Problems with Food Production and Distribution

Question 1

What are some disadvantages with improving the efficiency of food production? (5 points)

Answer 1

1) forcing animals to live in unnatural conditions is cruel, so there is an increasing demand for organic meat (such as free-range chicken)
2) crowded conditions mean that disease can spread faster
3) to prevent disease, animals are given antibiotics, which can enter humans when eaten, which allows microbes in humans to become resistant to those antibiotics, meaning the are less effective as human medicine
4) the animals need to be kept warm, which often involves burning fossil fuels for energy, which wouldn’t be needed if the animals were in they natural environment
5) fish stocks are decreasing as lots of fish are being given to intensively farmed animals, which isn’t natural food for the animals

Question 2

Why does food distribution cause problems?

Answer 2

Some food has to be transported a long way, which is expensive and bad for the environment as fossil fuels are burnt, and carbon dioxide is released, contributing to global warming.

Question 3

Why is the fish stocks declining and what are some effects?

Answer 3

Due to overfishing. Some effects are:

• less fish for us to eat
• ocean’s food chains are affected
• some species of fish may disappear in some areas

Question 4

How can fish stocks be conserved? (2 points)

Answer 4

1) FISHING QUOTAS - limits on the number and size of fish that can be caught in certain areas, prevents certain species from being overfished
2) NET SIZE - limits on the mesh size of the fish net to reduce the number of unwanted fish e.g. shrimp. this means that larger species of fish can escape, and so can younger fish, so they will reach breeding age