environmental sustainability and food production

primary processing

does not change food but makes it ready for consumption

fertilisers

chemical added to soil or land to increase its fertility

pesticides

substance used for destroying insects or other organisms

herbicides

control unwanted plants such as weedkillers

biosecurity

procedures designed to protect the population against harmful biological or biochemical substances

climate change

change in global or regional climate patterns due to the increased levels of carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels

biodiversity

different kinds of life seen in one area
—> microorganisms that make up our natural world
—> how this variety work together in ecosystems to maintain balance and support life

land degredation

any change or disturbance to the land perceived to be undesirable

soil erosion

wearing of topsoil
water erosion —> loss of topsoil due to water

organic food system

farming practices that produce crops/animals without the use of artificial chemicals

aqua culture

sustainable production method of seafood to address the concerns of overfishing and depletion of world fish stocks

fertilisers

used to enhance the soil quality and improve crop yields
- contaminates groundwater

herbicides

kill weeds that compete with plants
- toxic to humans

pesticides

control pests that eat crops
—> kill desirable insects

solutions to soil erosion

low impact (till) farming methods
plant more trees to hold topsoil
crop rotation

using water in primary production

irrigation
—> all crops need water but irrigation water is lost due to evaporation
salinity
—> natural salts from overwatering then it causes damage to environments and ecosystems along rivers

solutions to irrigation issues and salinity

monitor water quality regularly
do not overwater
use recycled water

choice of crops and animals

crops should be based of soil health/water availability/production costs

biosecurity protection

• develop polices to protect and conserve environment

• conduct risk assessments
  manage disease and pest outbreaks

climate change and increase in temperature

effect milk and meat production
—> reduction in quality and quantity

crops need more water to grow and yields are reduced

causes of loss of biodiversity

population growth and need to produce more food which causes clearing of forests and wetlands
excessive use of chemicals polluting waterways

solution to loss of diversity

seed banks, using indigenous seeds