3.5 Food Resources

 Key terms: ◦ Under-nourishment- food intake not containing enough energy ◦ Malnutrition- food intake lacking essential nutrients such as protein and minerals ◦ Import tariffs- imposed by MEDCs, make the import of food more expensive, which can have knock-on effects for exporting countries ◦ Export subsidies- provided by MEDCs to their farmers, make farm products from LEDCs uncompetitive ◦ Food security- the situation where all people have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life

 Is this a case of the rich getting richer ◦ 75% of world’s population is inadequately fed and about 1 billion are going hungry ◦ Most of these in LEDCs ◦ Hunger-related death every 6 secs ◦ 10% increase in food prices=40 million more people in food poverty  Who can absorb 10% better? MEDC or LEDC

 Food Security ◦ Must be available (consistent sufficient quantities) ◦ Must have access ($$) ◦ How is it used (understanding of nutrition, water, sanitation)  Agricultural Production (Who’s doing what?) ◦ Haves (US/Europe)  Enough land and technology to maximize ◦ Rich have-nots (Japan/Singapore/China/Saudi)  Don’t have the land or the development yet to maximize, but they have the $$ ◦ Poor have-nots (you can probably guess most of these)  Can’t produce enough and can’t afford to import  Food Crisis Fundamental Threats ◦ More poverty ◦ Developments in LEDCs are eroding ◦ Endangering political security

 3 Big Influences on Food Supply ◦ Economic  Demand for certain products has outgrown supply  Costs for things like energy have driven up food costs  Underdevelopment in LEDCs=poor productivity and infrastructure  LEDCs make more % exporting than producing for local use ◦ Ecological  Climate change=poor harvests  Soil degradation  Declining biodiversity ◦ Socio-political  Import tariffs and subsidies creates advantages/disadvantages  Inadequate international food relief  Issues with resources such as rivers and aquifes

 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN INDIA AND OTHER LEDWCs WANT TO CONSUME MEAT AND MILK?

 It’s all about the number of trophic levels  Remember the 10% rule (respiration, waste, etc.) ◦ Terrestrial  Most food from low levels  Crop farms vs. livestock farms  Which is more efficient?  There are other benefits to livestock such as milk, hides, and labor ◦ Aquatic  Food generally harvested from higher levels  Therefore, less energy efficient compared to terrestrial

 Read the case studies on pages of Pearson & of Cambridge.  Select two name food production systems to compare and contrast considering the following: ◦ Inputs and outputs of materials and energy ◦ System characteristics ◦ Evaluation of environmental impacts

 Modern US ◦ Developed, high tech, high fossil fuel input ◦ Value speed and convenience ◦ Capitalism based revenue generation ◦ People removed from food production so don’t see negative results ◦ We are willing to compromise environmental health for the benefits now from pesticides, inorganic fertilizers, machine harvest etc. ◦ Recent shift to “Organic farming”

 Shifting cultivation ◦ Developed long ago in rainforests ◦ Small area of forest cleared and used until nutrients depleted ◦ Work in circular pattern, return later once soil fertility is renewed ◦ Tradition and ritual are important in choosing a site ◦ Returning to previous site is important historical event when ancestors are remembered ◦ Forest has a spirit=strong respect for environment ◦ Very energy efficient ◦ Very few people involved today ◦ Current exploitation of rainforest has shifted these cultivators

 Wet-rice ecosystem ◦ Rice cultivation dates back thousands of years ◦ High labor, low tech ◦ High pop densities=high demand for food ◦ Good growing conditions, although soil fertility is declining ◦ Rice is staple of diet and part of Asian culture ◦ Cooperation is necessary as plots of land for cultivation are small ◦ Family members will have their duties to ensure best yield ◦ Basis of many Indian dishes ◦ Associated with prosperity and fertility ◦ Frequent mention in literature