week 1 - food system

Question 1

food system

Answer 1

a set of activities ranging from production through to consumption

Question 2

food security

Answer 2

when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. This is an outcome of food systems.

Question 3

what are two components of a food system?

Answer 3

activities & outcomes

Question 4

name some trends in traditional food systems

Answer 4

• it is oriented in food production
• short and local
• diverse
• familily / small

Question 5

name some trend in modern food systems

Answer 5

• in food processing
• long with many food miles
• few crops
• industrial, large
• chronic dietary disease

Question 6

why do we take a system approach?

Answer 6

• food systems are complex, and heterogeneous over space & time
• helps to address complex problems with multi-causality resulting form interactions among interdependent components
• allows for the recognition of heterogeneity among households, communities and institutions

Question 7

what are stocks & flows?

Answer 7

stocks are elements of the system that you can see, feel, count, or measure. Flows are what cause stocks to accumulate (increase) or deplete (decrease).

Question 8

Why do we establish system boundaries?

Answer 8

Prominents example in environmental science: life cycle analysis