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Future of food Flashcards

1
Q

What is food security?

A

An adaquate, reliable and available food supply at all times

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2
Q

What are the three pillars?

A

Availability
Access
Utalization

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3
Q

What is availability?

A

Addresses food supply

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4
Q

What is access?

A

House-hold level access to sufficient food

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5
Q

What is utalization?

A

The intake of food must result in the body gaining sufficient nutrients and energy

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6
Q

What is the fourth pillar and what does it mean?

A

Stability
The idea that food security is dynamic
It is the sustainability of all 3 pillars for future generations

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7
Q

What is undernourishment?

A

When people recieve less than 90% of their daily calorie needs

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8
Q

What is over-nourishment?

A

When people recieve too many calories each day

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9
Q

What is malnourishment?

A

Nutritional elements the body needs such as minerals and vitamins
Can occur from undernourishment and over-nourishment

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10
Q

What are the current global food security trends?

A
  • 850 million are food insecure
  • 1 billion are water insecure
  • 31 million Americans are food insecure
  • 25% of Americans are obese
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11
Q

What is the global food insecurity index?

A

A worldwide overview of countries most and least vulnerable to food security. Uses 28 indicators for example the four key pillars: affordability, availability, quality and safety, and sustainability and adaptation

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12
Q

Current trends in the global food insecurity index

A

Finland - 83.7
Syria - 36.3

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13
Q

Malthus

A

Pessimist
Increase/decrease in response to various factors
Sooner or later population will be checked by famine, disease and widespread mortality
Crisis point with resources and population - Eventually population will decrease

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14
Q

Boserup

A

Optimist
Population determines agricultural methods
During times of pressures people find ways to increase the production of food by increasing work force

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15
Q

What is the global hunger index (GHI)?

A

Tracks hunger globally
4 indicators - undernourishment, child wasting, child stunting, child mortality

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16
Q

What are the physical conditions required to grow food?

A
  • Air
  • Climate
  • Soil
  • Water
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17
Q

How does Air affect the growth of food?

A

Plants require carbon dioxide during photosynthesis - releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.
Plants also require some oxygen for respiration.

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18
Q

How does climate and soil affect the growth of food?

A

Climate and soil interlink as climate largely affects the characteristics of soil. The main climatic factors are precipitation, temp and sunlight.

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19
Q

How does water affect the growth of food?

A

Water makes up 80% of living plants therefore determines food production and quality. Water is needed for germination and growth. Water is necessary for photosynthesis.
Also acts as a solvent to allow minerals to be transported around plant.

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20
Q

What is a global food system?

A

Complex network which includes production, harvest, processing, transport, consumption and wastage.

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21
Q

What is an issue with the global food system?

A

We are buying more food than is needed but there is still people not able to access the food. If food waste is managed - feed people suffering from food insecurity.

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22
Q

How is the global food system influenced?

A
  • Policies of nation states
  • Trade
  • Organisations (FAO)
  • MNC’s (Multinational corporations)
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23
Q

How do you describe extensive food production methods?

A

Large scale commercial farming
Small inputs of labour + capital
Yield per hectare = low
Yield per capita = high

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24
Q

How do you describe intensive food production methods?

A

Small-scale farming
High labour + capital input
Yield per hectare = high

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25
How do you describe subsistence food production methods?
When the production is for own consumption or local community. This is vulnerable to food shortages because of the lack of capital.
26
How do you describe commercial food production methods?
Farming for profit Large-scale High capital input
27
What are examples of subsistence and commercial food production methods?
Subsistence = Wet-rice farming in India Commercial = Cattle ranching in south America
28
What are examples of extensive and intensive food production methods?
Extensive = Canadian prairies cereal farming Intensive = Horticulture in the netherlands
29
What is Agribusiness?
Large-scale farming practise
30
What is the influence of globalisation on the food industry?
- Development of transport - Complex transnational food production - Food demand changing - Food preferences are changing worldwide - Wider variety of foods
31
Opportunities with globalisation on the food industry
- Improved tech, significant technology advances. Make sure it is shared between all farmers - Short term food relief, globalisation has facilitated food aid (bilaterally and multilaterally) - Consumer choice, Allowed consumers to have access to a wider variety of products through online or outlets
32
Issues with globalisation on the food industry
- Food miles, measure of how far food has travelled. Improved transport and tech has meant food can travel further in a smaller time frame = environmental issues - Obesity, food consumption has changed. Increase in fast food outlets = obesity more common (E.g. China) - Price crisis, Global food prices are vulnerable to price shocks caused by shortages/transport issues/fuel costs/natural hazards
33
Obesity examples
In Brazil, Mcdonald's grew 380% In the Philippines, dietary changes include an increase of more than 50% imported bread/baked goods, decrease in veg and increase in fried street food In China, increased meat consumption by 6x
34
Food miles examples
Avg food miles: - Apples, USA, 10,000 - Red peppers, Holland, 62
35
Altitude
Climate, soils and growing season all interlink and affect one another. As height increases, temp decreases, precipitation increase leading to decrease in growing season
36
Aspect
Mountains have different directions of aspect - determining micro-climate: Crops located on south facing slopes can grow at higher altitudes than those on north facing slopes.
37
Slope
Slope angles affect rates of erosion, soil formation and use of machinery. This is because on steep slopes soils are often thin and poorly developed = cause water logging. Whereas gentle sloping angles = less erosion and leaching.
38
Political factor - Land grabbing
process where rich countries acquire land in poorer countries (investor countries or target countries) Investor: may have land/water constraints but high capital (Saudi Arabia) or have specific food security issues such as very large populations (china)
39
Economic factor - Transport
With development in transport networks = food can travel longer distance in shorter amount of time - but this creates environmental issues = increased food miles = higher emissions
40
Social factor - Inheritance laws
cultural factors in some countries mean that farms are divided amongst siblings as inheritance = subdivide farms
41
Malthus
Pessemist Believes there is an optimum population - once reached war, famine and disease will occur Without a check (famine + war) population grows at a geometric rate 1,2,4,8,16 = could lead to a double every 25 years whereas food supply increases at a limited rate 1,2,3,4 - cant keep up
42
Boserup
Optimist Believes countries have the knowledge, resources and technology to increase food supply in response to population growth Growth is needed to trigger these advancements
43
What is the food supply chain?
When food is transferred from the farms to consumer - complex flow of food produce between sites of production, processing, distribution and consumption.
44
What are pinch points?
Places in the chain where disruption occurs - political, economic, social, environmental or technological
45
What is Desertification?
Occurs when there is a reduction in agricultural productivity due to overexploitation of the ground.
46
Human causes of desertification
- Poverty - Demand for irrigation water - Changing farming practices
47
How does poverty cause desertification?
Lack of farming investment + lack of money = force people to farm on any available land = Land is often overused = Desertification + erosion
48
How does demand for irrigation water cause desertification?
Irrigation is in response to water shortages. Water scarcity = crops dying leading to poor farming techniques put in place Irrigation projects are poorly managed and underfunded
49
How does changing farming practises cause desertification?
For example: overgrazing, expansion of cropped areas = intensive = remove soil nutrients as strategies such as crop rotation is avoided
50
What are the physical factors causing desertification?
- Climate change - Soil erosion - Salinisation
51
How does climate change cause desertification?
Increased drought periods and changing rainfall patterns damage soil quality and animal habitats = crops die Causing farming practises to change (For example: land degradation)
52
How does soil erosion cause desertification?
Removes the top layer of soil = removes the nutrients
53
How does salinisation cause desertification?
Few plants are salt tolerant = plant dies
54
What are the impacts of desertification on the ecosystems?
- Reduction in vegetation leads to reduced habitat + increase competition - Carbon sinks are reduced - Biodiversity loss
55
How is food production affected by extreme weather events?
Extreme weather events: heatwaves, droughts, wildfires These cause more water vapour evaporation from oceans - increase water vapour - increase intense rainfall - retention of heat energy from sun
56
How is food security affected by water scarcity?
- Agriculture account for 68% of water drawn from bodies of water - Water scarcity can cause crops to die and poor farming - Water scarce countries import water-intensive food (lettuce)
57
What is virtual water?
The volume of fresh water needed to make a product. Measured at the place where the product was manufactured.
58
How is food production affected by volcanoes?
- ash-fall = pasture lands destroyed - ash increases levels of sulphur in soils and lower pH levels = plants cannot grow
59
How is food production affected by earthquakes?
- Transport and food distribution may be disrupted by earthquake activity - Food stocks destroyed - Livestock may be killed - Damage to irrigation systems
60
How does agriculture impact biodiversity?
- Deforestation - Biodiversity loss
61
How does agriculture impact landscape?
- Hedgerow control - Wetland drainage - Increase field size
62
How does agriculture impact water?
- Depletion of water sources - Pollution by agrochemicals
63
How does agriculture impact Humans?
Health issues - Food shortages - Food surplus - Use of chemicals
64
How does salinisation impact the physical environment?
Salinisation is the accumulation of salt in soil Low precipitation + High evaporation = salt brought to top of soil - plants intake water and leave salt - salt layer left = toxic to plants = impacts plant growth = unstable land for agricultural use
65
How does irrigation impact the physical environment?
- irrigation increases rate of groundwater recharge = water table rises - brings salt to plant roots = impacts plant growth/structure - Water used for irrigation evaporates rapidly in dry conditions
66
Impacts of irrigation salinity?
- Reduced agricultural productivity - Lower income for farmers - Decline in water quality - Decline in natural vegetation
67
How does deforestation impact the physical environment?
In the tropics 80% of natural forest has been converted to agricultural land Small farmers are suffering as there has been an increase in large agribusinesses LIDC's rely on this agricultural support as they have no access to oil and gas therefore deforestation continous rapidly Reduces biodiversity
68
What is impacting the change of landscape?
- Farm practises: Deforestation - Policy: EU common agricultural policy - Woodland managment, EES (environmental stewardship) - Climate change: Desertification - Power Players: TNC's
69
How does water quality and agrochemicals impact the physical environment?
Increase in agrochemicals = increase in environmental problems such as contamination of soil/groundwater Only 15% of the chemical hits the target leaving the rest in the air/soil = pesticide drift
70
Impacts of agriculture on water quality
- eutrophication - leaching of nitrates in groundwater - contamination of aquifer - contamination of surface water
71
What are agrochemicals?
A chemical used in agriculture e.g pesticides, fertilisers
72
What is a health issue associated with surplus food + poor diet?
Obesity has now exceeded those underweight Columbia = 41% Brazil = 36% (Obesity rate) This can cause non-communicable diseases: diabetes and cardiovascular
73
How can the use of chemicals/pesticides be harmful to humans?
The uses of chemicals to control plant diseases and increase production is increasing = health scares for humans
74
How can argricultural trading policies ensure food security?
Hard for poor countries to compete in international markets Trading bloc: An agreement to promote free trade among its members e.g EU Bilateral trade agreements: Agreement between 2 political entities that has mutual benefits and is legally binding
75
How can the world trade organisation ensure food security?
Provide a forum for governments to negotiate trade agreements and settle trade disputes.
76
How can the appropriate aid ensure food security?
Food aid includes project food air, emergency food aid This provides food for the insecure countries in emergencies and also sets up projects to prevent food insecurity
77
Who are key players influencing the global food system?
- Food retailers There is a dominance of global food retailers - 60% of food retailing in Latin america is controlled by supermarkets - Fair trade organisation exists to promote fair trade and equality in international trade
78
What is agribusiness?
A large-scale practise run on business lines
79
What is a transnational corporation?
A very large company with factories/offices in more than one country - specialise in downstream activities
80
What is a food retailer?
A place of business where consumers can purchase food
81
What is a fair trade organisation?
Promotes fair trade and greater equality in international trade
82
What is short term relief in terms of increasing food security?
Method such as food aid - administrated in crisis situations to alleviate immediate risks to food supply
83
What is capacity building in terms of increasing food security?
Refers to the capability of countries and communities to build a resilient food supply system - can be achieved by economic development + access to fair trade deals
84
What is long term system redesign in terms of increasing food security?
Refers to a country's long term plan to achieve food security - securing long term supply + educating a population (lifestyle choices such as balanced healthy diet)

Geography (28 decks)

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