Human paper section C questions 4 = food (paper 2) Flashcards
describe the global pattern of food consumption
- access to food varies significantly across world
- USA and many European countries consume most because countries produce high outputs of food through intensive farming
- although Chille, Egypt are both high in comparison to their surrounding areas
what is meant by the term ‘food security’
when people have access to enough safe, affordable, nutritious food to maintain healthy lifestyle
give reasons for the increasing demand for food
- growing populations = 80M more / year to feed
- growing development = people afford more food and have more varies diets
explain how climate can impact upon food supplies
- warming by 0.2°C each decade
- extreme weather events are more common and stronger = longer droughts = crops fail and livestock die
- land is less fertile from build up of salts in soil
- increased temperature supports weeds and pests = reduces productivity
explain how technology can impact upon food supplies
- in HICs, mechanisation has increased food production and efficiency
- LICS cannot afford to invest in machinery and infrastructure
explain how pests and disease can lead to food insecurity
- increased global temps = pests spred further N & S from tropics
- LICs have hotter climates = encourage spread & do not have funds for pesticides
- therefore cattles suffer from fevers, AIDs ad Malaria = fewer people to work = food insecurity
explain how water stress can lead to food insecurity
- estimated by 2030, 50% of world = water stress
- LICs are more likely ~ it is hotter & high pop density and floods pollute the water
- HICs have money to invest in technology
- not enough water = cannot keep livestock alive and water plants
explain how conflict can lead to food insecurity
- crops and livestock destroyed in war = famine and death
- farmers become soldiers & abandon fields = no food
- families forces to flee elsewhere = more people to feed
- food is stolen by soldiers so they can fight
- eg Somalia
explain how poverty can impact upon food supply
- cycle of poverty is down the generation
- they cannot afford food
- so they are weak and malnurished and undernursihed
- unable to work from that
so…
what is the difference between malnutrition and under-nutrition
- malnutrition is when citizens eat less than 2000 calories a day
- whereas undernutrition is when citizens have a poorly balanced diet
what is meant by the term ‘famine’
the widespread scarcity of food
what causes a famine
- rising prices (influenced by HICs)
- conflic and social urest
- environment & location = drought / monsoon
- demand greater than supply = overpopulated
explain how famine impacts upon the conomy of a country
- = undernurishment, malnurishment & starvation
- = weakened immune system = illness = noone to work
- country has no workers to produce food or to work for the country
- citizens who are healthy end up paying more for food than for the economy
when does soil erosion occur
when the fertile top layer of soil is removed - farmers causes it as they try to increase the yielf od food from land
what are the main causes of soil erosion
- overgrazing and damage by cattle = less plants to hold soil together
- over-cultivation = land isn’t given time to reset and replenish its nutrients = less fertille to support plant life
- deforestation = destroys root structure that holds soil together
why is the price of food increasing across the world
- food shortages = deficiet and increasing prices
- fertilisers and animals cost more so have to charge more
- impacts LICs more as cannot afford = undernourished
how does food insecurity lead to social unrest
- food supply is short and people have to fight to survive
- in 2008 and 2011 shortages from rised prices = 60 riots across the world in protest
what is meant by the term ‘cash crop’
when crops are grown for porfit to meet luxuray of HICs rather than to sustain the population - eg palm oil
explain why governement might decide to focus of production of cash crops rather than ensuring the population has sufficient food to remain healthy
- more focused on the economy
- therefore dissmiss the wellbeing of the country
- however they do not spend these profits on beneficial things for the country
what is the large scale agricultural development example
almeria in spain - improved infrastucture and more
what is irrigation
artificial watering of land from rivers, lakes and aquifiers
what is the main benefit from irrigation
increases production from 100% to 400%
what type of countries is irrigation most common in
HICs - Europe and North America ~ climate and money
distinguish between drip irrigation and flood irrigation
- drip irrigation = slowly adding water via pipes - controlled by a computer
- flood irrigation = crops are planted in a fooding natural or atificial lake - the field is completely submerged
explain how irrigation can damage the environment
- when large scale commercial schemes are built, poorer people are pushed off their land
- lack of adequate drainage can lead to the soil becoming waterlogged = build up of salts and minerals in the soils = salinisation
what is aeroponics
plants are suspending in the air in a green house = they do not come into contact with soil ~ nutrient rich water sprawyed at roots
what are the advantages and disadvantages of using aeroponics as a way to produce crops on a large scale
- plants are easily maintained & grow faster
- less use of chemicals & of water and nutrients as leftovers are collected and reused
- less space is required = plants can be stacked
- seasonal produce all year round
- relies on nitrient-missing system ~ if it breaks then plant dies
- requires knowledge of technology & nutrient mix
- creates warm, moist environment = contamination
- expensive to set up and run
what is hydroponics
plants are grown in a material other than soil such as sand, sawdust, pebbles or on a fibre mat
what are the advantages of using hydrophonics to produce crops on a large scale
- plants grow faster = bigger yield = more profit
- uses less water
- less space required
- crops can be fresher - transported in water
- can control speed of growth = bigger yield
outline two aims of the new green revolution
- focus on sustainability and communitry by inreasing amount of crops and improving their nutritional contents
- to protect the soil and water sources - conserve biodiversity & support farming communities
outline two strategies used to increase crop yield during the New Green Revolution
- water harvesting = collecting & stored rainwater for later use
- invest in science and tech to develop seeds that can withstand drought and disease
- invest in transport systems in rural areas & provided affordavle credit to farmers
what does HYV stand for
high yield variety
biotechnology is used in farming to genetically modify plants and animals. Outline three reasons for genetically modifying crops
- improving the nutritional content of crops
- creating drought-resistant & salt-resistant crops which can be grown in poorer conditions
- creating disease resistant and insect-repellent crops
explain why some people are concerned about the use of biotechnology in farming
concerns it may effect environmental & human health
what is meant by the term ‘appropriate technology’
involves matching technology to the local level of economic development and using skills and resources that are available to the local community
explain why appropriate technology is essential in terms of achieving sustainable food production in LICs
high tech solutions are too expensive and complex for LICs farmers to implement
your example of a large scale agricultureal development is Almeria in Spain. explainwhy this area is suitable for the intensive production of salad crops
- in SE spain with arid climate (avg temp = 20°C)
- flat land = cheaper & quicker to build on
- greenhouses been built over 26,000 Hectars - used to grown out-of-season fruit and veg
- consistent reliable weather = out of season farming
- coastal = easily accessable
outline two economic impacts of the large scale agricultural development in Almeria
- employment for locals & migrant workforce
- quaterary high paying jobs available
outline two social impacts of the large scale agricultural development in Almeria
- infrasturcture has been improved
- workers live in poor conditions & low wages
outline two environmental imoacts of the large scale agricultural development in Almeria
- plastic sheeting for green hourse - problem
- natural resources for water are running out
evalutate the extent to which the large scale agricultural development in Almeria has been a success
+ 50% of Europes fruit and veg is grown there = $1.5B
+ cheap workforce
+ HICs food prices kept down
- - huge en, so & env costs:
-pesticides & fertilisers leaking out
-socail division & inequality
-using the water of area = locals miss out
-need specialist technology
-poor working conditions
what is the example of a local cheme to increase sustainable food supplies (LIC)
Jamalpur in Bangladesh
what is meant by the term ‘sustainable food production’
increases food supplies in a way that protects the land and other natural resources so that food supplies can be maintained for future generations
what is ‘permaculture’
a type of agriculture = produces food using methods that work with nature
what is organic farming
growing crops or rearing livestock without the use of chemicals - natural fertilisers instead of chemicals
what is urban farming
the production of food around settlements like in New York rooftop gardens
suggest three reasons why urban farming is becoming more popular
- in generates jobs in deprived areas
- brightens up the environment
- affract wildlife to the area
give three reasons why intensive meat farming is unsustainable
- lots of energy is needed for infoor rearing of animals
- hormones and concerntrated feed are used to promote rapid growth
- large amounts of waste needs to be safely removed without polluting the environment
what are the main patterns in global fishing since 1950
- 65% of high seas have been fished
- overtime 85% of species have been overexploited or collapsed
give three reasons why intensive fish farming is unsustainable
- leads to water pollution from use of chemicals, antibiotics and vaccines
- have impacts on larger marine ecosystems
- lead to spread of disease in wild fish populations
give three ways in which fish farming can be amdde more sustainable
- setting fish quotas
- returning immature fish to the sea
- monitoring fish breeding grounds
outline one environmental benefit of season produce
reduces food miles & our carbon footprint while supporting local farmers and communities as out of season produce must be imported
what is seasonal produce
food production and consumption that follows natural seasonal cycle
why is so much food wasted in places like the UK
- average family wastes £700 of food/year
- HICs have more income = spend more on food = can afford to waste more food
how does food waste differ from food loss
- waste = food is thrown away after it has reached customer
- loss = food is thrown away before it reaches customer ~ poor transport/storage
outline three ways in which households can reduce their food waste
- plan meals = only buying what is needed
- use left overs
- store food correctly
your example of a local scheme in a LIC that ahs been used to increase sustainable food supplies in Jamalpur in Bangladesh. Describe what is being done in Jamalpur to increase food supplies
- introduced rice-fish culture (with help of charity)
- fish are protected by rice plants from predators
- the fish provide natural fertilisers
- the fish eat insects
- the fish help circulate oxygen around rice plants
- rice production increased by 10%
- no chemicals needed = saves money
- fish and rice can be harvested to eat
to what extent is rice-fish culture in Jamalpur (Bangladesh) sustainable
signifcantly:
- small scale = suited to the community
- provides space for rice and fish = saves money to be spent else where
- relatively simple construction once site indentified
