Module 1: Introduction to Food Systems Flashcards
The food system involves…?
all the activities and resources needed for the production, distribution, and consumption of food
What are activities referring to in a food system?
all steps from farm to fork: seeding, planting, harvesting, aggregating, transporting, processing, storing, distributing, marketing, selling, accessing, preparing, and consuming food.
What are the main components of the food system?
- inputs,
- production,
- processing,
- distribution,
- access,
- consumption
- waste
What kind of resources do food systems need?
natural, human, and economic resources
What is one example that the food system is connected to the environmental system
climate change; climate hazards such as wildfires, droughts, and floods can damage crops and injure farm animals, however agriculture is a source of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
Give an example of how the food system is related to the health system.
increased consumption of highly processed foods (with high amounts of sugar, salts, and fats) have been leading to an increase in diet-related diseases and healthcare system costs.
What other systems is the food system connected to?
environmental, social, economic, political, and health systems
What is a food value chain?
linear process, where one component comes after the other with the goal of increasing value
- inputs, production, processing, distribution, and consumption
What is a food system approach?
non-linear and assumes that system components interact with each other in a non-linear way
example: although it is true that production affects distribution in a linear approach, a non-linear perspective will also reveal that distribution can also affect production. For instance, in Brazil a small farmer had to reduce its production of tilapia because of a lack of infrastructure to transport the fish to the market (distribution). No refrigerated trucks, no tilapia
what is the difference between a food value chain and a food system approach?
food system approach recognizes the ‘outcomes/externalities’ of the food system (waste, pollution, loss of land, loss of biodiversity) & inputs
food system approach, however, these outcomes are part of the system itself.
What is community supported agriculture?
(example) Ryerson Urban Farm here at Ryerson University. The food is produced by farm staff and students using agroecological methods and is directly distributed through three paths.
What is the dominant model of our food system?
Industrial
What is the main goal of an industrial food system?
producing the greatest possible yield at the lowest possible cost for the firm
What are the benefits of an industrial food system?
creates lots of jobs, lots of food at a cheaper cost-> sufficient energy and nutrition for most people
What are the challenged of an industrial food system?
Overabundance of food and cheaper prices have led to overconsumption, which in turn has led to the growth of diet-related diseases and obesity; with mass production of food the opportunities for contamination increase; increased use of antibiotics in confined animals to promote growth and prevent disease is also associated with the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, or superbugs, with negative consequences for humans
What are the 7 principles of a healthy and sustainable food system?
health promotion, sustainability, resiliency, diversity, fairness, economical balance, and transparency
define wicked problems
problems for which stakeholders do not agree on the problem or its causes; each attempt to create a solution changes the problem; solutions are not right or wrong, just better or worse; solutions must be tailored to the situation; and they cannot be solved by people from any one discipline alone; multidisciplinary approaches are required
