Green Revolution-1 (1)

Energy Subsidies in Food Production

  • Understanding Energy Subsidies

    • Energy input: 5 calories of energy from human and fossil fuels are required to produce food for every 1 calorie received from food.

    • The food experiences an energy subsidy of 5.

    • Uses of input mass as an alternative measure for energy:

      • Feedlot Beef:

        • 20 kg (44 lbs) of grain → 10 kg (22 lbs) of beef, with an energy subsidy of 20.

      • Chicken Meat:

        • 2.8 kg (6 lbs) of grain → 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of chicken meat, energy subsidy = 2.8.

    • Traditional Small-Scale Agriculture:

      • Requires fewer energy inputs per calorie produced.

    • Modern U.S. Diet:

      • Estimated at a 10-calorie energy input for every calorie consumed, primarily from fossil fuel energy.

  • Transportation Energy Use:

    • Average food item travels 2,000 km (1,240 miles) from farm to table.

    • 17% of U.S. commercial energy use is for food production (Department of Energy).

The Green Revolution

  • Overview:

    • A shift in agricultural practices in the 20th century: management techniques, mechanization, fertilization, irrigation, improved crop varieties.

    • Initiated by scientists like Norman Borlaug, who developed disease-resistant wheat strains.

  • Impact:

    • Increased production dramatically; helped developing countries feed growing populations.

    • Transitioned from small farms to large industrial operations.

Land Requirements for Food Production

  • Feeding with Corn vs. Beef:

    • A hectare yields 370 bushels of corn.

    • Assumption: a person requires 2,000 kilocalories/day.

    • Food requirements calculation:

      • Total: 730,000 kilocalories/year.

      • Corn yield:

        • 370 bushels/hectare → 37,000,000 kilocalories/hectare.

        • Land requirement = 0.02 ha (0.05 acres) for a year.

    • Feeding with Beef:

      • Producing 1 kg of beef requires 20 kg of grain.

      • Land requirement = 0.4 ha (1 acre) for beef.

    • Global Implications:

      • Earth has ~1.5 billion ha of land suitable for food.

      • 2.72 billion ha required to feed 6.8 billion people on a beef-only diet.

Agricultural Practices

  • Mechanization:

    • Costs of equipment like combine harvesters can vary between $150,000-$400,000.

    • Larger farms benefit from economies of scale.

    • Single-crop farms are more efficient due to reduced equipment costs.

  • Irrigation:

    • Transforms unproductive land into high-yield agricultural areas.

    • Irrigated land (16% of agricultural land) produces 40% of the world’s food.

    • Negative Effects:

      • Groundwater depletion, waterlogging, and salinization.

  • Fertilizers:

    • Nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (NPK).

    • Types:

      • Organic: from animal manure and plant materials.

      • Synthetic: produced using fossil fuels; more concentrated and quickly absorbed.

    • Use increased from 20 million metric tons in 1960 to nearly 200 million in 2011.

Environmental Impacts

  • Monocropping:

    • Dominant agricultural practice; enhances productivity but increases vulnerability to pests and soil erosion.

    • Large expanses of one crop create favorable conditions for pests.

  • Pesticides:

    • Types of Pesticides:

      • Insecticides and Herbicides: Target specific pests and plants.

      • Broad-Spectrum vs. Selective: Some kill a wide variety of pests; others target specific species.

    • Pesticide Resistance:

      • Pest populations evolve resistance leading to the pesticide treadmill effect, requiring new pesticide development.

    • Pesticides can harm non-target organisms and pollute waterways, posing risks to farmers and ecosystems.