Section 5: Food Production, Nutrition and Environmental Effects How much has food production increased? How serious is undernutrition and malnutrition? How serious of a problem is overnutrition? What are the environmental impacts of our food choices? Can China’s population be fed?

Food Production Tripled between , since then it has leveled off Africa, former Soviet Union and China seen biggest drops World produced enough food to meet basic needs, but still 1 in 6 do not get enough to meet nutritional needs Poverty, inequality, war, famine, corruption Tripled between , since then it has leveled off Africa, former Soviet Union and China seen biggest drops World produced enough food to meet basic needs, but still 1 in 6 do not get enough to meet nutritional needs Poverty, inequality, war, famine, corruption

Human Needs Large amounts of macronutrients (protein, carbs, fats) Small amounts of micronutrients (A, C, E, iron, iodine, calcium) Chronic under nutrition: disease increase, stunted growth etc. Malnutrition: can not get enough protein mainly eating corn, rice, wheat Huge childhood problem Large amounts of macronutrients (protein, carbs, fats) Small amounts of micronutrients (A, C, E, iron, iodine, calcium) Chronic under nutrition: disease increase, stunted growth etc. Malnutrition: can not get enough protein mainly eating corn, rice, wheat Huge childhood problem

Malnutrition UN Estimates: 5.5 million each year die prematurely due to effects of under nutrition. Each day 15,100 people % of which are children In U.S. estimates are 11 million do not have access to enough food UN Estimates: 5.5 million each year die prematurely due to effects of under nutrition. Each day 15,100 people % of which are children In U.S. estimates are 11 million do not have access to enough food

World Food Production  Malnutrition vs. Under nutrition  Shortages in developing countries Fig p. 287

Avg. male needs about 2,500 cal per day

Over nutrition Food intake exceeds energy use and causes body fat Too many calories not enough exercise Lower life expectancy, heart disease, lower productivity and quality of life In developed countries it is 2 nd leading preventable cause of death after smoking Food intake exceeds energy use and causes body fat Too many calories not enough exercise Lower life expectancy, heart disease, lower productivity and quality of life In developed countries it is 2 nd leading preventable cause of death after smoking

Environmental Effects of Food Production  Biodiversity loss  Soil degradation  Air pollution  Water shortages and erosion  Human health See Fig p. 290

Enviro impacts of food production Need to know these page 290

How it used to be done

Section 6: Increasing Crop Production What is the gene revolution? What is genetically modified food? Can we continue to increase food supplies? If so, how?

Increasing World Crop Production  Crossbreeding and artificial selection  Genetic engineering (gene splicing)  Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)  Continued Green Revolution techniques  Introducing new foods  Working more land

Cross Breading and Artificial Selection Done for centuries to produce “improved” crops Bigger corn and tomatoes Slow process

Genetic Engineering Slicing the DNA of one species into another Quicker More cost efficient Allows insertion of almost any species More than 2/3 of foods in U.S. have GE ingredients Resistant to heat, drought, pests, salty soil, less fertilizer………

Genetic Engineering Example: Citrus trees normally take 6 years to produce fruit yield in only 1 Rice crops that contain more protein or more iron or that can be grown with far less water Focus so far more on needs of developed countries vs. developing country needs ($$$) Example: Citrus trees normally take 6 years to produce fruit yield in only 1 Rice crops that contain more protein or more iron or that can be grown with far less water Focus so far more on needs of developed countries vs. developing country needs ($$$)

Study these pros and cons page 292

Frankenfoods or Savior Considerable controversy over GMOs, GMF, GE Foods What are the unintended consequences? Can these new species be recalled if there are problems? “Massive uncontrolled experiment?” Critics say move slowly Require labeling of GMF

Can We Continue to Produce MORE Lack of resources such as water, fertile soil and environmental factors may limit our ability to continue to yield more crops. Can we just spread the “Green Revolution” around the world to produce more? Will GE uniformity lead to more vulnerable crops to pests, diseases, harsh weather? Lack of resources such as water, fertile soil and environmental factors may limit our ability to continue to yield more crops. Can we just spread the “Green Revolution” around the world to produce more? Will GE uniformity lead to more vulnerable crops to pests, diseases, harsh weather?

Can We Continue to Produce MORE Will people be willing to try new foods? (superfoods) Fried ants or toasted butterflies anyone? Is irrigating more land the answer? Is cultivating more land the answer? Can we grow more food in urban areas? Why not just waste less food? 70% currently wasted

Mmmm, bacon!!!

Section 7: Producing More Meat How are rangelands used to produce meat? Is producing more meat the answer to the world’s food problems? What are the effects of overgrazing? How can meat be produced more sustainable?

Rangelands Many feel need to increase meat production to feed population As incomes rise so does meat consumption

Rangelands Are grasslands in temperate and tropical climates that provide foraging and browsing areas for animals Cattle, Sheep, goats are on 42% of rangeland Pastures are managed grasslands Renewable resource

Producing More Meat Meat products good source of protein Per capita meat production doubled since 1950 Feedlots: animals are fattened for slaughter in densely populated confined areas CAFOs = 43% world beef Meat products good source of protein Per capita meat production doubled since 1950 Feedlots: animals are fattened for slaughter in densely populated confined areas CAFOs = 43% world beef

Factory Farms Cattle, pigs, poultry As many as 100,000 cattle, 10,000 hogs shoulder to shoulder What to do with waste? Open Lagoons? Consume large amount of grain and fish instead of feeding on grass Antibiotics and steroid use See page 295 box

Overgrazing Occurs when too many animals graze for too long and exceed the carrying capacity of the grassland area Kills vegetation Reduces grass cover Causes erosion Compacts soil Damages watershed Desertification

Overgrazing: Solutions Control numbers by figuring out carrying capacity Move from riparian zones and locate watering hole away from sensitive zones Move animals around Replant overgrazed areas and/or use fertilizers

Producing More Meat  Feedlots  Rangelands  Improved rangeland management  Efficiency  Environmental consequences ( Connections p. 295 ) Kilograms of grain needed per kilogram of body weight Beef cattle 7 7 Pigs 4 4 Chicken 2.2 Fish (catfish or carp) Fish (catfish or carp) 2 2 Fig p. 297

What is this?

Section 8: More Fish? Where do we get our fish and shellfish? What are the impacts of over fishing? What is aquaculture?

Catching and Raising More Fish  Fisheries  Fishing methods ( See Fig p. 299 )  Overfishing  Commercial extinction  Aquiculture  Fish farming and ranching

Where do we get fish and shellfish? Fisheries: concentrations of aquatic species suitable for harvesting from a body of water 55% from the ocean Fish and shellfish supply 7% of world’s food Mostly from coastal zones Primary source of protein for more than 1 billion (mostly developing countries) Fisheries: concentrations of aquatic species suitable for harvesting from a body of water 55% from the ocean Fish and shellfish supply 7% of world’s food Mostly from coastal zones Primary source of protein for more than 1 billion (mostly developing countries)

Where do we get fish and shellfish? Aquaculture: using feedlot management to raise marine and freshwater fish. using cages and nets Rivers, lakes and oceans China the world’s leader 1/3 rd of world’s marine fish harvest is used for animal feed, fishmeal and oil

Kilograms of grain needed per kilogram of body weight Beef cattle 7 7 Pigs 4 4 Chicken 2.2 Fish (catfish or carp) Fish (catfish or carp) 2 2 Efficiency of converting grain to animal protein

How are fish harvested? High Tech Global Fishing Fleets Roam World Sonar, GPS, spotter planes, huge nets, long fishing lines Large factory ships catch, process and freeze product

How are fish harvested? Trawling: dragging a funnel shaped net along bottom of sea Used to catch bottom dwellers Shrimp, cod, flounder, scallops Scrapes up everything on bottom leaving it bare Clear cutting ocean floor Bycatch thrown back Trawling: dragging a funnel shaped net along bottom of sea Used to catch bottom dwellers Shrimp, cod, flounder, scallops Scrapes up everything on bottom leaving it bare Clear cutting ocean floor Bycatch thrown back

How are fish harvested? Purse-Seine Fishing: Surrounding schools of fish with boats and a huge net to capture entire school Net drawn in tighter and tighter Tuna, herring, mackerel Uses spotter planes often Led to huge dolphin kills

How are fish harvested? Long lining: putting out lines up to 80 miles long with thousands of hooks Swordfish, tuna, shark, halibut, cod Huge bycatch Endanger turtles, dolphins, whales etc.

How are fish harvested? Drift netting: using huge nets to trap fish Huge bycatch Kill many unwanted species Danger to marine mamals Since 1992 UN ban driftnets over 1.6 miles in international water (voluntary compliance) Drift netting: using huge nets to trap fish Huge bycatch Kill many unwanted species Danger to marine mamals Since 1992 UN ban driftnets over 1.6 miles in international water (voluntary compliance)

Over fishing Tragedy of Commons Not a new problem, but becoming global and tech driven Commercial Extinction Adding to the problem are development along the coasts, wetland and estuary pollution, coral reef and mangrove forest destruction New high demand for “healthy” fish

Aquaculture Raising fish and shellfish for food, like crops World’s fastest growing food production What do you think are pros and cons of this technique?

Section 9-10 : Government Ag Policy and Sustainable Farming How do governments influence agriculture? How can the world become more sustainable with agriculture?

Government Agricultural Policy  Artificially low prices  Subsidies  Elimination of price controls  Food aid

Solutions: Sustainable Agriculture  Low-input agriculture  Organic farming  Profitable  Increasing funding for research in sustainable techniques See Fig p. 302

mmm…chicken for dinner