food security:
• Climate change (droughts, floods, extreme weather).
• War and conflict (disrupting supply chains).
• Rising food prices (affecting affordability).
• Food wastage (reducing food supply).
Moral Issues: How Fairtrade Affects Food Producers and Workers
✔ Fairtrade ensures fair wages and working conditions for farmers in developing countries.
✔ Helps small-scale farmers compete in global markets.
✔ Promotes sustainable farming and community development.
✖ Fairtrade products can be more expensive for consumers.
✖ Some big companies dominate Fairtrade, reducing benefits for small farmers.
Ethical Issues: The Development of Genetically Modified (GM) Food
✔ Benefits of GM Food:
• Increases crop yield and reduces food shortages.
• Can be resistant to pests, diseases, and harsh climates.
• Reduces the need for chemical pesticides.
✖ Concerns About GM Food:
• Long-term health effects are uncertain.
• Can lead to loss of biodiversity (fewer natural crop varieties).
• Farmers may become dependent on GM seed companies.
Environmental Issues: Food Waste
Food waste contributes to:
• Greenhouse gas emissions (rotting food releases methane).
• Wasted resources (water, energy, land).
• Economic loss (households and businesses losing money).
Ways to reduce food waste:
✔ Better storage and preservation methods.
✔ Reducing portion sizes and meal planning.
✔ Using “wonky” fruit and vegetables instead of rejecting imperfect produce.
Carbon Footprint and the Transportation of Materials and Goods
• Food miles: Distance food travels from farm to consumer.
• Transporting food (especially by air) increases carbon emissions.
• Locally sourced food reduces emissions and supports local farmers.
Ways to reduce carbon footprint:
✔ Eating seasonal foods from local sources.
✔ Reducing imported goods with high food miles.
✔ Choosing sustainable farming and packaging methods.
Sustainability of Resources
Sustainability ensures future generations can access food without harming the environment.
✔ Sustainable farming (crop rotation, organic farming).
✔ Reducing chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
✔ Protecting fish stocks by following sustainable fishing guidelines.
