ESS- 5.2 Agriculture and Food

finite

limited, going to run out soon

finite land as a resource

• 70% of earths ice free land is available for agriculture and forestry

• global population increase means increased demand for food

  • land suitable for farming is limited by: poor soil, climate, topography

marginalised groups and land access

• indigenous groups and low income populations are more marginalised in land use decisions

  • industrialised agriculture and infrastructure development can displace their traditional lands

land rights

• legal rights individuals and communities have to use, control and own land

  • eg. indigenous people and rural communities land is not only a livelihood source but also control to cultural identity and heritage

land grabbing

large scale acquisition of land by governments, multinational coorportions, private industries, often in developing countries

eg. purchase / lease of land for commerical agriculture, mining, tourism

factors influencial agricultural systems

• climate - sunlight, rainfall, etc can make it challenging to grow crops outside their native biomes

• soil types - determining agricultural productivity

• geography- terrain plays a role in determining what can be formed

• socio cultural- dietary preference, traditions influence livestock formed

• technology- access to technology can increase efficiency and yields

• economic- MEDC means more access and more agriculture

  • political / legal - government policies can either promote or inhibit agricultural productivity

mediterranean agriculture

• ideal for farming crops- olives, grapes, citrus fruits

  • require cafeful water management due to seasonal droughts

farming in mongolia

• farming in grasslands is more common since there is a lack of fertile soils for crops

regions in syria

• political instability impacts farming systems and they have changed alot

causes of imbalance in food distribution

• socio political- underinvestment in rural and rapid areas in LEDC

  • decrease in health means weakened available land force

food waste

• UN 12 calls for a 50% decrease in global food waste by 2030

• achieving this would increase food security while reducing environmental impact and help conserve resources (water, land, energy)

stages of food waste

• post harvest

• distribution

• retail

  • consumption

developed countries with food waste

• most waste occurs at the consumer level

  • increased food amounts wasted in houses, stores, restaurants

developing countries with food waste

• majority of food is lost during post harvest storage, processing, transportation due to insufficient infrastructure and technology

post harvest losses in sub saharan africa

• inefficient storage facilities cause significant post harvest losses

• especially for peristable goods such as fruits / veg

green revoloution

introduced high yield crops, chemical fertilizers, modern irrigation technologies

• this would increase global food production

key techniques

• high yielding varieties- breeding of genetically imrpoved plants (wheats/rice)

• synthetic fertilizers- use of nitrogen based fertilizers

• pesticides / herbicides- manage pests and weeds

• improved irrigation- ensured water availability in dry regions

green projects 3 major strands

• biochemical

• mechanical

  • social

biochemical strand in green project

• hybrid season selection

• use of fertilizers

• herbicides and pesticides

consequences:

• increased yields

• weeds and pests controlled

• increased costs for farmers

  • possible environment degradation

mechanical strand for green project

• diesel and electrical pump powered irrigation

• transport increase

consequences:

• controlled water supply

• less labour needed

• increased in dry areas

  • increased access to markets

social strand for green project

• land reforms

• loans

• changes in distribute systems

consequences

• farm consolidation

• better seeds and other inputs available for poor farmers

positive impacts of the green revolution

• Increased food production:

  • Significant increase in crop yields and food availability

  • Helped alleviate hunger and food shortages in many regions

• Economic growth:

  • Boosted agricultural economies and increased farmer incomes

  • For example, Mexico became a major wheat exporter due to green revolution practices

• Technological advancements:

  • Led to further agricultural research and innovation

negative impacts of the green revolution

• Environmental impacts:

  • The overuse of chemical fertilisers and pesticides led to soil degradation and water pollution

  • Loss of biodiversity due to intense monoculture practices

• Economic inequality:

  • Resulted in greater economic benefits for larger, wealthier farmers compared to small-scale farmers

  • Increased debt for farmers who could not afford new technologies

• Sociocultural effects:

  • Displacement and loss of traditional farming practices

  • Increase in rural to urban migration due to changes in agricultural labour demands

• Selective implementation:

  • The green revolution was not universal

  • It did not reach all developing nations

  • Regions without access to necessary resources and infrastructure saw limited benefits

types of farming systems

• subsistence farming

• clash cropping

• commerical farming

• arable farming

• mixed farming

• pastoral farming

• nomadic pastorialism

  • shifting cultivation

subsistence farming

• primarily to produce food for the farmer and their family

• little to no leftovers for sale

characteristics

• small scale production

• traditional methods

• low input and outputs

  • self sufficient

commerical farming

• large scale farming

• focused on producing crops / livestock for sale in the market

characteristics

• increased inputs in labor, capital, technology

• increased yields

  • market driven

clash cropping

• growing crops for the purpose of selling them for profit rather than personal consumption

characteristics

• focused on marketable crops such as cotton and coffee

• high value crops

  • small or large scale

arable farming

• focused on the cultivation of crops

characteristics

• involves growing crops such as wheat and corn and rice

  • either use monoculture or polyculture

mixed farming

• a system that combines crop cultivation and livestock rearing

characteristics

• enhanses nutrient cycling using manure as fertilizers

  • increased biodiversity

pastoral farming

• focuses on the raising of livestock such as sheep, goats, cattle

characteristics

• either extensive or intensive

• relies on grazing

• livestock products are the primary output

nomadic pastorialism

• type of pastoral farming where herders move with their livestock to find fresh pastures

characteristics

• mobile lifestyle

• common in arid and semi arid regions

  • allows land recovery

shifting cultivation

• farming system where land is cleared and cultivated for a few years and then abandoned to recover

characteristics

• slash and burn technique

• used in tropical forest regions

  • land left to recover

factors influencing agricultural systems

subsistence farming

• output- low yield, for family consumption

• inputs- low capital investments, little technology

• eg. sub saharan africa

commerical farming

• outputs- high yields, cash crops per sale

• inputs- increased tecnhology, heavy use of fertilizers, machinery

• eg. wheat farming in midland US

cuban polyculture

inputs;

• human labour, seeds, simple tools

location

• urban areas in cuba with a tropical climate

characteristics

• diverse crop communities, low inputs, resilience focused

facts/figures

• before 1990- relied on Soviet fertilizers

• after 1991- imports reduced 50-80%

• after 2000s- 300,000 urban farmers, food productuoin increased by 180%

environmental impacts

• increased soil health, biodiversity, land need

• decreased pollution, carbon footprint, per crop yield

outputs

• multiple crops, livestock products

socio-cultural impacts

• increased food security, nutrition and employment

sustainable fertilization

• aims to improve soil structure and nutrient availability while minimizing environmental damage

• compost and manure

• crop rotation

  • green nature

organic fertilizer advantages

• increased soil health

• sustainable

• nutrient variability

• supports biodiversity

  • long term soil fertility

synthetic fertilizers disadvantages

• decresed environmental impact

• increased energy consumption

• nutrient leaching

  • decrease in soil health

synthetic fertilizers advantages

• fast nutrient release

• precise nutrient control

• easy to transport - available

  • higher yields - increased crop productivity

sustainable fertilization

• composting in organic farms

• use compost as a sustainable fertilizer to increase soil fertility without using synthetic chemicals

  • cover crops to naturally enrich the soil with nitrogen to prevent erosion

natural methods of increasing soil health

• add organic matter

• use cover crops

• practice minimal or no till / no dig gardening

• rotate crops / plant diverse species

• mulch the soil surface

• manage nutrients carefully

• protect soil structure

• encourage / maintain soil biodiveristy

• keep continuous plant or ground cover

  • monitor soil

advantages of soil conservation

• maintains long term soil fertility

• reduced water runoff

• prevents soil loss

  • increased water retention - increases crop yields

soil conservation techniques- water

• terracing - building terraces on hillsides to prevent erosion

• contor plowing- plowing along contours of the land to reduce runoff

• cover crops- planting crops to cover soil during off seasons, preventing erosion

• bunding- constructing embankments along the contours of yields to hold back water and allow it to infiltrate the soil

  • drainage systems- installing drainage systems to channel excess water away

soil conservation techniques- wind

• tree and hedge systems- planting rows of trees and hedges around fields to decrease windspeed and protect soil from wind erosion

  • cover crops- similar in water erosion, cover crops prevent the soil from being blown away from strong winds

conditioners

lime- applying lime to neutrize acidic soils, improving their structure and making nutrients more available

organic materials- use compost, manure, green manure which enhanses soil fertility and organic matter content

cultivation techniques

• avoiding marginal land- not cultivating land that is prone to erosion or degradation

• strip cultivation- growing crops in strips along the contours of the land

• reduced tillage- un-minimising the disturbance of soil by using no till or low till farming techniques

• agroforestry- integrating trees into agricultural systems to provide shade, reduced erosion, increased nutrient cycling

  • mixed cropping and avoiding rotation- planting different crops together, reduce pest disease, promote biodiversity

environmental impact of cultivation techniques

• erosion prevention- techniques like windbreaks, contour plowing to help preserve topsoil which reduces the risk of desertification in vulnerable areas

• soil fertility- using more organic/green manure increases soil structure, water retention, nutrient availability, supports long term productivity

• biodiversity- agroforestry and mixed cropping increases biodiversity, enhancing ecosystem resilience and the services soils provide to crop and ecosystems

economic benefits of cultivation techniques

• sustainable yields- if soil health and fertility is maintained, farmers can achieve increased sustainable yields over a long term which gives them a steady income

• reduced impact costs- practices such as compost and tillage ca decrease the need for expensive synthetic fertilizers and machinery, lowering overall costs for farmers

socio-cultural benefits of cultivation techniques

• food security- help ensure communities, can maintain productive land for growing food

• preservation of traditional knowledge- rooted in medicine and traditional knowledge, promoting sustainable farming methods

• community resilience- with climate change, techniques increase resilience in rural / indigenous communities, and allows them to adapt changing conditions to maintain livelihood

traditional techniques

• practiced by small, low density populations but as populations grow methods have become less viable

• modern agriculture displaces traditional techniques

• if they combine both it increases sustainability

• eg. slash and burn (SE Asia), nomadic pastoral (Kenya)

tropic levels

• food yields and cost- energy transformed along a food chain, 10% of energy is transferred into the next tropic level

• plant based agriculture- produces a higher quality of foods per hector of land compared to raising livestock, grains veggies, legumes increase yields for human consumption

  • cost efficiency- less resources = intensive and cheaper then raising animals for food, livestock requires increased months of feed, water, space, contributes to deforestation, soil degradation and increased greenhouse gas emissions

stages of food supply chain

• farm level

• processing

• distribution (retail and wholesale)

• consumers

• governments

• food banks

strategies to decrease food loss- farm level

• more efficient harvesting needs to be implemented

  • more precise demand planning - avoids overpopulation

strategies to decrease food loss- processing

• increased packaging to extend shelf life and decrease waste

  • optimize food chains

strategies to decrease food loss- distribution (retail and wholesale)

• reduced overstocking, optimize product displays

  • use technology to track demand patterns

strategies to decrease food loss- governments

• policies can reduce food waste, increase public awareness

  • support research on sustainable agriculture

strategies to decrease food loss- consumers

• increase awareness about food waste

  • encourage better meal plannings

strategies to decrease food loss- food banks

• strengthen partnerships with retailers / manufactures

• invest in storage and transportation infrastructure

• expand networks to reach more food insecure populations

global strategies

• plant meal based substitutes- low reliance on livestock farming leads to a major source of methane emissions

• low methane rice- varieties decrease emissions from rice paddies, which is a significant source of methane which is a dangerous greenhouse gas

  • in field solar powered fertilizer production- using solar energy to power fertilizer production directly on the farm can decrease the need for fossil fuels in agriculture

  • nitrogen loss

  • climate smart application

  • food security

nitrogen loss

methods like live precession agriculture and genetic modification are being used to decrease nitrogen loss to the atmosphere during fertilizer application, increasing efficiency and decreasing pollution

climate smart agriculture

• global strategy to adress food security in the face of climate change

food security

• the physical and economic availability of food, ensuring a balanced diet that supports an active and healthy life

  • around 9% of the global population lack food security

how to measure global strategies

people who are moderately low on food insecure are uncertain about their ability to obtain food and have to reduce the quality / quantity of the food they get to eat by

factors influencing food security

• climate change- changing rain patterns affect crop yields, leads to decreased food availability

• economic inequality- LICs lack finance which restricts access to food

• political instability- war/conflict issues disrupt production and distribution

  • environmental degradation- decreased land management, deforestation leads to degraded soils

local differences in agricultural choices

depend on

• soil type

• water availability

  • climate

technological improvements in agriculture

• increase in agriculture have lead to increased levels of productivity eg. systems like greenhouses

  • these methods are important for supplying food in urban areas

precision farming

uses data to optimize water, fertilizer and pesticide use

vertical farming

grows food in stacked layers in urban areas, reducing land use

GMO’s

crop engineered for higher yields and resistance to pests and disease

harvesting wild species

• traditional harvesting is more sustainable

• allows ecosystems to remain intact while utilizing its resources

eg. brazil nuts, truffles, bamboo shoots, honey and insects

problematic examples of harvesting wild species

• pangolins- traditional but unsustainable harvesting

• bears- harvested for bile under inhumane conditions which reduces bear populations in the wild

  • bushmeat- harvesting wild animals leads to overexploitation and threatens species

alternate farming approaches

• permaculture- mimics natural ecosystems to create sustainable and self sufficient farming systems

• zero tillage- avoids plowing to pressure soil structure and decrease erosion

• rewilding- restores ecosystems by returning land to its natural site

challenges of alternative farming

• involves a trade-off between short term economic gains and long term sustainability

  • rewilding may not be sustainable for places depending on agriculture for survival

regenerative farming systems

• focuses on mixed farming techniques that integrate animals and plants to enhance productivity, biodiversity, soil health

benefits of permaculture

• promotes sustainability

• self sufficiency

  • resilience

low productivity farming systems

• these systems may struggle to increase the global demand for food

• local biodiversity

  • low environmental impact

meeting global food demand

• industrial agriculture provides higher yields but often at the cost of environmental degradation

  • solutions include sustainable intensification

food sovereignty

• the right of people and communities to define their own food agriculture, livestock, fish systems

• emphasis local control over food production and distribution, respect for the environment and cultural / traditional values

indigenous practice challenges

• indigenous people face the threat of loosing land from agriculture, governments, deforestation

• no land means it is hard to maintain food sovereignty

under nutrition

• lack of adequate calories / nutrients

  • leads to stunted growth and weakened immune system

over nutrition

• excess calories, often from over processed foods

  • leads to obesity and related health issues such as diabetes and heart disease

solutions of malnutrition

• increase food distribution systems to ensure equitable access to food

• promote balanced diets and address food quality as well as quantity

eg. irish potato famine