resource management Flashcards
why are resources significant?
food
- poor diet balance leads to malnutrition
-people need to be well fed to be productive
-obesity is a problem
(malnutrition affects 2bil)(sub-saharan africa suffer most)
water
-essential for drinking
-crops
- produce energy
energy
- needed for light, heat and power
- powers factories
- provides fuel for transport
provision of food in the UK
UK imports about 40% of the total food it consumes
- because its cheaper, demand for more exotic foods, and climate is unsustainable for production of some foods)
importing food adds to carbon footprint (food miles)
Uk is responding to these challenges by encouraging to eat local products
(riverford organic farms in devon)
provision of water in the UK
50% of UK’s water supply is used domestically
North and West have water surplus
(supply exceeds demand)
South and East have water deficit
water stress is experienced for more than half of England
Provision of energy in the UK
energy consumption has fallen recently due to decrease in industry
renewable increased
gas and coal still remain prominent
coal declined due to concerns about greenhouse gases
fossil fuels are likely to remain important in the future because:
-remaining reserves can provide for decades
-coal imports are cheap
- shale gas deposits may be exploited in the future
What factors affect food supply
climate
technology
diseases
water stress
conflict
poverty
what is meant by food security
having access to enough affordable, nutritious food to maintain a healthy life
many countries that experience food deficit also experience food insecurity
global patterns of food consumption/supply
- Canada, USA, Europe consume the most calories
- Sub-Saharan Africa consume less than recommended daily intake
- USA, Brazil, UK, have high outputs due to intensive farming/investment
- China and India have high pops and high agricultural outputs
- Sub-Saharan African countries produce less food due to unreliable rainfall, low investment, lack of training
why is global food consumption increasing
- there are growing populations
- increasing levels of development mean people can afford to buy more food
- improved transport and storage means there is more food available
what are impacts of food insecurity
Famine
- widespread shortage of food often causing malnutrition, starvation, death
- Somalia- 285000 people died 2010-12
Rising prices
- due to increased cost of fertilisers, food storage, transport
- LICs/NEEs are hardest hit by high food costs
Soil erosion
- the removal of fertile top soil layers by wind/water because of:
- overgrazing
- cultivation (of marginal land to increase food production causes loss of fertility)
- growing too many crops
- deforestation (removes covering of trees and increases surface run-off
Undernutrition
- lack of balanced diet, deficiency in minerals and vitamins
- 300000 deaths per year, half of all child deaths
Social unrest
- linked to large increases of prices of food
- 2011- price of cooking oil/flour doubled- led to 5 days or rioting, 4 people killed
how can food supply be increased
irrigation
- artificial watering of land
-construction of dams/reservoirs for larger commercial farming
-smaller schemes- Makueni County in Kenya
The ‘new’ green revolution
- focuses on sustainability and community
- water harvesting/irrigation
-soil conservation
- improving seed/livestock quality using science/technology
Aeroponics
- plants are sprayed with fine water mist containing plant nutrients
- excess water reused
- increased yield, lower production costs
Hydroponics
- plants suspended in water and plant feed in mineral wool growth medium
Appropriate technology
- using skills/materials that are cheap/easily available to increase output without putting people out of work
- for people living in poorer countries
Biotechnology
- living organisms make/modify products/processes
- development of GM crops- higher yields, fewer chemicals
- UK opposition to GM crops because of possible effects to environment/human health
Indus Basin irrigation system
runs from the Tibetan Plateau, through Pakistan, to the Arabian sea
largest irrigation scheme in the world
- 3 large dams, 100 small dams
- link canals and smaller canals
- 1.6mil km of ditches/streams provide for Pakistan’s agricultural land
advantages/disadvantages of Indus Basin
advantages
-improves food security for Pakistan- more land available for cultivation
- increased crop yields
- diets improved
- HEP from large dams
disadvantages
-some farmers take unfair share of water
- poor irrigation techniques mean water is wasted
- salinisation can damage the soil
- pop growth will increase demand for water
- high costs to maintain reservoir capacity
sustainable food supply
Organic farming
- growing crops/livestock without artificial chemicals
Permaculture
- system of food production which follows patterns of natural ecosystems
- harvesting rainwater
- crop rotation
- managing woodland
Urban farming
- cultivation, processing and distribution of food in and around settlements
Fish from sustainable sources
-setting catch limits/quotas and monitoring fish breeding/practices
- 90% of world’s fisheries are over-exploited
Meat from sustainable sources
- small scale livestock farms, free-range, organic methods
- prices higher but quality/animal welfare standards are higher
Makueni food/water security programme
help to 2 villages and primary school in Makueni County, Kenya
included:
- improving water supply by building sand dams which store water in the ground by filtering rainwater- cost effective, sustainable
- providing reliable source of water for crops/livestock
- training programme for farmers
- growing trees to reduce soil erosion
project has been successful:
- crop yields/security increased
- water-borne diseases reduced
- less time wasted fetching water
Reducing food loss/waste
32% of all food produced is lost each year
-improved food storage and distribution using refrigerated containers
- clearer food labelling
- using sealed plastic bags so food lasts longer
- more sensible approach to using food that is past its ‘sell by’ date
