Food Resources: A Challenge ForFood Resources: A Challenge For Agriculture Agriculture

OverviewOverview

o Food and NutritionFood and Nutritiono World Food ProblemsWorld Food Problemso Principle Types of AgriculturePrinciple Types of Agricultureo Challenges of Producing More Crops Challenges of Producing More Crops

and Livestockand Livestocko Environmental Impact of AgricultureEnvironmental Impact of Agricultureo Solutions to Agricultural ProblemsSolutions to Agricultural Problemso Fisheries of the WorldFisheries of the World

Food and NutritionFood and Nutrition

o CarbohydratesCarbohydrates• Sugars and starches metabolized by cellular Sugars and starches metabolized by cellular

respiration to produce energyrespiration to produce energy

o ProteinsProteins• Large, complex molecules composed of Large, complex molecules composed of

amino acids that perform critical roles in amino acids that perform critical roles in bodybody

o LipidsLipids• Include fats and oils and are metabolized by Include fats and oils and are metabolized by

cellular respiration to produce energycellular respiration to produce energy

o Vitamins and MineralsVitamins and Minerals

Human FoodsHuman Foods

World Food ProblemsWorld Food Problems

o Feeding growing population is difficultFeeding growing population is difficulto Annual grain production (left) has increased Annual grain production (left) has increased

since 1970since 1970o Grain per person has not (right)Grain per person has not (right)

World Food ProblemsWorld Food Problems

o FamineFamine• Failure of crops caused by drought, flood or Failure of crops caused by drought, flood or

catastrophic eventcatastrophic event• Temporary but severe shortage of foodTemporary but severe shortage of food

o Maintaining World Grain Carryover Maintaining World Grain Carryover StockpilesStockpiles• Amounts of rice, wheat, corn and other Amounts of rice, wheat, corn and other

grains remaining from previous harvestgrains remaining from previous harvest• Provides measure of food securityProvides measure of food security• Decreased each year since 1987Decreased each year since 1987• UN feels carryover stock should not fall UN feels carryover stock should not fall

below 70 daysbelow 70 days

FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITIONFOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION

o Global food production has stayed ahead Global food production has stayed ahead of population growth. However:of population growth. However:• One of six people in developing countries One of six people in developing countries

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

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

FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITIONFOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITIONo The root cause of hunger and malnutrition The root cause of hunger and malnutrition

is poverty.is poverty.o Food securityFood security means that every person means that every person

in a given area has daily access to enough in a given area has daily access to enough nutritious food to have an active and nutritious food to have an active and healthy life.healthy life.• Need large amounts of Need large amounts of macronutrientsmacronutrients

(protein, carbohydrates, and fats).(protein, carbohydrates, and fats).• Need smaller amounts of Need smaller amounts of micronutrientsmicronutrients

(vitamins such as A,C, and E).(vitamins such as A,C, and E).

FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITIONFOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION

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

Figure 13-Figure 13-22

Solutions: Reducing Childhood Solutions: Reducing Childhood Deaths from Hunger and Deaths from Hunger and

MalnutritionMalnutritiono There are several ways to reduce There are several ways to reduce

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

World Grain World Grain Carryover StockCarryover Stock

o Why the decline?Why the decline?• Rising temperaturesRising temperatures• Falling water tables Falling water tables

and droughtsand droughts• Ethanol productionEthanol production• More grain is going More grain is going

towards feeding towards feeding livestocklivestock

Overnutrition: Eating Too MuchOvernutrition: Eating Too Much

o Overnutrition and lack of exercise can lead to Overnutrition and lack of exercise can lead to reduced life quality, poor health, and reduced life quality, poor health, and premature death.premature death.

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

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

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

Principle Types of AgriculturePrinciple Types of Agriculture

Industrialized Industrialized agricultureagriculture• Modern Modern

agriculture agriculture methods methods that require that require large capital large capital input, and input, and less land less land and laborand labor

Industrial Food Production: Industrial Food Production: High Input MonoculturesHigh Input Monocultures

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

water, commercial fertilizers, and pesticides to water, commercial fertilizers, and pesticides to produce monocultures.produce monocultures.

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

crops such as coffee, sugarcane, bananas.crops such as coffee, sugarcane, bananas.

Fig. 13-4, p. 275

Plantation agricultureShifting

cultivation

Industrialized agriculture

No agriculture

Intensive traditional .Nomadic herding

FOOD PRODUCTIONFOOD PRODUCTION

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

Figure 13-Figure 13-55

Industrial Food Production: Industrial Food Production: High Input MonoculturesHigh Input Monocultures

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

slaughter.slaughter.• Most pigs and chickens live in densely Most pigs and chickens live in densely

populated pens or cages.populated pens or cages.• Most livestock are fed grain grown on Most livestock are fed grain grown on

cropland.cropland.• Systems use a lot of energy and water and Systems use a lot of energy and water and

produce huge amounts of animal waste.produce huge amounts of animal waste.

Case Study: Industrialized Food Case Study: Industrialized Food Production in the United StatesProduction in the United States

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

process food, produce commercial fertilizer process food, produce commercial fertilizer and pesticides.and pesticides.

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

Case Study: Industrialized Food Case Study: Industrialized Food Production in the United StatesProduction in the United States

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

Figure 13-Figure 13-77

SOIL EROSION AND DEGRADATIONSOIL EROSION AND DEGRADATION

o Soil erosion is the Soil erosion is the movement of soil movement of soil components, components, especially surface especially surface litter and topsoil, litter and topsoil, by wind or water.by wind or water.

Soil erosion increases through Soil erosion increases through activities such as farming, logging, activities such as farming, logging, construction, overgrazing, and off-road construction, overgrazing, and off-road vehicles.vehicles. Figure 13-Figure 13-

99

Global Outlook: Soil ErosionGlobal Outlook: Soil Erosion

o Soil is eroding faster than it is forming on more Soil is eroding faster than it is forming on more than one-third of the world’s cropland.than one-third of the world’s cropland.

Figure 13-Figure 13-1010

Principle Types of AgriculturePrinciple Types of Agriculture

o Subsistence AgricultureSubsistence Agriculture• Traditional agricultural methods, which are Traditional agricultural methods, which are

dependent on labor and large amounts of dependent on labor and large amounts of landland

o Examples:Examples:• Shifting cultivationShifting cultivation• Slash and burn agricultureSlash and burn agriculture• Nomadic herdingNomadic herding• IntercroppingIntercropping

Solutions: Steps Toward More Solutions: Steps Toward More Sustainable Food ProductionSustainable Food Production

o We can increase food security by We can increase food security by • slowing populations growthslowing populations growth• sharply reducing povertysharply reducing poverty• slowing environmental degradation of the slowing environmental degradation of the

world’s soils and croplands.world’s soils and croplands.