3.2.5.2 + 3- Food Security

Topic 3: Population and Environment- Food Security

environmental factors that determine population distribution

• soil pH; to grow crops needed to survive

• rainfall; to grow crops needed to survive

• fertile soils; to grow crops needed to survive

• water access; trade, irrigation, water to drink

• natural resources; live near to sell or ue to make money

• deserts; too hot, hard to build and can’t grow crops

• tundra; too cold, hard to build and can’t grow crops

• topography; steeper land hard to build or grow crops on

food production in polar regions; limitations to growing and what they do to surpass this

• limited by severe cold temperatures and low precipitation rates

• sunlight limited during the winter months; lower temp and sunlight needed for photosynthesis

• permafrost on the ground; no soil to plant crops into

• arable farming difficult

• indigenous groups e.g. Inuit use hunting and gathering techniques e.g. fish, whales, foxes and deer

food production in temperate regions; link to environmental factors

• high rainfall levels and mild temperatures so more crops are able to be grown

• pastoral and arable farming

• distinct seasons so crops are grown at particular times of year where temperatures and rainfall specific

• no sunlight restrictions and consistent rainfall

• arable farming= cereal crops like wheat, fruit and vegetables like cabbage, carrots and potatoes

• pastoral farming= sheep and cattle

food production in Mediterranean climates; link to environmental factors

• hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters

• both pastoral and arable

• use drought-resistant crops that need less water to survive due to the dry summers e.g. grapes, olives and citrus fruits

• can also grow crops seen in temperate climates but use irrigation to do this to provide the crops with enough water to survive

• high wildfire risk to crops

food production in arid (desert) climates; link to environmental factors

• limited farming due to high temperatures and low rainfall (below 250mm per year)

• alternative technologies needed to sustain crop life

• irrigation used to provide water to crops to allow them to grow

• hydroponics and aeroponics

• specialised plants only e.g. date trees, that are adapted to this harsh environment to survive

• hot and cold deserts

• indigenous populations would follow a nomadic lifestyle with livestock, travelling to find water and forage

food production in tropical climates; link to environmental factors

• high temperature and high rainfall; ideal for crops growth

• crops able to be grown all year round and in high yields due to these conditions

• indigenous communities subsistence farm e.g. cassava, maize, rice, yams

• shifting cultivation= farmers use a plot of land for a few years and then move to a new area to allow the previous plot to recover nutrients

• coffee, tea, palm oil, rubber, spices

• pastoral farming e.g. cattle ranching in Brazil

• but rapid nutrient cycling so soils lose nutrients easily and extreme weather events e.g. drought, flood, tropical storms

• pests and diseases also a threat in the high temperature environments

food production in mountainous climates; link to environmental factors

• steep relief so hard to grow crops; thin to no soil

• high rainfall and low temperatures

• mainly pastoral farming of animals, like cattle, sheep and goats; able to survive on rough terrain and graze on grasses and heather

• mainly nomadic groups; move their hers in search for pasture and water

• terrace farming of crops like rice also takes place; farmers construct level platforms/steps on mountain slope

carrying capacity definition

the maximum amount of life an area of land can sustain with the resources available there

requirements to grow rice crop

• warmer climate; 16-27C

• humid

• high water; needs period of time standing in water

• fertile alluvial soils found in flood prone regions of river basins

• clay soils ideal as they better retain water

requirements to grow potato crop

• cooler temperatures; 18-20C

• less saturated soil but needs regular rainfall

• too much rainfall can cause potato blight; disease destroying the crop

• prefer loose, sandy soil that drains freely and rich in nutrients

environmental factors of food production

• water supply; need water to grow

• temperature; need temperature of usually at least 5C to be able to grow

• wind velocity

• sunlight levels; needed for photosynthesis

why is wind velocity a factor for food production

it affects the degree of storm damage and increases evapotranspiration rates

taller cereal crops like wheat and maize can be flattened by strong winds

what happens if the temperature in an area is too high for a crop

leads to higher rates of evapotranspiration and may not have enough water to survive

malnutrition definition

being in a state of insufficient food and vitamin consumption; not reaching daily recommended calories and not eating enough/the correct type of food

includes obesity

undernourishment definition

proportion of the population whose dietary energy consumption is less than a pre-determined threshold; suffering specifically from food deprivation

obesity definition

overeating and not eating enough nutrients; includes eating more salt, sugar and processed foods

also can include lack of exercise

three types of food insecurity and what they mean

• chronic food insecurity= long term or persistent food insecurity; when unable to meet minimum calorie requirements for a sustained period of time

• transitory food insecurity= short term or temporary food insecurity

• seasonal food insecurity= predictable and recurrent transitory food insecurity

  • associated with seasonal fluctuations in climate, disease etc

causes of chronic food insecurity

• poverty; lack of financial resources or assets

• political instability; not bringing enough food into the country on a long term basis

• war; food unable to enter, may be blocked etc

causes of transitory food insecurity

• short term shocks and fluctuations in food availability and access; may be sudden inflation, war etc

how many people are suffering chronic undernourishment and where is the statistic from

• 780m people; 2/3 of these in developing countries

• statistic from the FAO (Un Food and Agricultural Organisation)

number of adults overweight and obese in 2014

• 1.9B overweight

• 600m obese

global variation in undernourishment and why

• northern hemisphere has low levels of undernourishment; esp Europe and N America

• majority of developed countries nourished e.g. USA, Canada, Australia, NZ

• less developed countries, particularly in Africa and Asia are where undernourishment is most common

global variation in obesity and why

• majority of high obesity rates found in USA and Europe; money to buy more food, less exercise through cars and more processed

• France low obesity rates= strict food laws and differences in cultural attitudes towards food

• low levels of obesity rates in Africa and Central + SE Asia due to diets and higher poverty levels

• high levels of obesity in Middle East; fast food chain popularity, urbanisation, westernisation

when did obesity rates begin to rise in the USA and why

• 1980- international trade and TNCs increased

• increasing availability of fast food chains

• consumer demand increased

• more roads

how much have obesity rates increased around the world since 1980 and what % adults overweight and obese

• obesity has doubled across the world since 1980

• 39% adults overweight in 2014

• 13% obese

reasons why obesity rates are increasing

• development; as countries get richer, people have more money to buy food and more variety of food; can have more unhealthy foods

• increased development also means increased access to processed foods which don’t contain nutrients and are unhealthy

• increased access to fast food restaurants that are attractive due to taste and being easier

• increase in energy dense foods

• sugar in foods that don’t expect to have so much; hidden sugar in food and drink

• less education; countries having more cars and less walkable means people are exercising less, continuing to increase likelihood of obesity

• increase in convenience culture

• low-income households in developed countries; working multiple jobs, less time to cook, not enough money to buy natural or organic foods and so turn to cheap alternatives of fast food and unhealthy foods

why are obesity rates also increasing in low to middle income countries despite not being as wealthy

• TNC investment into these countries; increasing fast food restaurants being built in low-middle income countries

• westernisation is encouraging fast food, convenience culture and overall bad diets

• also cheaper than other options while seeming to be a full meal making it attractive

• look for high carbohydrate low nutrient options as well as these are cheaper too

two case studies for ways that obesity rates have tried to be limited

• sugar tax

• Jamie Oliver

sugar tax official name, what, when and why introduced

• Soft Drinks Industry Levy

• tax on sugary drinks; put on the companies and then this was passed onto the consumer so the consumer has to pay higher prices for the drinks

• introduced in 2018

• to combat childhood obesity by encouraging manufacturers to reduce sugar content

why is the sugar tax necessary

• rising health problems as a result of obesity e.g. type 2 diabetes

• tooth decay in UK children

• reduce intake of sugar and to encourage healthier diets

what drinks did the sugar tax apply to

pre-packaged drinks with added sugar over 5g per 100ml

economic implications of the sugar tax

• reformulation of soft drinks to avoid the tax, minimising the negative impacts on the industry’s profitability and consumer prices for the majority of products

• more sugar drinks sold for more money e.g. coke vs diet coke or coke zero, so gov gets more money and companies sell for more

• reduced obesity levels meant less stress on the healthcare system

was the sugar tax effective

• very; drove significant reformulation of sugary drinks, reducing sugar intake across the country

• therefore limiting the negative health implications of obesity that these drinks played a part in causing

• fewer tooth extractions as well as other positive health impacts

• however, more are needed as the price increase was only marginal and only in sugary drinks; other high sugar or salt foods also need this

what did Jamie Oliver do to help combat obesity levels and when

• 2005

• did a nationwide campaign to try to show the levels of unhealthy food in school dinners; sugar, salt and fat

• campaign led to the banning of unhealthy foods e.g. turkey twizzlers in schools

• also removed high sugary drinks and minimum meat content standards

• overall helped to decrease child obesity rates

factors that influence the obesity rates of countries

• development; higher development means higher obesity rates

• culture; different countries have different cultures over food; healthy foods e.g. in E Asia; stigma about weight

• political factors; lower obesity rates in areas that are struggling from food insecurity

• environmental factors; may have food supply damaged etc and means that they have less access to food and so lower obesity rates

reasons for unequal food distribution

• natural disasters; cause crops and warehouses to be destroyed, damage transport that could bring food into the country

  • being sped up by climate change

• uneven distribution of food around the world; developed countries wasting large amounts of food and is not distributed equally to countries who have less access

• climate- arid or tundra climates unable to grow large amounts of crops as well because of weather and so have to import majority of food, which requires money

• some countries are overpopulated and therefore struggle to provide enough food for the population; above the carrying capacity of the land

what three things do agricultural systems require

• inputs

• processes

• outputs

what are inputs and examples of inputs needed for agriculture

• inputs= things that are needed to set up a farm

• land

• labour

• capital investment

• water

• seeds or livestock

• fertiliser/pesticides

what are processes and examples of processes needed in agriculture

• processes= activities carried out to turn inputs into outputs; vary depending on technology and inputs

• ploughing

• irrigation

• milking/other animal husbandry

• application of fertilisers/pesticides

• harvesting

what are outputs and examples of outputs needed in agriculture

• outputs= products from the farm

• meet

• produce

• dairy products

• animal products

• crops

• grains

• hay/straw from field leftovers

physical factors that affect agriculture and how they affect it

• temperature= dictates the growing season; plants need heat to grow; temp varies depending on crop

• precipitation= determines water supply which is essential for crop growth

  • also not too much as this can kill them

• wind= wind and storm frequency restricts cultivation

• soil quality= depth, texture, structure, mineral content, pH, aeration, capacity to retain water and vulnerability to leaching

• relief of land= altitude and angle of slope

humans factors that impact agricultural system

• wealth and development; richer countries will have more advanced equipment and more intensive farms but overall less farmland due to urbanisation

• politics; some governments encourage different types of farming and invest in it more/less than others

• cultural; some countries have a tradition and culture of subsistence farming, meaning they will have more of it here

• climate change; impacts agricultural systems by having more extreme weather events and varying temperature and precipitation in different areas

six types of agricultural system

• intensive

• extensive

• agricultural

• pastoral

• commercial

• subsistece

what is arable farming

• farming of crops

• usually on flatter land with high quality soil

• can be subsistence or commercial

what is pastoral farming with examples

• livestock rearing

• can be subsistence e.g. nomadic pastoralism (herding of cattle, sheep etc) in semi-desert W Africa

• can be commercial e.g. sustainable cattle raching on S American Pampas

what is mixed farming and examples

• production of both arable and livestock products

• commercially sensible as allows flexibility

• most common agricultural type in the UK

• e.g. Fife, Scotland

• also includes diversification of product e.g. glamping, coffee shops etc

what is intensive farming and examples

• high investment of labour and/or capital e.g. machinery, glasshouses, irrigation etc

• produces high yields per hectare from often small areas of land

• generally more advanced machinery

• e.g. fruit, flower and veg production in SW England and Netherlands

what is extensive farming and examples

• low labour, machinery and capital inputs but large area of land; yield per hectare low

• e.g. hill sheep farming in upland regions of UK like Snowdonia, Lake District

what is commercial farming and examples

• involves maximising profits by specialising in single crops (monoculture) or raising one type of animal

• high investment of capital into land, contractors, machinery, agrochemicals and animal welfare

• e.g. grain cultivation in N America, tea plantations in E Africa and cattle ranching in S America

what is subsistence farming and examples

• direct production of sufficient food to feed the family or community involved, with any excess produce sold or bartered

• e.g. nomadic pastoralism in W Africa

• e.g. slash and burn shifting cultivation in Central and S America, Africa and SE Asia

what is the slash-and-burn technique

cutting down trees and vegetation, drying it and burning it to clear land for crops

the ash produced provides temporary nutrients to the thin, tropical soils, but the plot abandoned after a few years, rotates and then returns

what is agricultural productivity and how is it measured

• measure of yield a plot of land produces in a set time

• most common measure TFO (Total Factor Productivity); ratio of inputs to outputs

where is growth of yield found globally and why; patterns and variations in different regions

• countries in the tropics/subtropics generally higher growth

• less developed countries low growth as have reached their maximum due to economic development already happening

• also countries in the Sahara or arid areas less farming to begin with and so have low growth and yield in general; however new technology is improving this

famine case study- Yemen; key facts and why famine

• 5 years of civil war, thousands dying and 4m displaced

• poorest country in the Middle East anyways due to less oil and so less developed and less money

• countries like Saudi Arabia and UAE blocking aid to different groups to try toget their goals

• limited humanitarian aid

what is Yemen’s ranking on the HDI

179/189th

how many Yemeni’s are food insecure

16m

how many women and children require treatment for acute malnutrition

• 1.2m women

• 2.3m children; 400k at risk of dying without treatment

what is the WFP

World Food Program; part of the UN and is a humanitarian organisation that helps with food assistance in conflict etc to help achieve peace

CS- Nigeria; physical factors that are leading to food insecurity with statistics

• Lake Chad shrunk by 90% in 60 years and can no longer support thriving agricultural and fishing industries

• since 1970s, seasonal rainfall lower than average, increasing drought

• NE Nigeria labelled “climate hotspot” as result of significant rainfall reduction over past 10 years

CS- human factors for food insecurity in Nigeria

• population of Nigeria risen by 4.5x since 1960s causing more demand for food

• developing rapidly meaning more transport, consumerism etc

• rise of Boko Haram as extremist group in Lake Chad; led to rising conflict and loss of infrastructure

• 4k farmers killed in conflict with one another over access to land and water since 2016

• overall problems of poverty etc

CS- Ukraine; life expectancy

73 years; declined to 71 because of the war

GDP per capita of Ukraine

$5,300-6,300; upper-middle income country

population of Ukraine

38-42m

population growth size of Ukraine

-8%; population ecline

TFR of Ukraine

0.9 births per woman

IMR of Ukraine

8 per 1000 live births

literacy rate of Ukraine

99.4-100%

causes of food insecurity in Ukraine

• Russian invasion; started in 2022 by Putin

• disrupted agricultural production due to extensive land mining

• destroyed critial infrastructure including agricultural machinery and food storage facilities

• blocked Black Sea ports hindering the importation of food and exportation of goods to keep the economy running

• large displacement of the population

how many people are food nsecure in Ukraine

5m

what areas of Ukraine are most at risk of food insecurity

1/3 of population; in frontline areas like Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk

social impacts of Ukraine food insecurity

• mental health decline due to stress, anxiety and depression caused by not having enough food

• widespread poverty and debt just to buy food

• increased displacement of people as they are no longer able to survive in their homes

• lots of health risks due to malnutrition, particularly in children

• women and children disproportionately affected

economic impacts of food insecurity in Ukraine

• agricultural damages

• decline in cereal production and past three years of harvests negatively impacted

• high food prices led to inflation

• more people in poverty; have to sell assets and increase debt

• malnutrition; means less people are able to work and give back to economy

• strain on health services for those struggling from malnutrition; particularly children

cost of agricultural damages in Ukraine

$72B

percentage of cereal production decline in Ukraine

40%

environmental impacts of food insecurity in Ukraine

• long-term degradation of fertile soils due to nutrient depletion from mines and military activity

• chemical contamination from war debris impacted agricultural production and biodiversity

• increased soil erosion 35% of farmland

• military infrastructure damaged local ecosystems and biodiversity

• water pollution

CS Haiti- life expectancy

65 years

GDP per capita of Haiti

$2400; low income country

population of Haiti

12m

pop growth size of Haiti

1.15%

TFR of Haiti

2.66

IMR of Haiti

40.3 per 1000 live births

literacy rate of haiti

61%; very far below the average of Latin America and Caribbean

how many people face food insecurity in Haiti

5.7m people; almost half the population

percentage of people in Haiti suffering emergency acute food insecurity

17%

causes of food insecurity in Haiti

• gang violence; armed groups control over 80% of Port-au-Prince and block transport routes, attack markets and prevent food distribution

• economic collapse and inflation so rise in food prices so unaffordable to most people

• violence in agricultural regions meant farmers abandoned their land; lost crops and have to pay gangs for access to their land

• lots of environmental factors like earthquakes, floods, droughts destroyed many harvests

• heavily rely on imported food due to all of these factors so vulnerable to price changes

percentage that food prices have risen by in Haiti in 2024

33%

social impacts of food insecurity in Haiti with statistics

• increase in child malnutrition; 277k children suffer from acute malnutrition; 125k severely malnourished

• increased risk of child labour, early marriage and sexual exploitation in order to get food and money to survive

• forced migration; over 150k people have left because of lack of access to food

economic impacts of food insecurity in Haiti

• increase in inflation rates and therefore prices; food spending constitutes up to 70% of income

• many households in poverty due to being unable to afford food

• more money being spent on healthcare but not having an impact

• depression; faces economic decline and struggles to provide; many schools shut down because of this

environmental impacts of food insecurity in Haiti

• widespread deforestation

• more vulnerable to extreme weather events as unable to afford to rebuild the country after devastated; cycle where unable to rebuild infrastructure to produce food so food insecurity continues

• loss of biodiversity in order to have more fields for agriculture

• water source damage including salinisation of coastal aquifers

• unsustainable farming practices; need immediate high yield crops due to food insecurity, which reduces soil fertility and increases land degradation

global import/export patterns and why

• Europe generally food secure and therefore exports much of its products

• however Iceland and Ireland mainly imports; Iceland cold with harsh winters so less arable land and Ireland has historic limitation of farming due to colonial rule

• richer countries e.g. Middle East are able to import lots of food as they have the money to do so and also don’t have the climate for sufficient agriculture

• lower income countries don’t import as much of their food as they don’t have the money to do so; may lead to these places being food insecure

what are the Millennium Development goals; when, what and why

• targets proposed by the UN

• proposed between 1990-2915

• first goal was to half the proportion of people suffering from hunger. eradicate extreme poverty and hunger and have food security

• other goals included education, gender equality, reduction in child mortality, environmental sustainability etc

were the Millennium development goals successful in terms of food security (statistics)

• overall the goals not reached but lots of progress in the right direction

• extreme poverty reduced from 47% in 1990 to 14% in 2015

Sustainable Development goals; when, what and why

• set to be reached by 2030

• again has the goal of reducing worldwide poverty and increase food security

reasons why poverty and hunger are able to be decreased

• role of NGOs

• advancements in technology e.g. irrigation, agrochemicals, GMOs

• economic growth of countries

• expansion of social protection; food stamps etc

CS- Green Revolution; when did it start and what is it

• begun in 1940s-60s

• transformation of agricultural practices to increase yield

• aims to eradicate famine and increase food production to stop subsistence farming and food insecurity

three methods that the Green Revolution uses to increase yield

• hybrid plants/seeds

• agrochemicals

• irrigation

what do hybrid plants/seeds do

uses genetic modification to improve different factors of plants in order to increase yield

• drought resistant

• larger fruits

• faster growing time

• pest resistant etc

• uniform growing

positives of hybrid plants/seeds

• higher yield

• faster growing so more yields

• more successful harvests despite weather conditions

• therefore increases food supply and also makes it more stable

example of hybrid plants being used

• IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) developed the IR8 strain of rice

• produced in Asia in the 1960s and produced up to 10 tons per hectare

• optimised inputs and 10x more outputs

what are agrochemicals and examples

• chemical products used in agriculture to improve yield by preventing damage to crops and increase vitamins

• fertilisers= applied to soil to provide nutrients and allows continual cropping

• pesticides= kill and control pests which would cause damage to crops