14.2

World Food Supply

Supply and Economics

More food produced than ever- more food available per person than ever

Advances in agricultural practices and technology

Why so many starving people then? Food is traded as a commodity- economic

factors affect the distribution

Green Revolution

Two main foods of the world- wheat and rice Began in 1960’2 with new strains of wheat and rice-

better resistance to disease, grow faster, grow in more climates ( fertilizers and irrigation)

New plants increased crop yields 4X New machinery also increased production But, people who need it most ( 3rd world) cannot

afford the new technology, machines ( and fuel), fertilizers, or irrigation systems

Net result- countries like ours produce much more than we need- price of crop goes down; poor farmers cannot get a decent price for their crop

Cash Crops

Poor farmers cannot afford to plant and grow food crops, so they grow crops they’ll get more money for- cash crops

Cash crops include tobacco, opium, livestock feed, etc.

Cash crops often are exported In many developing nations 85% of the farmland is

owned by 5% of the people Money earned is used to by weapons- support

political leaders who will help the landowners.

Hunger

Natural causes- drought, overpopulation Also caused by gov’ts and profit-driven

landowners

Food From Water

Fish and sea animals- important source of protein ( 40% of protein in developing nations)

Currently- 55 billion metric tons produced naturally each year

Estimated oceans could produce 100 million metric tons for food; we now produce 90 million metric tons- so are we reaching the limit?

Quantities of some fishes are dropping; over fishing? 40 of 280 commercially harvested fish species are in danger

Aquaculture-commercial production of fish in a controlled environment

China, Thailand, India, Vietnam- fish are raised in algae in wastewater ponds