Food and Agriculture

Food and Agriculture

PA Standards 4.2.12.C: Renewable and

Nonrenewable Resources 4.4.10.B: Agriculture and

Society 3.6.12.A: Technology

Education

“The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.”- Franklin D. Roosevelt (1937)

Analyze factors that influence the availability of natural resources.

Assess the influence of agriculture science on farming practices (plowing).

Analyze and solve a complex production process problem using biotechnologies (e.g., hydroponics, fish farming, crop propagation).

Key Questions

What is food security? How serious are malnutrition and overnutrition? How has agricultural technology changed over time? What is the role of soil erosion in agricultural

practices? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using

the green revolution to produce food? What are the environmental effects of producing food? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using

genetic engineering to produce food?

The Big Three How many plant species have parts that we can eat?

30,000 plant species with parts that people can eat. Name the main plant and animal species that you consume.

14 plant and 9 terrestrial animal species supply an estimated 90% of the world’s food calories.

Grain crops, what are the “Big Three”? Wheat, Rice, and Corn (Maize) provide more than half of the calories

people consume. Two-thirds of the world’s people survive on primarily rice, wheat,

and corn because they cannot afford meat. More money means they can afford meat, milk, cheese, and

other domesticated livestock products. Fish and Shellfish

Important source of food for about 1 billion people. Mostly in Asia and in coastal areas of developing countries. Globally it supplies only 7% of world’s food.

Background Three Systems provide most of our food:

Croplands (77% food and 11% land) – Grains Rangelands and Pastures (16% food and 29% land) Oceanic Fisheries and Aquaculture (7% food)

Since 1960: Increased food production. Technological advances:

Increased use of tractors and farm marchinery and high –tech fishing equipment.

Advances in inorganic chemical fertilizers, irrigation, pesticides, high-yield varieties of wheat, rice, and corn, and raising large numbers of cattle, pigs, chickens, and fish in factory-like conditions.

Approximately 216,000 more people to feed each day. Projected 8.9 billion people in 2050. Must grow and distribute more food than has been produced

since agriculture began about 10,000 years ago.

Nutrition and Agriculture Project Define food security. Discuss the problems of malnutrition and overnutrition. Explain why we need to increase food production? Describe advances in agricultural machinery and technology in the United States

over time. 1760-1800, 1800-1840, 1840-1880, 1880-1920, 1920-1960, 1960-2000

Explain examples of agriculture in other parts of the world: Shifting Cultivation, Plantation Agriculture, Nomadic Herding, and Intensive Traditional

Agriculture. Discuss the two major harmful effects of soil erosion. Explain how the following can be important tools for sustainable agriculture:

Terrace, contour, strip crop, cover crops, alley cropping, windbreaks, conservation-tillage farming.

Explain the 1985 Food Security Act (Farm Act). Explain Desertification, Salinization, and Waterlogging of Soils. Describe the First Green Revolution between 1950 and 1970 and the Second Green

Revolution that has been taking place since 1967. There is natural capital degradation, or major harmful environmental effects of food

production. Describe the role of food production in the following environmental problems:

Biodiversity Loss, Soil, Water, Air Pollution, and Human Health. Address one issue regarding increasing Livestock Production as it relates to

agriculture.

Attempt to limit word use to titles and captions only. Use pictures/diagrams to illustrate the content. You will be expected to present, not read, the PowerPoint.

Review Key Questions

What is food security? How serious are malnutrition and overnutrition? How has agricultural technology changed over time? What is the role of soil erosion in agricultural

practices? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using

the green revolution to produce food? What are the environmental effects of producing food? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using

genetic engineering to produce food?

Lab

Discuss Plant Growing Technology Compare the following types of growth:

Soil Plant Tissue Culture Hydroponics

Article Assignment

Read the Urban Farming Article. Discuss about urban farming.

Core Case Study: Golden Rice -Grains of Hope or an Illusion?

Golden rice is a new genetically engineered strain of rice containing beta-carotene.

Can inexpensively supply vitamin A to malnourished.

Core Case Study: Golden Rice -Grains of Hope or an Illusion?

Critics contend that there are quicker and cheaper ways to supply vitamin A.

Scientist call for more evidence that the beta-carotene will be converted to vitamin A by the body.

FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION Global food production has stayed ahead of

population growth. However: One of six people in developing countries cannot

grow or buy the food they need. Others cannot meet their basic energy needs

(undernutrition / hunger) or protein and key nutrients (malnutrition).

FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION The root cause of hunger and malnutrition is

poverty. Food security means that every person in a

given area has daily access to enough nutritious food to have an active and healthy life. Need large amounts of macronutrients (protein,

carbohydrates, and fats). Need smaller amounts of micronutrients (vitamins

such as A,C, and E).

FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION

One in three people has a deficiency of one or more vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A, iodine (causes goiter - enlargement of thyroid gland), and iron.

War and the Environment

Starving children collecting ants to eat in famine-stricken Sudan, Africa which has been involved in civil war since 1983.

Solutions: Reducing Childhood Deaths from Hunger and Malnutrition

There are several ways to reduce childhood deaths from nutrition-related causes: Immunize children. Encourage breast-feeding. Prevent dehydration from diarrhea. Prevent blindness from vitamin A deficiency. Provide family planning. Increase education for women.

Overnutrition: Eating Too Much Overnutrition and lack of exercise can lead to

reduced life quality, poor health, and premature death.

A 2005 Boston University study found that about 60% of American adults are overweight and 33% are obese (totaling 93%).

Americans spend $42 billion per year trying to lose weight.

$24 billion per year is needed to eliminate world hunger.

FOOD PRODUCTION

Food production from croplands, rangelands, ocean fisheries, and aquaculture has increased dramatically.

Wheat, rice, and corn provide more than half of the world’s consumed calories. Fish and shellfish are an important source of food

for about 1 billion people mostly in Asia and in coastal areas of developing countries.

Industrial Food Production: High Input Monocultures

About 80% of the world’s food supply is produced by industrialized agriculture. Uses large amounts of fossil fuel energy, water,

commercial fertilizers, and pesticides to produce monocultures.

Greenhouses are increasingly being used. Plantations are being used in tropics for cash

crops such as coffee, sugarcane, bananas.

Plantation agriculture

Shifting cultivation

Industrialized agriculture

No agriculture

Intensive traditional ag.

Nomadic herding

FOOD PRODUCTION

Satellite images of massive and rapid development of greenhouse food production in Spain from 1974 (left) to 2000 (right).

Industrial Food Production: High Input Monocultures

Livestock production in developed countries is industrialized: Feedlots are used to fatten up cattle before

slaughter. Most pigs and chickens live in densely populated

pens or cages. Most livestock are fed grain grown on cropland. Systems use a lot of energy and water and

produce huge amounts of animal waste.

Natural Capital

Croplands

• Help maintain water flow and soil infiltration • Food crops

• Provide partial erosion protection• Fiber crops

• Can build soil organic matter

• Crop genetic resources• Store atmospheric carbon

• Provide wildlife habitat for some species • Jobs

Ecological Services

Economic Services

Case Study: Industrialized Food Production in the United States

The U.S. uses industrialized agriculture to produce about 17% of the world’s grain. Relies on cheap energy to run machinery,

process food, produce commercial fertilizer and pesticides.

About 10 units of nonrenewable fossil fuel energy are needed to put 1 unit of food energy on the table.

Case Study: Industrialized Food Production in the United States

Industrialized agriculture uses about 17% of all commercial energy in the U.S. and food travels an average 2,400 kilometers from farm to plate.

4%

Food production

Food distribution and preparation

Food processing

LivestockCrops5%6%2% 17%

of total U.S. commercial energy use

Traditional Agriculture: Low Input Polyculture

Many farmers in developing countries use low-input agriculture to grow a variety of crops on each plot of land (interplanting) through: Polyvarietal cultivation: planting several genetic

varieties. Intercropping: two or more different crops grown at

the same time in a plot. Agroforestry: crops and trees are grown together. Polyculture: different plants are planted together.

Traditional Agriculture: Low Input Polyculture

Research has shown that, on average, low input polyculture produces higher yields than high-input monoculture.

SOLUTIONS: MOVING TOWARD GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY People in urban areas

could save money by growing more of their food. Urban gardens provide

about 15% of the world’s food supply.

Up to 90% of the world’s food is wasted.

Government Policies and Food Production

Governments use three main approaches to influence food production: Control prices to keep prices artificially low. Provide subsidies to keep farmers in business. Let the marketplace decide rather that

implementing price controls.

Solutions: Steps Toward More Sustainable Food Production

We can increase food security by slowing populations growth, sharply reducing poverty, and slowing environmental degradation of the world’s soils and croplands.