STUPID DUMB SCIENCE FINAL I WANNA KMS - Food systems

I HOPE I DOJNT FAIL

What are the components of our food systems?

Interactions between production, processing, transporation, consumption and policies that impact our access to food

What has the population growth averaged per year?

1.08% per year, food production increased 2.2%

How has the rate of hunger changed?

Decreased globally

What caused global food production to increase in the 1960s?

The green revolution (however, it came with social and environmental costs)

What are the food system trade-offs?

Humans need to eat, farmers need to make a living

Food distribution is more of an issue than production

How is food production hurting the environment? (large footprint)

Through:

Habitat Loss

Nutrient Pollution

Chemical Pollutions

C emissions

Water

What else could that land be used for and how do we balance food production with those other possibilities?

4% Urban

21% Cropland

28% Forest

35% Pasture/Range

How much cropland makes up food we directly eat?

20%

Food that livestock eats makes up how much cropland?

32%

Does the world still have some potential available cropland?

The world still has some unused formable land

However, this land provides ecoystem services

What is the prarie pothole region?

Extensive wetlands and shallow lakes left behind by the glaciers

What is the significance of prarie potholes?

Important habitat for waterfowl and wildlife

It is a carbon sink

Reduces nutrients and water runoffs

Loss of Prarie and Wetlands

50-99% of wetlands and grasslands were lost/severely degraded (either drained or nutrient pollution)

Voted for conservation priority in the USA by ducks unlimited

How do we reduce habitat loss?

Through Land-sharing (less intensive agriculture)

What is a pro for land sharing?

Agricultural land can provide more environmental benefits (animal habitat, carbon storage, etc)

What is a con for land sharing?

Needs more land to grow some food

What are some examples?

Organic agriculture

Regenerative Grazing

Shade grown coffee

Permaculture

What is land sparing?

More intensive, efficient agriculture

What is a pro for land sparing?

More food on less land area, other land can be conserved with less human impact

What is a con for land sparing?

Increased impact on environment

Sustainable Intensification

Increase crop yields

Grow and eat more efficient calorie and protein sources

Land sharing and Livestock

Regenerative grazing uses cattle to mimic ecological role of bison (lower stocking densities and frequent moving of cattle)

Land sparing examples

Increase crop yields

Grow and eat more efficient calorie/protein sources

Land Sparing - Higher Crop yields

Improving crop yields

Avg. Corn yields have gone from 25-160 bushels per acre in the past century

What is the green revolution program

Started over 50 years ago; a concerted plant breeding/agriculture program

High responders

Modern crops more productive, but over narrower range of conditions (more input needed)

ex: fertilizer, pesticides, water

Land sparing - Efficient Diet

Raising animals uses a lot of land and resources

Why is raising animals so taxing on the environment?

10% Rule

3% Rule for Cows

Replacing meat with other protein sources

Legumes (beans, soy, peanuts, peas)

Grains (quinoa, etc)

What is CRP?

Conservation Reserve Program (provides habitat for many species, including waterfowl and pheasants)