India - Physical And Human Challanges

Question 1

Background

Answer 1

Rapid growth = millions of Indians suffer with poverty

Previously they were self-sufficient in wheat, India now imports large quantities of wheat due to 17 million extra people to feed each year with population growth

Range of natural environments - mountains, deserts, grasslands,tropical and temperate forests ( influencing agriculture)

Ecological zones of the Himalayan mountains, Indonesia-Gangetic Plain and Peninsular Plateau

Decline in food production = due to poor wheat harvests

Punjab region ( northwest) - occupies less than 2% of the land but accounts for 2/3rds of its food grains with wheat and rice being the most common - called the ‘bread basket of India’ but now faces physical and human threats

Question 2

Physical challenges - water shortage

Answer 2

Semi-arid climate

Annual precipitation of 630mm
Annual temperature is 21

Hot season = April through to June

Rainy season = July to sept with 70% of the rainfall

Cold season is October to march

Unreliable monsoon rains in past 16 years have caused frequent droughts

Farmers have had to draw more on groundwater supplies to irrigate crops which declines the water table significantly

80%of the groundwater sources are overexploited with deeper wells having to be drilled. This requires expensive equipment leading to high suicide rates and many farmers leaving the industry

Question 3

Physical factors - climate change and increased temperatures

Answer 3

Rising temps = more frequent Heatwaves have meant wheat crops reach there max heat tolerance

Vulnerability to short term heat reduces yield

Floods and droughts are occurring, even more accelerating the decline in the water table

Question 4

Physical factors - soil erosion

Answer 4

Intense and heavy rain when it comes

Little infiltration due to the hard earth and high levels of overland flow - 40% is lost

Erosion of fertile land and upper layers of soil

Poor water management

Deforestation and overgrazing expose soils to wind and water erosion

0.7% is waterlogged

78% is affected by wind and water erosion

Question 5

Human Challenges - Green Revolution

Answer 5

1960’s - HYV’s of rice and wheat was introduced

Aim to make India self-sufficient in food grains and reduce dependance on imports

Increased yields and new crops had more resistance on heavy rain and wind damage

This also created a by-product of employment in the manufacture of agrochemicals

Disadvantages:

• HYV’s are dependant on irrigation and chemical fertiliser And pesticides ( favours wealthier farmers)
• agrochemicals damages the soil and water quality

High costs of inputs for small farmers which can result in debt problems And widens the gap between rural rich and rural poor

Question 6

Human revolution - government policy

Answer 6

2013 - Indian government introduced the national food security bill to try and alleviate food shortages

Focused on subsiding grain purchase rather than controlling supply with inefficient transport and infrastructure for storage leading to high wastage levels

High food prices with limited quality and quantity of food staples

Limitations on FDI, food retail sector is unpopular

FDI is an opportunity for Walmart and Carrefour to bring innovation and expertise into the Agri sector

Question 7

Human challenge - Globalisation

Answer 7

Access to global markets

Small scale farmers cannot compete with large agribusinesses and they have been forced into high value crops which makes them more food insecure

Agri products are being imported into India from AC’s

GM crops are sold by MNC’s charging high prices

Question 8

For the future …

Answer 8

Need increased government investment in agriculture - particularly for machinery

Better prices for farmers - direct selling through farmers markets

Reduced input costs - co-operative farming And organic farming

Move to local food security - highest producer of rice and wheat buys accounts for 1/3rd of the worlds hunger - inefficiency in storage and distribution disrupts food reaching the people it needs to ( especially rural! )

Solution could be local distribution centres and infrastructures

Appropriate technology - better management of water supplies

Question 9

Malthus and boserup

More evidence for Malthus

Answer 9

Unreliable weather patterns = positive checks

High succeed rates and farmers leaving Agri

Overgrazing exposes the soil to water and wind

Question 10

Malthus

Answer 10

Essays on the principle of growth

• 1798

Theory that an optimum population exists In relation to food supply

Increase beyond this will lead to war and famine and disease

Absence. Of positive checks means humans will grow at a geometric rate and yet food will increase at ab arithmetic rate - therefore population will increase more than food supplies

‘Natural checks’ can be avoided with abstinence and later marriage to control fertility

Although it can be criticised with the last two centuries food production has increased with HYV crops, agrochemicals, greenhouses and reclaimed land ( wetland)

Question 11

Boserup

Answer 11

1965 - demand for food from population growth could push up prices and create an incentive for farmers to raise production ( cultivate more land using advanced technology and intense production with irrigation and multi-cropping

Eg in India - co-operative farming

Hydroponics in Japan

Better water supplies

AT - sack gardening in Kenya