Food Security in India Case Study - F. o. F.

Question 1

Outline the significance of India in terms of food security.

Answer 1

• Rapid economic growth in last three decades
• Millions suffer from poverty
• Previously self-sufficient in wheat
• Extra 17 million people more to feed per year

Question 2

What is India’s physical geography like?

Answer 2

• Range of environments - mountains, deserts, grasslands, tropical and temperate forests

Question 3

What are the three main ecological zones in India and where are they found?

Answer 3

• Himalayan mountains, north
• Indo-Gangetic Plain, centre
• Peninsular Plateau, south

Question 4

What mainly caused the recent decline in food production?

Answer 4

• Poor wheat harvests

Question 5

Which region is significant in regards to rice and wheat production in India?

Answer 5

• Punjab region, northwest

Question 6

Why is the Punjab region so important in terms of India’s food production?

Answer 6

• 2% country’s land area
• Produces 2/3 food grains
• Mainly wheat + rice

Question 7

What was the Punjab region formerly referred to as?

Answer 7

• ‘The bread basket of India’

Question 8

What are the main physical challenges faced by the Punjab region?

Answer 8

• Water shortages
• Climate change
• Soil erosion

Question 9

Outline the Punjab’s climate.

Answer 9

• Semi-arid
• Mean annual precipitation is 630mm
• Mean temperature is 21ºC
• Divided into 3 seasons

Question 10

What are the three seasons of the Punjab’s climate?

Answer 10

• Hot season (April - June)
• Rainy season (July - September)
• Cold season (October - March)

Question 11

Approximately how much of the Punjab’s rainfall occurs in the rainy season?

Answer 11

• 70%

Question 12

How have monsoon rains impacted farming in the last 15 years?

Answer 12

• Unreliable rains
• Frequent droughts
• Farmers had to draw on groundwater to irrigate crops
• Decline in water table

Question 13

Approximately how much of the ground water sources in the Punjab region have been overexploited?

Answer 13

• 80%

Question 14

How have farmers attempted to access more water due to the shortages?

Answer 14

• By digging ever-deeper wells

- Buying extremely expensive equipment to drill them

Question 15

How has the financial strain of digging deeper wells impacted farmers?

Answer 15

• High suicide rates

- Many leaving agriculture

Question 16

What is the main facet of climate change that has impacted farming in the Punjab region?

Answer 16

• Rising temperatures

Question 17

How have increased temperatures impacted wheat crops?

Answer 17

• They’ve reached their maximum heat tolerance

- Increased vulnerability reduces yields

Question 18

What are some of the extreme weather events that occur more often now due to climate change?

Answer 18

• Floods

- Droughts

Question 19

What were the impacts of increased extreme weather events on water sources in the Punjab?

Answer 19

• Exacerbates fall in water table

Question 20

How does soil erosion often occur in the Punjab?

Answer 20

• Rainfall intense and heavy
• Little infiltration
• Much overland flow
• Erosion of fertile topsoil

Question 21

How much of rainfall in Punjab is lost due to run-off?

Answer 21

• 40%

Question 22

How have other factors, such as deforestation and overgrazing, impact soil erosion?

Answer 22

• Exposes soil

- Erosion by water and wind

Question 23

What are the main human challenges faced by the Punjab region?

Answer 23

• The Green Revolution
• Government policy
• Globalisation