Full planets, empty plates Flashcards
causes of increasing food demand
population growth, rising affluence, biofuels
issues facing crop production
soil erosion water shortages, rising temperatures
history of food production
world food prices have almost doubled within the last decade. in the 1960s there was overproduction (large areas of cropland idled and warge carryover of stocked grain), idled land was put into use in the late 1980s for grain
food price index
a measure of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities (base price 100)
US cost of food vs the world
US consumers spend approximately 9% of their income on food, less than the rest of the world
Locations of the food shortages
indian subcontinentor in sub-saharan africa
what other populations will grow as the human population increases?
Livestock, house pets
what resources will decrease as human population increases?
grassland, trees, aquifers, fish
countries that have reached population stability
western and eastern europe. east asia (japan, china, north and south korea, tiawan) and latin america are close to population stability
China’s one child policy
each couple may only have one child. causes many orphaned children, children abandoned and left to die. more boys than girls b/c they are more favorable
increase demand for protein
due to increase in global wealth
meat consumption worldwide
meat consumption is rising due to the industrial and newly industrializing countries
wind erosion
evidence of wind erosion is dust storms, common in the great plains where wheat is grown
water used to produce food
2,000 liters per day used to produce food
aquifers
rapidly being depleted
top grain producers
india, china and the united states
length of day and wheat yield
wheat yield is increased with the increasing daylight short days along the equator produce low wheat yields
fertilizer use
58% of fertilizer is used by the united states, china and india. american farmers swap crops with soybeans that fix nitrogen into the soil.
temperature effect on growing season
a 1 degree rise in temperature above the normal duing growing season lowers wheat, rice and corn yields by 10%
increasing demand for soybeans
increasing 7 million tons per year, due to population growth and biodiesel fuel
increasing demand for soybeans
saudi arabia, china, india and south korea
land purchased in africa
most of the land in africa is owned by the government so they can sell it easily, the land is also very cheap compared to other areas.
use of carryover grain
feed and residual uses, seed uses
examples of food riots
french revolution, fall of the confederate states of america, fall of the british raj food unrest can lead to political unrest when added to other concerns
supply and demand side of food and production
demand-stabalize world population, eradicate poverty, reduce excessive meat consumption and reduce biofuels policies
supply-stabalizing climate, raising water productivity, conserving soil
