global warming/ farming/ energy sources

Global warming management: Maldives

Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean, 1,5 m above sea level on average, with 80% percent of the land below 1m.

crisis:

• Global warming is a threat to the Maldives, as an increase in temperatures leads to the melting of icebergs, causing sea level rise that may submerge the island group.

Management:

• Government has built a 3m high sea wall that surrounds the island to protect it from flooding and preserve its beaches.

• Maldives plan to be a carbon neutral country by 2019. they try to avoid adding Co2 to the atmosphere, as carbon dioxide is considered to be responsible for global warming. This should be accomplished by encouraging the development of solar and wind energy.

Fuelwood in Mali:

in Mali , large amounts of fuelwood are used for cooking and heating, especially in rural areas, where electricity networks have not been developed.

Problems:

For local people: The large-scale deforestation that is required to  supply for sufficient energy is problematic, as this energy source is likely to run out if not enough trees will be planted. Besides, deforestation requires people to travel farther to collect enough fuelwood. Deforestation also exposes the soil so soil erosion is likely to occur. Furthermore, the burning of fuelwood releases toxic gases which may be trapped in the houses, causing breathing problems or even carbon monoxide poisoning.

Environmental: The widespread deforestation has reduced the humidity of the already dry region, as less plants release water by evapotranspiration.  Also, less roots are anchored in the soil, so the soil is more likely to be eroded. soil salinization is increased, as the cut-down trees no longer provide shade for the soil and the hot temperatures-caused draw water out of the soil. the natural vegetation will be less likely to grow, and crop cultivation may be hampered.

Geothermal energy in Iceland:

Iceland is located along the Mid-Atlantic ridge, a divergent boundary where heat from the core of the Earth rises to the surface. The energy produced from this heat equates to around 30% of Iceland’s electricity production.

How it works: Cold water is pumped down to the igneous rock layers, where it is heated by contact with the hot rocks. The hot water is then piped up and the heat energy is converted to electricity.

Positive aspects:

• emission-free

• sustainable and potentially infinite

• 3/4 of the population live near geothermal sources

Negative aspects:

• high cost

• obstruction that consumes land

• visual pollution

• regional limitations

• may release dangerous underground gases

Solar power in India

India is suitable for solar power due its large mass of land and its tropical location.

Advantages of solar power:

• safe and pollution-free

• great potential in rural areas that are isolated from the national electricity grids

• can be used effectively for low power uses as central heating

Disadvantages of solar power

• ineffective in high latitude countries and cloudy areas

• high initial capital input

• less effective for high output uses

Future plans:

• establishing an airport that relies solely on solar power

• developing 50 solar cities

• creating world’s largest solar power station

Wind energy in Germany

Around 9% of the energy produced in Germany comes from wind turbines located both on shore and off-shore (in the North Sea and Baltic Sea).

• Wind farms have been built in Germany starting from the 1990s, when awareness of Co2 as a contributing factor to global warming increased.

• government encouraged the production of onshore wind energy, as technical challenges prevented off-shore farms. The onshore farms were recognised as a cheap form of renewable energy, which does not contribute to air pollution, global warming or acid rain.

Problem:

• people did not want to live near wind farms, as these were considered a form of visual pollution.

• This issue was resolved by the development of off-shore farms, which are also more productive as there is more wind out at sea. However, the required network capacities for transmitting the power generated in the North Sea to the large industrial consumers in southern Germany have not yet been constructed.

Energy Supply in China

• China sources of its energy from non-renewable sources, with coal-powered plants accounting for roughly 65% of the country’s energy supply in 2020. Renewable sources accounted for another 30% of the country’s energy mix. In China, hydropower is the most-widespread source of renewable energy, and the country has many dams. Wind, nuclear energy and solar power are also becoming more important as the country aims to change to cleaner and more efficient energy sources.

Plantation: Rubber farming in Malaysia

Plantation- farms producing one type of crop

Inputs:

• tropical climate (21-28°C,  around 2000mm rainfall)

• Chinese and Indian labour imported to increase labour force

• nevea tree

• location: lower mountain slopes ; near railway lines and main port

Process:

1. Planting in germination beds

   1. Tapping 5-7 years after planting to collect latex

2. Latex is coagulated using acid

3. Raw rubber washed and rolled to remove acid ad moisture

4. Rubber is dried and smoked for stabilisation

Outputs:

• Rubber

Extensive commercial farming: Canadian prairies

Extensive farming in the Canadian Prairies because of:

• deep, fertile soils

• large expanse of flat land (nearly 2 million square kilometres) to grow wide variety of cereals in the province of Alberta

• able to use large machinery for harvesting

• below zero temperatures in winter break up soil to allow ease of ploughing

• good railway link to Great Lakes allowing export of cereal crops

Human inputs:

• reliance on machinery for ploughing, planting, spraying the crop and harvesting. A large proportion of expenditure goes toward machinery, chemicals and other equipment. Most of the work can be handled by just a few workers using machines such as combine harvesters and harrows. One or two extra helpers may be hired during planting or harvest time.

Intensive farming: Rice cultivation in Ganges Valley

Inputs:

• Rice seeds

• Alluvial (silt) soils

• Large labour force

• Temperatures: >21°C

• Monsoon rainfall and dry spells

• Water buffaloes for ploughing

Processes:

• Ploughing

• Planting

• Harvesting

• Threshing

• Weeding

Outputs:

• Rice

• Rice seeds

• Bufallo manure for fertilising

Problems:

• Weather conditions such as flooding or drought may threaten rice yields

• Monopoly of land: best farmland is owned by few wealthy people, other land owners struggle to cultivate rice in more difficult conditions, especially as they do not have the technology to increase soil fertility

• Little use of machinery and modern methods

• Food shortages: Overpopulation results in overcultivation on flood plains, leading to soil exhaustion and lower yields

Pastoral farming in New Zealand

Sheep farming inputs:

• Sheep were brought to New Zealand in the 1800s by British sailors. Initially, the sheep had few natural enemies, so their numbers increased rapidly.

• The sheep are also well adapted to the mild climate and the rich pasture, particularly on the mountainous slopes of South Island.

Processes:

• Feeding

• Shearing to obtain wool

• Milking

Sheep farming outputs:

• Meat: beaf and veel

• Wool

• Milk

• Sheep manure for fertilizing

Dairy farming inputs:

• Cow breeds

• Mild climate with high rates of precipitation

• Alluvial and volcanic soils on the flat planes of New Zealand

• Special facilities including water troughs, fencing, milking machines and cowshed

• Labour

Dairy farming processes:

• Grazing

• Milking

• Drenching

• Calving

Dairy farming outputs:

• Milk

• Calves

• Meat

Subsistence farming in Lesotho

Lesotho is a landlocked country that borders South Africa. It relies heavily on subsistence farming, with an estimated 86% of the country’s population growing their own crops and maintaining livestock.

Subsistence farming is common in the lowlands where the terrain is flat and thus suited for the cultivation of crops. In mountainous areas, many farmers also raise livestock to compensate for the lower yields from cultivation on mountain slopes.

subsistence farmers in vast parts of Lesotho raise livestock, which can be sold during drought years when crop yields are low. This provides food security for the farmer’s family.

Food shortages in South Sudan

In South Sudan, nearly 4 million people are severely affected by food shortages.

Causes:

• Drought: Long-term decline in rainfall in southern Sudan (by 20% since 1970s)

• High population growth (4% in 2013) increases demand for food, so unsustainable farming practices such as overgrazing and overcultivation are used, resulting in land degradation and soil erosion

• Reliance on food imports from neighbouring countries: Uganda, Kenya and Sudan

• Civil war between government and rebel forces disrupts planting and harvesting