P&E CS - strategies to ensure food security

what 3 elements are used to determine if a location is food secure?

• food availability = food in sufficient quantities consistently, based on stock, produce and ability to gain foods from elsewhere

• food access = people must be able to regularly aquire adequate quantities of food through purchase, production, aid etc

• food utilisation = consumed food must have a positive nutritional impact on people (healthy, clean, etc)

what areas of the world are at the highest risk of food insecurity?

sub saharan african countries such as somalia, Democratic republic of congo and ethiopia

other areas in the world such as haiti etc

What are 3 ways that food security can be ensured?

• improved agricultural productivity - through high yield crops, agrochemicals, education etc

• economic growth - always beneficial as increases government ability to fund

• increased social protection - ensuring all members of society have healthy diets and lifestyles. this prevents 150 million worldwide from being impacted by extreme poverty

What is the green revolution?

research, development and technology initiatives since the 1940s-60s (countries such as UK, Italy, Mexico) which has significantly increased agricultural production worldwide.

What 4 methods has the green revolution used?

• high yield varieties = In Mexico hybrid wheat and maize strains were developed to withstand heavy rains, strong wind and diseases. This means maize yields doubles and wheat tripled.

• chemical inputs = increased use of fertilisers and pesticides. Synthetic hormones also means that growth rates and sizes could be controlled

• irrigation = extension of water control and irrigation schemes much as wells, pumps and river projects.

• Soil conservation such as contour ploughing and strip cropping.

what are the impacts the green revolution has made to food security?

• Increased Production: Global cereal production more than doubled from 1961 to 1985. For example, India's wheat production tripled from 12 million tons in 1965 to 36 million tons in 1980​

• Reduced Hunger: The Green Revolution helped significantly reduce hunger and poverty, particularly in Asia and Latin America.

What are the challenges of the green revolution?

• Environmental Damage: Overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides led to soil degradation, water pollution, and loss of biodiversity.

• Economic Disparities: Benefits were unevenly distributed, often favoring large landowners over small farmers.

what is the gene revolution

involves using genetic engineering techniques to develop genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that enhance crop productivity and resilience.

Involves taking genetic data from one plant and introducing it to another to make it more resistant to threats such as; drought, pests or disease.

By 2014 18 million farmers in 28 different countries were growing genetically modified crops across 181 million hectares

What are the impacts the green revolution has made to food security?

• It enables the development of new crop varieties that are more resistant to pests, droughts and much healthier to eat

• This increases the yield of crops making more food to consume and sell

• reduce pesticides needed to help growth

• Can prevent the potential impacts that climate change is having on food security - plants are more resilient

What are the issues with the gene revolution?

• GMOs face issues due to health, environmental and ethical concerns as are altering or removing the genes that control the nutrients of food crops

• The Implications on human health are unknown

• Nearly 40 countries have banned the cultivation of GM crops

• Reduction in natural plant types leading to a loss of biodiversity.

means they are highly controversial

What is vertical farming?

practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers, often in controlled indoor environments

creates large scale production in smaller space making use of factory like areas, therefore needing less land for agriculture

• often in controlled environment with artificial lighting, climate etc

what are 3 impacts of vertical farming of food insecurity?

• Can be established in urban areas reducing the distance that food has to travel between production and consumption.

• space efficient - allowing for high density crop production in a limited space. EG in singapore vertical farming creates 10x more crops per unit area than traditional methods

• resource conservation - Vertical farms use up to 95% less water compared to traditional farming, and reduced needs for pesticides + can use hydroponic methods

What are 2 challenges to vertical farming?

• cost - despite being effective in long run of expensive in initial stages as investment into spaces and technology is needed

• energy usage - dependance on artificial lighting and climate control leads to high energy consumption.

What are hydroponics?

method of growing plants with no soil, using nutrient rich water solutions

requires management of nutrients that are being delivered to the plants

lead to 30-50% faster plant growth than in soil creating higher yields