death due to lack of access of food
800m people lack access
24,000 die of starvation a day (8.8m a yr)
undernutrition
aka chronic hunger
not consuming enough calories to be healthy which leads to an energy deficit
avg person needs approx 2,200 kcal a day
deficit of 100-400 kcal- deprives people of energy, more susceptible to disease and for children can lead to improper
malnourished
3 billion people (1/2 worlds pop)
regardless of the calorie consumption, their diets lack the correct balance of proteins, carbs, vitamins and minerals
food security
condition in which people have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs for an active and healthy life
access refers to the economic, social and physical ability of food
food insecurity
the condition in which people do not have adequate access to food
famine
condition in which food insecurity is so extreme that large numbers of deaths occur in a given area over a relatively short period
18% annual mortality rate
result of crop failures, sometimes due to drought and can have social and political causes
anemia
iron deficiency
the most widespread nutritional deficiency in the world
about 3 billion people have it
can also be caused by malaria, AIDS, and parasite infestations
over-nutrition
form of malnutrition
ingestion of too many calories combined with a lack of proper balance in foods and nutrients, causes a person to become both overweight and malnourished
over 1 billion people are over wight
300 million obese (over 20% above ideal weig
grains
there are 50,000 edible plants but corn, rice and wheat constitute 60% of human energy intake
(largest component of the human diet)
globally we produce over 300kg of grain per person per year
meat
the second largest component of the human diet
usually defined as livestock such as beed, veal, pork, lamb and poultry consumed as food
people tend to add meat to their diets as income increases w economic growth
usa is second highest per capita consumer
undernutrition and malnutrition occur mainly due to poverty
farmers grow enough grain to feed at least 8 billion people (7.1b world pop)
poverty- lack of resources that allows a person to have access to food
starvation is due to an unequal distribution of food rather than scarcity of food
political and economic fa
approximately how many people are malnourished worldwide?
45%
undernutrition means
not consuming a sufficient number of calories
anemia, the most widespread nutritional deficiency is the result of insufficient
iron
which nutritional trend is true?
three species of plants contribute over 60% of human energy intake
the primary reason for malnutrition is
poverty
increase in food production leads to a positive feedback loop
w more food come more people, who require even more food production
industrial agriculture
aka agribusiness
applies the techniques of the Industrial Revolution-mechanization and standardization-to the production of food
enegy subsidy
the fossil fuel energy and human energy input per calorie of food produced
ex- if we use 5 cal of human and fossil fuel energy to produce food and we only receive 1 calorie of energy when we eat that food the the food has an energy subsidy (kinda a debt)
the green revolution
a shift in agricultural practices in the 20th century that included new management techniques, mechanization, fertilization, irrigation, and improved crop varieties, and that resulted in inquired food output
Norman Borlaug (1914-2009)-american scientist w
mechanization
plowing, planting, irrigation, weeding, protection from pests, harvesting, preparing for the next season
crops must be dried, sorted and cleaned after harvest
economically advantageous to replace humans or animals w machinery
in developed countries where
economies of scale
the observation that average costs of production fall as output increases
as a result, between 1950 and 2000, the average farm size in iowa more than doubled from about 70 ha to over 140 ha
irrigation
can allow land to be productive and make previously productive land even more productive
can deplete groundwater, draw down aquifers, and cause saltwater intrusion intro freshwater wells
contribute to soil degratin through water logging and salinization
waterlogging
a form of soil digression that occurs when soil remains under water for prolonged periods
impairs root growth because roots cannot get oxygen
salinization
a form of soil degradation that occurs when the small amounts of salts in irrigation water become highly concentrated on the soil surface through evaporation. these salts can eventually reach toxic levels and impede plant growth
fertilizers
industrial agriculture quickly depletes soil of nutrients which is why fertilizers are needed to replenish essential nutrients for plants such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium
organic fertilizers
Composed of organic matter from plants and animals.
typically made up of animal manure that has been allowed to decompose
generally used by traditional farmers
sythetic fertilizers
aka inorganic fertilizers
produced commercially, normally w the use of fossil fuels
nitrogen fertilizers are often produced by combusting natural gas
highly concentrated and their widespread use has increased crop yields
advantages:
designed for easy appl
monocropping
an agricultural method that utilizes large plantings of a single species or variety
dominant agricultural practice in the us
greatly improved agricultural productivity
can lead to environmental degradation
-soil ersoion
-topsoil can be blown away before f
pesticides
substances, either natural or synthetic, that kill or control organisms that people consider pests
in the us over 227 million kg of pesticides are applied to food crops, cotton and fruit trees and accounts for 1/3 of ww pesticide use
insecticide
target species of insects and other invertebrates that consume crops
application of pesticides is a rapid and relatively easy response to an infestation of pests on an agricultural crop
herbicides
target plants that compete with crops
broad-spectrum pesticide
a pesticide that kills many different types of pests
selective pesticides
target a narrow range of organisms
persistent pesticides
remain in the environment for a long time
ex DDT
non-persistent pesticides
break down relatively rapidly- weeks to months
ex- glyphosate aka roundup
pesticide resistance
a trait possessed by certain individuals that are exposed to a pesticide and survive
eventually more and more pests will be resistant and the pesticide will no longer be affective
pesticide treadmill
a cycle of pesticide development, followed by pest resistance, followed by new pesticide development
benefits of genetic engineering
possibility of greater yield and food quality, reductions in pesticide use, and higher profits for agribusiness
-reduction of losses to pests
increased crop yield and quantity due to genetic engineering
-can create strains of organisms that are resistant to pests and harsh environmental conditions such as drought or high salinity
-plants that produce essential nutrients for humans such as adding vitamin A to rice in Vietnam-golden rice
potential changes in pesticide use due to genetic engineering
could reduce the need for pesticides by injecting certain genetic material into plants that pests don't like
-resulting in a genetically modified plant that produces a natural insecticide in its leaves
-Bt corn -63% of corn in us by 2009
-crop plants that
concerns about GMOS
people question the safety and effects on biodiversity. regulation of GMOS is an issue
go safety for human consumption
so far there is little evidence to support concerns about ingestion of GMOS
-possibly may cause allergic reactions when people eat a food containing a gene transferred from something they are allergic to
go effects on biodiversity
concern that if gmos crop plants are able to breed w wild relatives the newly added genes will spread to the wild plants which might alter or eliminate natural plant varieties- buffer zones around gmos
-loss of genetic diversity among food crops so we won
regulations of gmos
currently there are no regulation in the us that mandate the labeling of genetically modified foods whereas the EU allows v few gmos
-almost completely banned in france, germany, and italy
so far the us govt has not approved any genetically modified anima
concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)
large indoor or outdoor structures designed for maximum output
-used for beef cattle, dairy cows, hogs, and poultry
-famers minimalist costs, improve feeding efficiency and increase the fraction of food energy that goes into the production of animal body
fishery
fish is the 3rd major food source
-commercially harvestable population of fish within a particular ecological region
-tragedy of the commons is applicable to ocean fisheries
-decline in fish population :( !
fishery collapse
the decline of a fish population by 90% or more
bycatch
the unintentional catch of non target species while fishing
If 12,000,000 kcal of chicken can be produced per ha, how much land is needed to provide someone w 2,000 kcal/day for a yr??
0.06 ha
the green revolution
encouraged the use of monocropping
broad-spectrum pesticides
are likely to kill beneficial insects
bycatch is
common in large-scale fishing
which in NOT a benefit of GMOS?
increased genetic diversity
alternatives to industrial farming methods are gaining more attention
industrial agriculture is also known as conventional agriculture because it is so common
but traditional farming techniques may also be economically successful
small-scale farming is common in the developing world where labor is less expensive than are ma
shifting agriculture
locations w moderately warm climate and relatively nutrient poor soils, a large percent of nutrients are contained within vegetation
-land is cleared and only used for a few years until the soil is depleted of nutrients.
-uses a technique called slash and
desertification
the transformation of arable, productive land to exert or unproductive land due to climate change or destructive lad use
nomadic grazing
the only sustainable way for people to use soil types w very low productivity
-move herds of animals over long distances to seasonally productive feeding grounds
allows vegetation to regenerate
not v sustainable
sustaibable agriculture
agriculture that fulfills the need for food and fiber while enhancing the quality of the soil, minimizing the use of nonrenewable resources, and allowing economic viability for the farmer
intercropping
2 or more crop species are planted in the same field at the same time to promote synergistic interaction between them
crop rotation
rotating crop species in a field from season to season
agroforestry
intercropping trees w vegetables allows vegetation of different heights, including trees, to at as windbreakers and to catch rich soil that might otherwise be blown away
contour plowing
plowing and harvesting parallel to the topographic contours of the land
-helps prevent erosion by water while still allowing for the practical advantages of plowing
perennial plants
live for multiple years and there is no need to disturb the soil
annual plants
wheat and corn
live only one season and must be replanted each year
no-till agriculture
agriculture method in which farmers do not turn the soil between season as a means of reducing topsoil erosion
-farmers leave crop residues in the field between season
-reduces co2 emissions-undergoing less oxidation
-downside is the increase in use of he
integrated pest management (IPM)
an agricultural practice that uses a variety of techniques designed to minimize pesticide inputs
-crop rotation and intercropping
-use of pest-resistant crop varieties and limited use of pesticides
organic agriculture
production of crops w out the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers
-ecological principles and work w natural systems rather than dominating those systems
-keep as much organic matter and as many nutrients in the soil as possible
-avoid the use of sy
individual transferable quota (ITQ)
a fishery management program in which individual fishers are given total allowable catch of fish in a season that they can either catch or sell
aquaculture
farming aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish and seaweeds
-may create environmental problems
-wastewater containing feces, uneaten food, and antibiotics is pumped back into the river or ocean that can contain bacteria, viruses, and pests
which of the agricultural methods is most similar to intercropping?
agroforestry
which agricultural method is used to prevent erosion?
contour plowing
which is NOT a principle of organic farming?
avoiding the use of fossil fuels
which is a part of integrated pest management?
crop rotation
individual transferable quotas
are a part of sustainable fishing
the use of synthetic fertilizers increases crop yields, but also
increases nutrient runoff into bordering surface waters
what is the primary benefit of perennial plants?
decreased erosion
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
soil bacterium that kills many caterpillars and some fly and beetle larvae
Blight
a plant disease, especially one caused by fungi such as mildews, rusts, and smuts