Demand for food is increasing

Food production is increasing

Demand often out strips supply

What three observations can you make from the graph?

Starter

An introduction to the global pattern of food supply and demand.

Learning objective

The world on your plate

1. Population growth (currently 7.2 billion)2. Increased standard of living3. Availability / price of food4. Improvements in transport and technology5. More adventurous eating

Increasing food demand

In pairs, think of reasons why global demand for food has risen.

Christmas dinner

Food miles

The following table shows the origin of some of the foods you may have eaten as part of your Christmas dinner. 1. On your world map, shade and label each country

listed.2. Draw an arrow from each country to the UK.3. Write the type of food and number of miles

travelled along each arrow.4. The map you have drawn illustrates food

miles. Write a definition of this term.

Item Miles travelled CountryAreas produced

in the UKPrawns 5342 Honduras Scotland

Avocados 5501 Mexico

Smoked salmon 4487 Alaska Scotland

Potatoes 3881 Egypt Scotland

Carrots 134 Nottinghamshire , UK

Brussels 168 Lincolnshire, UK

Green beans 4228 Kenya East Anglia

Cranberry sauce 3284 Massachusetts ,USA

Goose fat 506 Dordogne, France Norfolk

Turkey 5450 Brazil Norfolk

Bacon and pork sausages 596 Denmark Suffolk

Brazil nuts 6205 Bolivia

Stilton cheese 126 Colton Basset, UK

Brandy butter 513 France

Dried fruit for Christmas pudding

12,427 California

Food miles facts…

The UK imports half of our vegetables and 95% of our fruit!

Only 1% of our fruit and veg is imported by air.

Driving 6.5 miles to buy your shopping emits more carbon than flying a punnet of strawberries

from Kenya!

Air-transported green beans from Kenya produce less CO2 emissions than British beans which are grown using oil-based fertilisers, tractors, etc.

Most food imported by the UK has a low carbon footprint because it is transported by sea.

Our Cox and Braeburn apples are stored for 10 months. The amount of energy used to keep

them fresh for that time produces a New Zealand!

Food miles v. fair miles

The globalised food industry affects livelihoods and environments across the world.

Cash crops, like green beans from Kenya, help to sustain the economies of many developing countries - and the lives of many rural poor. Buying their produce can mean the difference between survival and starvation for many small farmers. The term fair miles is used when considering this aspect of the global food industry.

Why transport food so far?Many of the foods we import can be produced in the UK. So why transport goods like potatoes over such long distances?

Potatoes from Egypt

Whilst watching the clip think about the following questions:1. Egypt is a desert, so how are

potatoes grown on a commercial scale?

2. What are the pros and cons of growing potatoes in Egypt? Consider the process and the different people involved. Put your ideas in a table.

Plenary

Write three things that you have learnt today about global food supply and demand.