The Influences of Agriculture, Technology, Economics, and Politics Chapter 2, part 2

In the U.S.  Most people have many foods available to them. This is not the case for many people throughout the world.” What factors affect the availability of food?

Agriculture and Land Use   Food production is plentiful when these resources are available:   Fertile soil – in some regions soil quality is too poor to support crop growth. Ex. - in the Andes Mountains only hardy crops grow, like potatoes so they have become a staple food to people in Chile, Peru and Bolivia   Adequate water supply - water resources are at risk of being depleted   Favorable climate – Citrus fruits require warm temperatures for an extended time so most oranges come from Florida, Israel, and Spain.   Technical knowledge – through experience and scientific study, farmers have learned ways to increase crop production (fertilizers, planting techniques)   Human energy – needed to plant seeds and harvest crops, when other resources aren’t available, takes more human energy. In the Midwest, a farmer can produce enough grain to feed thousands, in Afghanistan (lack of rain, machinery, chemicals) many farmers barely produce enough food to feed their families.

Technology   Science, technology, and transportation resources   In the U.S., shoppers find New Zealand kiwifruit and Mexican mangoes.   Technology - the application of a certain body of knowledge   Modern farming machinery, faster food-processing systems, rapid transportation   Food biotechnology – uses knowledge of plant science and genetics to develop plants and animals with specific desirable traits/eliminates traits not wanted.   Pros/Cons?     Aseptic packaging – technology that preserves quality and extends shelf life of food

The Economics of Food   If a country cannot afford the agricultural supplies or technological aids, food production is limited   Lack of resources to build food-processing plants and store food safely could result in up to 40% of crops being lost to spoilage and contamination.   In wealthy countries, food prices and availability are also affected by global events and situations   When drought affects rice-growing countries and production decreases, the price of rice in the local supermarket goes up, too.

The Politics of Food   People with political power make most of the decisions (i.e. what land will be used for food production)   The U.S. government sets many policies that relate to the food supply   Products imported from other countries   How food is produced and processed   Label information

Nutrition Knowledge Affects Food Choices   Question: Should you avoid vegetable oil because it is high in cholesterol?   If you said yes, you would be agreeing with 68% of respondents to a nationwide survey.   Unfortunately, you would be wrong. Vegetable oil comes from a plant source, and therefore contains no cholesterol.

Other examples that reflect a lack of knowledge…   Certain foods have magical powers (eating an apple every day will not end your need for medical care)   Taking vitamin and mineral pills eliminates the need to eat nutritious foods (no pill can replace the nutrients supplied by a nutritious diet)   Foods grown without chemical pesticides have greater nutritional value than other foods (foods grown with and without chemical pesticides have similar nutritional value)

Nutrition Knowledge Affects Food Choices   Where do you look for information about nutrition?   Friends?   Relatives?   Books?   Magazines?   TV?   Internet?   Make sure you are finding reliable info – reviewed by registered dietitians, doctors, and health experts