losing the earth

7/27/2019 Losing the Earth

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Though issues such as global warming, depletion of the ozone layer, loss ofbiodiversity and deforestation have received far more publicity, soil loss anddegradation are just as serious for the future of the planet and could have even more

catastrophic implications, especially for the poorer countries of the world.

The reason is simple. Ninety per cent of food production depends ultimately on thesoil. With the worlds population already over 5 billion and increasing at nearly 100million a year, the capacity of the soil to produce enough food is being stretched to thelimit.

Optimists point out that the doubling of theworlds population which has taken place in thelast half century has been matched by even

bigger increases in food production. But canthe miracle of the Green Revolution berepeated on an even bigger scale as thepopulation doubles yet again in the next 50years? It seems unlikely.

While improved farming efficiency and theintroduction of high yielding crops have so far enabled global food production to stayahead of population increases, the picture is much bleaker at regional level. In muchof Africa, food production per head has fallen back in recent years. Worldwide, 69

developing countries have seen a decline in per capita food production. The tide ofnew births has overwhelmed the capacity of farmers to produce food from a soil whichis being exploited to destruction in more and more areas.

Conservation of the planets soil as a healthy and productive resource is clearly vital.But the reality is that soil is being lost or contaminated on a vast scale. According tothe latest report from the World Resources Institute, quoting estimates by the worldsleading soil scientists, more than 1,2 billion hectares of vegetated land an area aslarge as India and China put together have beensignificantly degraded since World War II. The

UN estimates that 6 million hectares of land arestill being turned to desert each year and that afurther 21 million hectares are being so badlydegraded that crop production cannot besupported.

Most of the damage is being caused by erosion,with deforestation being a major contributor. Removal of tree cover greatly increasesthe vulnerability of the soil to erosion by wind and water. In Asia alone deforestationhas caused the degradation of some 300 million hectares.

It is not just the developing countries which are experiencing damage to the soil. InEurope about 23% of vegetated land has been degraded, 14% of total land area isthreatened by erosion. More than 14 million hectares are contaminated with industrialand urban waste, pesticides and other pollutants.


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Many of these problems arise from the industrialization of agriculture. The richcountries have applied mass production techniques to farming as well as to themanufacture of goods. This approach has been immensely successful in terms ofproductivity and has freed millions of people from the tyranny of the land though nowit is fashionable to deplore the fact that the happy peasantry of the land has beenreplaced by the alienated workforce of the factory.

In 1870 almost half the population of OECD countries was employed in agriculture.Today the proportion is less than 6%. In Britain it is hardly more than 2%. Agriculturehas become agribusiness and the care of the land often comes a poor second tomaximizing output. By ignoring the capital expense of soil degradation and otherenvironmental costs, factory farming has appeared to be much more profitable than itreally is. Now the bills are beginning to roll in.

The problems vary from place to place but reach allparts of the globe. In southern Sweden, soil hasbeen compacted by heavy machinery. In eastern

England, nitrate contamination of drinking waterhas reached alarming levels. In Ecuador,deforestation on steep slopes has resulted indisastrous landslides and loss of soil into the rivers.

In the Third World, traditional practices such as slash and burn and shifted cultivation sustainable on a small scale often leave a trail of damage which leads to seriouserosion when practiced by large numbers of people. Even irrigation can destroy thesoil by bringing excess salts to the surface.

It is difficult to see how the problem of soil degradation can be solved in the nearfuture. Even in the developed countries, many farms have become locked into a cycleof use which requires them to make up for deteriorating soil quality by ever largerapplications of fertilizer. In Europe, for example, the application of nitrogenousfertilizers grew from 509 pounds per hectare in 1980 to 575 pounds in 1990.Monoculture and other industrial farming practices increase vulnerability to pests anddiseases. The excessive use of pesticides to control these problems contaminatesand depletes the soil which then needs more fertilizer. And so it continues in avicious circle of decline.

Understanding Global Issues

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Group A / B / C / D / E Names1. ______________________________________

2. ______________________________________

3. ______________________________________

4. ______________________________________

5. ______________________________________


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EXERCISE A : Tick off, underline or answer the questions.

1. In a few words explain the problem that is dealt with in this document. (2 pts)

...

...

2. Whats the main cause to the problem ? (1 pt)

...

...

3. The problem concerns rather the past, present or future. (1 pt)

4. Is the document generally positive or rather pessimistic about the future ? Explain. (2 pts)

...

...

5. Which part of the world is concerned ? (2 pt)

...

...

6. Several causes are mentioned. List 5 of them. (5 pts)

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...

...

7. Whats the consequence of monoculture? (2 pt)

......

8. What has so far contributed to preventing starvation in many parts of the world ? (2 pts)

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9. Whats the situation in the developed countries ? (1 pts)

...

...

EXERCISE B : Right or Wrong ? Justify.

1. The quality of the soil is not an important factor in agriculture. (___)

..

..

2. Agricultural techniques allow to solve the problems linked to population growth. (___)

..

..

3. The situation, as far as soil quality is concerned, has declined substantially since WWII. (___)....


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4. Deforestation is the main and only cause to land degradation. (___)

....

5. This phenomenon fortunately hits only the developing countries. (___)

....

6. The industrialization of agriculture has had only negative impacts. (___)

..

..

7. Less than 2% of the British population works in agriculture. (___)

..

..

8. Irrigation is not a problem in the Third World. (___)

..

..

9. In the developed countries farmers start using less noxious products. (___)

..

..

10. Monoculture has only positive effects. (___)

..

..

EXERCISE C : 1. Match the equivalents.

a. ozone layer

b. to stretch to the limit

c. the doubling

d. efficiency

e. crops

f. worldwide

g. on a vast scale

h. removal

i. land slides

j. to make up for

k. to depletel. agribusiness

1. harvest

2. to compensate

3. elimination

4. the business or industry of farming or agriculture : farming thought of as

a large business.

5. the downward sliding of a relatively dry mass of earth and rock.

6. to empty, to waste.

7. the layer of the upper atmosphere where most atmospheric ozone is

concentrated.

8. to extend or enlarge beyond the usual or proper limits.

9. increase10. productivity, resourcefulness

11. extensively

12. throughout the world

a. b. c. d. e. f.

g. h. i. j. k. l.


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2. Find in the text synonyms for the following words.

- questions

- to impoverish

- improbable . .

- removal of tree cover

- developing countries

- cost

- yield

- disease

EXERCISE D : Tick off the structure that corresponds best to the one that is underlined.

1. 90 % of food production depends ultimately on the soil (2) finallyhardly mainly

2. the capacity of the soil to produce enough food is being stretched to the limit (2) is reasonable has no limits is beyond what is considered reasonable3. to stay ahead of

population increases

(4)in a more advancedposition in a less advanced

position to give populationincreases

4. the picture is much

bleaker at regional

level (4) the situation isbrilliant the situation ishopeless the situation is worse

5. food production has fallen back in recent years (4) the food production has decreased the food production has increased the food production has remained the same6. the tide of new births has overwhelmed the capacity offarmers to produce (4) has made the farmers powerless has made the farmers stronger has made the farmers capable to produce7. Worldwide , 69 developing countries have seen a decline in

per capita food production (4) in parts of existing in different parts of the world existing in all parts of the world8. 14 % of total land area is threatened by erosion (7) is menaced by degradation is treated is experiencing damage


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9. In Britain it is hardly

more than 2 % (9) certainly only just undoubtedly

10. to make up for

deteriorating soil

quality (12) to compensate to increase to decrease

EXERCISE E : Translate the last paragraph inyour own language.

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Collective work assessment

You will be graded out of 100 points for the

following :

1. 10 points if every member of the group has contributed to

the final paper.

2. 10 points for working together quietly and efficiently.3. 10 points for handing in a clean, clear and neat collective

paper on time by the end of the lesson.

4. 70 points (for correct answers in full sentence form).

A B C D ENames

_____________

_____________

_____________

__________________________

Names

_____________

_____________

_____________

__________________________

Names

_____________

_____________

_____________

__________________________

Names

_____________

_____________

_____________

__________________________

Names

_____________

_____________

_____________

__________________________

EXERCICE A : Tick off, underline or answer the

questions.

1. In a few words explain the problem that is dealt with in

this document. (2 pts)

Soil loss and soil degradation can have dramatic

implications as 90% of food production depends on the soil.

2. Whats the main cause to the problem ? (1 pt)

The increase of world population and erosion.

3. The problem concerns rather thepast,presentor future.

(1 pt)

4. Is the document generally positive or rather pessimistic

about the future ?. (2 pts)

Pessimistic. It seems unlikely that in the next 50 years food

production will match the increase of population.


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5. Which part of the world is most concerned by the

problem ? (2 pt)

The planet (not only the developing countries . In Europe

about 23% of vegetated land has been degraded.

6. Several causes are mentioned. List 5 of them. (5 pts)

Deforestation

Erosion by wind and water

Overpopulation

Overexploitation

Contamination with industrial and urban waste

Pesticides and other pollutants

7. Whats the consequence of monoculture and intensive

agriculture ? (2 pt)

They increase vulnerability to pests and diseases.

8. What has so far contributed to preventing starvation in

many parts of the world ? (2 pts)

Improved farm efficiency and the introduction of high

yielding crops.

9. Whats the situation in the developed countries ? (1 pts)

14% of total land area is threatened by erosion. More than

14 m hectares are contaminated with pesticides.

EXERCICE B : Right or Wrong ? Justify.

1. The quality of the soil is not an important factor in agriculture. (___)

W. Soil loss and degradation are as serious as global warming, depletion

of the ozone layer, loss of biodiversity and deforestation. 90% of foodproduction depends on the soil.

2. Agricultural techniques allow to solve the problems linked to

population growth. (___)

R. Yes, but considered a miracle.

3. The situation, as far as soil quality is concerned, has declined

substantially since WWII. (___)

R. More than 1.2 billion hectares of vegetated land have beensignificantly degraded since WWII

4. Deforestation is the main and only cause to land degration. (___)

W. Erosion with deforestation being a major contributor.

5. This phenomenon fortunately hits only the developing countries.

(___)

W. Its not just the developing countries which are experiencing damage

to the soil.

6. The industrialization of agriculture has had only negative impacts.(___)

W. This approach has been immensely successful in terms ofproductivity and has freed millions of people from the tyranny of the

land.

7. Less than 2% of the British population works in agriculture. (___)


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W. hardly more than 2 %

8. Irrigation is not a problem in the Third World. (___)

W Even irrigation can destroy the soil by bringing excess salts to the

surface.

9. In the developed countries farmers start using less noxious products.(___)

W. They are locked into a cycle of use which requires them to make upfor deteriorating soil quality by ever larger applications

10. Monoculture has only positive effects. (___)

W. It increases vulnerability to pests and diseases.

EXERCICE C : 1. Find in the text equivalents for

the following words.

a. ozone layer

b. to stretch to the limit

c. the doublingd. efficiency

e. crops

f. worldwide

g. on a vast scale

h. removal

i. land slides

j. to make up for

k. to deplete

l. agribusiness

1. harvest

2. to compensate

3. elimination4. the business or industry of farming or agriculture : farming thought

a large business.

5. the downward sliding of a relatively dry mass of earth and rock.

6. to empty, to waste.

7. the layer of the upper atmosphere where most atmospheric ozone is

concentrated.

8. to extend or enlarge beyond the usual or proper limits.

9. increase

10. productivity, resourcefulness

11. extensively

12. throughout the world

a. 7 b. 8 c. 9 d. 10 e. 1

f. 12

g. 11 h. 3 i. 5 j. 2 k. 6

l. 4

2. Find in the text synonyms for the following

words.

- questions issues

- to impoverish to contaminate / to

degrade / to deplete

- improbable unlikely- removal of tree cover deforestation

- developing countries the poor countries /

third world

- cost expense


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- yield productivity / output

- disease pest

EXERCICE D : Tick off the structure that corresponds best to

the one that is underlined.

11. 90 % of food production depends ultimately on the soil (2) finally hardly mainly12. the capacity of the soil to produce enough food is being

stretched to the limit (2) is reasonable has no limits is beyond what is considered reasonable13. to stay ahead of

population increases

(4) in a more advancedposition in a less advancedposition to give populationincreases

14. the picture is much

bleaker at regional

level (4) the situation isbrilliant the situation ishopeless the situation is worse

15. food production has fallen back in recent years (4) the food production has decreased the food production has increased the food production has remained the same16. the tide of new births has overwhelmed the capacity of

farmers to produce (4) has made the farmers powerless has made the farmers stronger has made the farmers capable to produce17. Worldwide , 69 developing countries have seen a decline in

per capita food production (4)

in parts of existing in different parts of the world existing in all parts of the world18. 14 % of total land area is threatened by erosion (7) is menaced by degradation is treated is experiencing damage19. In Britain it is hardly

more than 2 % (9)

certainly only just undoubtedly

20. to make up for

deteriorating soil

quality (12) to compensate to increase to decrease


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losing the earth

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