What is Food Security & why is t a Global Significance?

Question 1

Food security

Answer 1

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization ~ FAO

Food security exists when all PEOPLE , at all TIMES -

have PHYSICAL and ECONOMIC access -

to SUFFICIENT , SAFE and NUTRITOUS food-

that meets their DIETARY NEEDS and FOOD PREFERENCES -

for an ACTIVE and HEALTHY life.

Question 2

The FOUR pillars of of food security

Answer 2

World Food Programme (WFP) :

AVAILABLITY ~ sufficient quantities of food determined by food production , stock levels and net trade.

ACCESS ~ concerns about individuals access to food has resulted in a greater policy focus on incomes , expenditure , markets and prices.

UTILISATION ~ adequate diet, clean water , sanitation and healthcare to reach a state of nutritional well-being.

FAO added :

STABILITY ~ a population , household or individual has access to adequate food at all times.
This can be impacted on by adverse weather, political instability or economic factors.

Question 3

CHRONIC food insecurity

Answer 3

• LONG TERM or PERSISTENT
• Occurs when people are unable to meet their minimum food requirements over a SUSTAINED period of time.

-Results from extended periods of poverty and inadequate access to resources.

• Can be overcome with long term development measures such as EDUCATION and productive resources such as CREDIT.

Question 4

TRANSITORY food insecurity

Answer 4

• SHORT TERM and TEMPORARY
• There is a SUDDEN drop in the ability to produce or access enough food to maintain a good nutritional status.
• Results from short term SHOCKS and FLUCTUATIONS in food availability and access due to variation in food production, prices and household incomes.
• Can be overcome with early warning capacity and safety net programmes.

Question 5

The Global Hunger Index

Answer 5

Measures hunger at global, regional and national scales.

Designed to raise awareness of geographical differences in hunger and how these change over time.

4 indicators:

UNDERNOURISHMENT

CHILD WASTING ~ proportion of children under the age of 5 with a low weight for height.

CHILD STUNTING ~ the proportion of children under the age of 5 with low height for their age, reflecting CHRONIC undernutrition.

CHILD MORTALITY ~ deaths of children under the age of 5.

Question 6

Results of The Global Hunger Index

Answer 6

GLOBALLY:
2000- 29.0 entering the SERIOUS category
2019 - 20.0 in between the MODERATE and the SERIOUS category.

NATIONALLY:
Some countries still have alarming levels of hunger :
- Chad- natural and human crises
- Madagascar
- Yemen- civil war
- Zambia
- Central African Republic - conflict

Question 7

The Global Food Security Index

Answer 7

• Provides a worldwide overview of countries most and least vulnerable to food insecurity.
• Combines 34 indicators
• These cover 3 key areas:
  AFFORDABILITY
  AVAILABILITY
  QUALITY
  SAFETY
  Of food across 113 countries.

Question 8

Food production methods 1:

     Arable & Pastoral

Answer 8

Arable:
- the growing of FOOD CROPS
- usually on fairly level and well-drained
soils.
Examples ~ The Nile valley & The Great Plains.

Pastoral:
- the raising of LIVESTOCK
- usually in areas unsuitable for arable
farming.
- soil often has limited fertility.
- becomes ineffective when the carrying capacity of the area is exceeded.
Examples ~ hill sheep farming in Wales.

Question 9

Food production methods 2:

Subsistence & Commercial

Answer 9

Subsistence:
Provision of food by farms for:
- Their OWN CONSUMPTION
- LOCAL COMMUNITY

• subsistence farms are vulnerable to SHORTAGES due to the lack of capital and other ENTITLEMENTS.
  Examples ~ wet-rice farming in India

Commercial:
- farming for PROFIT
- LARGE SCALE
- high capital inputs

Examples ~
- CATTLE RANCHING in South America
- PALM OILL plantations in Malaysia.

Question 10

Farming production methods 3:

Shifting & sedentary

Answer 10

Shifting cultivation~ a SUSTAINABLE method of the ROTATION of FIELDS rather than a rotation of crops.

• confined to a few ISOLATED places
• LOW population density
• LARGE areas of land and limited food
  demand.
  Examples ~ the Amazon Basin

Sedentary ~ farmers remain in ONE PLACE and cultivate the SAME LAND year after year.
Examples ~ dairy and arable framing in the UK.

Question 11

Food production methods 3:

  Extensive & Intensive

Answer 11

Extensive:
- LARGE-SCALE commercial farming
- Labour and capital are LOW in relation to
the area farmed.
- Yields per HECTARE are LOW
- Yields per CAPTIA are HIGH
Examples ~ Canadian Prairies cereal farming

Intensive:
- SMALL-SCALE
- Labour is HIGH
- Capital inputs & yields per hectare are
HIGH.
Examples ~ horticulture in the Netherlands.

Question 12

PHYSICAL INPUTS required for growing food :
- Temperature
- Water

Answer 12

TEMPERATURE:
- Crops have an optimum temperature at which farmers can obtain the greatest yield
Tropical crops ~ rice, 16 - 27 degrees
Temperate crops ~ wheat , 15-20 degrees

WATER:
- Plants comprise of 80% water
- essential for the germination of seeds and crop growth.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS ~ to produce sugars from light energy.
SOLVENT & TRANSPORT ~ movement of minerals and sugars throughout the plant.

Question 13

PHYSICAL INPUTS required for growing food :
- Light
- Air
- Soil

Answer 13

LIGHT:
- photosynthesis used sunlight
- light INTENSITY and DURATION is
important and the amount needed for
each plant varies.

AIR:
- Photosynthesis involves the absorption of CO2 and the release of O2.
- Oxygen is needed for RESPIARTION to carry out functions of water & nutrient uptake.

SOIL:
- A mixture of minerals and organic matter.
- Supply water nutrients and materials in which roots systems can develop.

Essential mineral obtain from soil:
- Nitrogen
- Potassium
- Phosphorus
- Calcium