Food Production and Consumption

How is global food production distributed?

Unevenly distributed.

What has happened to food production globally in the last 60 years?

It has increased - the area of land used for producing food has increased since 1965, and technological advances (e.g. rotary combines, pesticides) have made it possible to produce more food from less land.

What areas produce a lot of food?

East Asia and North America.

Why do East Asia and North America produce a lot of food?

• Climates are good for farming.

• Lots of investment in farming.

What areas produce relatively small amounts of food?

Central America and Africa.

Why do Central America and Africa produce less food?

• A lack of resources and funding for farming equipment.

• Large areas of land that are unsuitable for farming as they are either mountainous, have poor quality soil or little soil (e.g. Sahara desert).

• Unsuitable climates - some areas don’t get enough rainfall or are too hot.

What can be said about global food consumption?

It is unevenly distributed.

What does it mean for food consumption that global population is increasing?

More people means more food is being consumed.

What is happening to food consumption per person?

It is increasing globally - as the world becomes more economically developed, people are eating more.

Where is food consumption highest?

More developed areas, like North America and Europe, consume a lot.

Why do North America and Europe have the highest food consumption?

They can afford to import a large variety of foods, have a culture of consumerism, and many people have high disposable incomes so can afford more food.

Where is food consumption lowest?

In less developed areas like Africa and parts of South America, and Asia.

Why is food consumption lowest in Africa and parts of South America and Asia?

Consume less food per person as they can’t afford as much.

What countries are beginning to consume more food?

China and other emerging economies as their wealth increases.

What can be said about the types of food consumed between countries?

Types of food consumed varies between countries at different levels of development.

e.g. meat costs more to produce than plant-based food, so it makes up a bigger portion of the diet in more developed countries.

What is the average amount of meat consumed per person per year (2013-2015) in developed countries vs developing countries?

Developed - 65.7kg

Developing - 26.6kg