CBSS Humanities Flip Classroom Package

Lesson 5

2016 Pure Geog

Gateway 2: Trends and Challenges in food crop production

Thinking questions1. Why is it important to improve the

production of food crops?2. What challenges do farmers face in

improving production?3. What are some ways in which we can

improve food crop production?

Changes in crop production since the 1960s

• Food supply chain–The linear movement of food from

producers to consumers.–Producers – Processing & Packaging –

Distribution network – Retailers - Consumers

Producers

Processing & Packaging

Distribution Network

Retailers

Consumer

Rice and Wheat casestudy

• Increased intensity– Increased in farm productivity.– Input of resources (capital and labour) into farms.

• Productivity = Output/Input– Measured as Labour per unit area

or– Crop yield

PG 121

Productivity trend(a general upward trend observed)

Think for a moment!

Why would there be this trend of increasing

productivity?If there is no demand,

would there be this push to supply such food?What is causing this

massive demand for more food?

Choropleth maps

• Maps that use different shading or colouring to indicate differences in value.

• Darker shade / more intense colour indicates higher value.

• Pg 122

Genetically modified (GM) crops

• Introduced in 1996.• Crops with altered genes.• Grow faster / more resistant to pests /

increased output / other positive productivity effects.

• Main GM crops include rice, corn, soya bean, cotton.

Increased production in GM crop

• Between 1996 to 2011, total land area used to grown GM crop increased by almost 100 times.

• 160 million hectares in 2011.• Initially concentrated in North America, now

LDCs have increased production.

Factors that affect intensity of food production and supply

1. Physical factors2. Social factors3. Economic factors4. Political factors5. Technological factors

Physical Factors

• Physical features of the area.• Climate, soil and drainage.• Relief and suitability for

agriculture.

Climate

• Temperatures below 5˚C discourage crop growth.• Exceptions exist for particular crops

– Broccoli, strawberry, tea.• Optimal growing temperature is between 25˚C and

28˚C.• Rainfall is also necessary for cultivation.• General requirement is for high temperature and high

rainfall.• Temperate Climates also lead to presence of growing

seasons as opposed to Tropical Equatorial Climates.

Climate

• Rearing of cattle and poultry also requires favourable climate.

• Animals may become stressed by extreme temperatures.– Higher rates of infections– Less optimal milk production– Reduction / slowing down in growth rate

Soil and Drainage

• Composition of soil and nutrient content affects intensity of cultivation.

• Fertile soil is rich in minerals (nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus)

• Presence of good drainage reduces flood risk.

• Presence of water encourages growth.

Relief

• Relief refers to the slope and altitude of the land.

• Ideally flat land is most ideal for intense cultivation.

• Terracing can be used to modify slopes into suitable terrain.

• Temperature changes with altitude. If temperature is too low, cultivation is hampered.

Social Factors

• Social factors affect the intensity of food production and supply.

Land Tenure• Land tenure is the system by which

agricultural land is allocated and occupied.

• LDC farmers are poor. • Payment of rental (money / harvest) to

government.• Uncertainty in tenure lead to

unwillingness to invest to get greater gain.

Land Fragmentation

• The division of land into smaller plots• Every subsequent generation inherits

smaller piece.• Eventually, land sizes are too small to

support the families.• Smaller land sizes also make it less ideal

to use machines.

Land Fragmentation

Click on

picture to

watch video

Economic Factors

• The type of farming system, demand and trade affect the intensity of food production and supply.

Purpose of Farming

Subsistence farming vs Commercial farming

VSRead Pg

129

Demand

• Demand affects intensity of production.• More demand due to change in taste and

preferences affect crop production.• With spikes in demand, previously sufficient

production levels may need imports to meet higher demands.– China’s import of corn with rise in meat demand.– Pg 130

Trade

• The import and export of goods and services.• Free trade = international trade where there

are no barriers (additional terms / conditions).• Free trade allows for cheaper imports, more

variety for consumers.• With trade, large companies specialise in

crops for trading.

Click on the logo and watch the

video

Thinking moment: Do some online research now

• Google Monsanto Corporation.– What does this company produce?– What are their most famous innovations/ products?– Are there any pieces of information that celebrate

their innovations/ products?– Are there any pieces of information that warn about

their innovations/ products?– Why do you think these opposing information

pieces exist?

Agribusiness

• Large farming companies involved with most industries in a food supply chain.

• Farming , processing and retailing.• Large focus on scientific innovation in farming.• Large company, able to absorb impact of crop

yield variations due to environmental factors.– Monsanto, Tyson Chicken, State Farm…

Political Factors• Government policies ensure sufficient

food supply.• Collective policies and agreements by

regional countries affect regional food production.

• Government policy–Action plan to change a specific situation.–Agricultural and food policy are adjusted to

achieve food security.

Government Policy

Agricultural policy Food Policy

Farmer development and education

Pricing policy Diversifying food source

Stockpiling

Pg 132

Government Policy

Agricultural policy Food Policy

Farmer development and education

Pricing policy Diversifying food source

Stockpiling

Pg 132

Agricultural policy

• Policies that affect domestic agriculture.• Decision on use of resources (land and

money)• Division on intensity of food production.• 2012 Indian farmer education

programme, seed choice, pesticide and irrigation.

Food Policy

• Decisions that affect food production, processing, distribution, packaging and storage.

• Singapore stockpiles rice as a key staple food source to hedge against price fluctuation and diseases.

Read about how ASEAN and EU plan for contingency

Click on both pictures to read the details on the plans

Pitstop 12 (Pg132)

• Take a look at the 3 questions on Pg 132 in PITSTOP 12.• We will discuss this during the

lesson in class.