The Challenge of Resource Management - [Optional] - Food (Paper 2) Flashcards

This is one of the optional topics for 'The Challenge of Resource Management' topic. You have a choice between one of the following: food, water or energy. If you are unsure, ask your class teacher.

1
Q

What is ‘food security’?

A

Having access to sufficient, nutritious and affordable food.

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2
Q

Which parts of the world consume high numbers of calories?

A
  • Europe i.e. France
  • North America (i.e. Canada and USA)
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3
Q

Which parts of the world consume low numbers of calories?

A
  • South East Asia i.e. Indonesia
  • Africa i.e. central Africa
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4
Q

Which parts of the world have a high global food supply?

A
  • China
  • India
  • USA
  • Brazil
  • UK
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5
Q

Which parts of the world have a low global food supply?

A

Sub-Saharan Africa

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6
Q

Why do some countries have a high food production?

A
  • Reliable farming methods
  • High levels of intensive farming
  • Suitable climate
  • Government investment
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7
Q

Why do some countries have a low food production?

A
  • Unreliable climate
  • Frequent droughts
  • Lack of investment / training
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8
Q

Name some areas of the world have food insecurity?

A
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Afghanistan
  • Bangladesh
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9
Q

What is meant by ‘food surplus’?

A

A country that produces more food than it demands

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10
Q

What is meant by ‘food deficit’?

A

A country that produces less food than it demands

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11
Q

Why is food consumption increasing?

A
  • Increasing global population
  • Increasing wealth/affluence
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12
Q

How does economic development cause food consumption to increase?

A
  • People can afford more variety of foods
  • Wealthy countries import large amounts of produce
  • Industrialising countries experience increasing populations which increases food demand
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13
Q

List the impacts of food insecurity

A
  • Famine
  • Undernutrition
  • Soil erosion
  • Rising food prices
  • Conflict
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14
Q

What is ‘famine’?

A

A large scale shortage of food which leads to populations becoming malnourished.

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15
Q

What can cause famine?

A
  • Drought leading to crop failure
  • Political conflict
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16
Q

What are the consequences of famine?

A
  • Serious malnourishment
  • Weakness and inability to work
  • Too weak to fight infection/ disease
  • Death
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17
Q

What is undernutrition?

A

Lack of a balanced diet

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18
Q

What are the impacts of malnutrition?

A
  • Weight loss
  • Health issues
  • Deficiency in vitamins and minerals
  • Death
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19
Q

How does soil erosion link to food insecurity?

A

Insufficient knowledge of technology to effectively farm can lead to over cultivation of land. This dries out the soil and exposes it to winds which erode the soil. Cattle may overgraze or too many trees may be remove which causes soils to bake.

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20
Q

Identify the physical factors that can cause food insecurity

A
  1. Climate - too hot or dry to grow food
  2. Water stress - inability to water crops
  3. Pests / disease - inability to protect crops from diseases which can destroy a yield
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21
Q

Identify the human factors that can cause food insecurity

A
  1. Poverty - not being able to afford to buy or effectively grow foods
  2. Technology - not having the equipment to produce food
  3. Conflict - makes it difficult to obtain food, some militant groups may prevent food reaching places
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22
Q

How does food insecurity lead to increased food prices?

A
  • Lower supply and high demand
  • Rising cost of transport / fertilizers etc
23
Q

How does food insecurity lead to social unrest?

A

Food riots when supply is low - often coincide with high food prices

24
Q

How can food production been increased?

A
  • Irrigation
  • Aeroponics and hydroponics
  • The ‘new’ green revolution
  • Biotechnology
  • Appropriate technology
25
Q

What is irrigation?

A

Artificially watering land/crops

26
Q

How does irrigation increase food supply?

A
  • Irrigation can be used when there are water shortages
  • Drip irrigation uses less water but directly waters crops
27
Q

What are aeroponics?

A

Plants that are suspended in the air. They don’t need soil to grow

28
Q

What are hydroponics?

A

Plants that grow in gravel mixed with a nutrient solution

29
Q

How do aeroponics and hydroponics increase food supply?

A
  • As they don’t require soil and much water, they are a more reliable yield
  • Less likely to be affected by disease/pests
  • Seasonal goods can be grown throughout the year
30
Q

What is the ‘new’ green revolution?

A

A sustainable approach to farming that is more environmentally friendly that the initial Green Revolution of the 1950-60s.

31
Q

How does the new Green Revolution increase food supply?

A
  • Produces crops that are genetically modified to resist some diseases
  • Move towards more organic farming methods to improve soil quality
  • Use of irrigation
32
Q

What is biotechnology?

A

Genetically modifying crops to improve yield

33
Q

How does biotechnology increase food production?

A
  • Genetically modified crops can withstand disease
  • More resistant to drought
  • Requires fewer resources to grow
34
Q

What is meant by ‘appropriate technology’?

A

Technologies that are appropriate, suitable and affordable for the farmers that use them.

35
Q

How does using appropriate technology increase food production?

A

Examples include water harvesting systems, drip irrigation, bicycles used to de-husk coffee beans. These strategies improve ability to produce crops quickly and efficiently.

36
Q

What is the Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS)?

A

An irrigation system that provides water for Pakistan’s farm land. It has 3 large dams with smaller dams to regulate water between the rivers connected in the system.

37
Q

What are the advantages of Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS)?

A
  • More water provided for crop production = higher yields
  • Dams have provided potential for HEP
  • More variety of food which has improved diets Increased profits from exported foods
38
Q

What are the disadvantages of Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS)?

A
  • Conflict over share of water
  • Increased salinisation can be detrimental to soil quality
  • Dams are costly to repair and maintain
  • Water held in reservoirs evaporates in the summer
39
Q

What is ‘sustainability’?

A

The ability to meet the needs of the current population without compromising the ability for future generations to meet their own needs

40
Q

What is organic farming?

A

Farming without using fertilizers or pesticides.

41
Q

How can organic farming create a more sustainable food supply?

A
  • More natural and less damaging to the environment
  • Lack of fertilizers and pesticides means less of a reliance on unsustainable resources
  • Reduction in air miles are food tends to be sold locally
42
Q

What is ‘permaculture’?

A

Producing food in a way that mimics natural ecosystems.

43
Q

How can permaculture create a more sustainable food supply?

A
  • Individuals encouraged to grown own foods
  • Altering diets to fit what is naturally produced
  • Eat organic and locally sourced food
  • Practicing crop rotation so to not exhaust soils
  • Growing a mix of crops to make use of space and light
44
Q

What is ‘urban farming’?

A

Using land in urban areas to farm e.g. roof tops, abandoned land.

45
Q

How can urban farming create a more sustainable food supply?

A
  • Range of fresh foods available which improves diet
  • Creates employment
  • Adds greenery to cities
  • Urban areas become less dependent on intensive agricultural practices
  • Attracts wildlife to cities
46
Q

How can sourcing meat and fish from sustainable sources create a more sustainable food supply?

A
  • Reduces over fishing
  • Cattle rearing often involves clearing land and is generally bad for the environment
  • Grass-fed meat provides natural manure for soil
  • Organic farming reduces waste, chemicals and energy used.
47
Q

How can seasonal food consumption create a more sustainable food supply?

A

Eating food that is in season reduces the amount of food that has to be imported. E.g. eating peaches outside of UK harvest means they have to be imported meaning more food miles.

48
Q

What actions can be taken to reduce food waste?

A
  • Sealed plastic bags to preserve food for longer
  • Educate public on ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ labels
  • Changing approach to food past its ‘sell by’
  • More careful food storage
49
Q

How can reducing food waste create a more sustainable food supply?

A
  • Schemes such as ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ encourages and educates people on how to avoid food waste
  • Encouraging composting reduces landfill
  • Reducing waste will reduce demand
50
Q

What is agroforestry?

A

Growing crops in amongst trees

51
Q

How is agroforestry appropriate for countries like Mali?

A

Desertification is likely as the land is dry therefore, planting crops under the shade of trees improves the nutrient and moisture content of the soil and prevents soil erosion.

52
Q

How does agroforestry work in Mali?

A

Farmers plant crops amongst trees. The plants add nitrogen to the soil which means no fertilizers need to be added. Leaf litter adds further nutrients to soil. Trees protect crops from wind.

53
Q

How is agroforestry in Mali an example of sustainable food supplies?

A
  • Increases food production
  • Maintains soil health
  • Doesn’t rely on overuse of chemicals
  • Can be used continuously