Food Resources: Food Resources: A Challenge ForA Challenge For Agriculture Agriculture

Chapter 19

Overview of Chapter 19Overview of Chapter 19

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

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

respiration to produce energyrespiration to produce energy

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

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

Vitamins and MineralsVitamins and Minerals

World Food ProblemsWorld Food Problems

In 2012:In 2012:• 66 countries are low-income, food 66 countries are low-income, food

deficient.deficient.

• Nearly 1 billion people are food Nearly 1 billion people are food deficientdeficient

• 182 million children severely 182 million children severely malnourished and underweightmalnourished and underweight

World Food ProblemsWorld Food Problems

Common diseases due to Common diseases due to malnourishment:malnourishment:

MarasmusMarasmus

KwashiorkorKwashiorkor

Human FoodsHuman Foods

World Food ProblemsWorld Food Problems

Feeding a growing population is difficultFeeding a growing population is difficult

Annual grain production (left) has increased Annual grain production (left) has increased since 1970since 1970

Grain per person has not (right)Grain per person has not (right)

World Food ProblemsWorld Food Problems

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

• 1983-1985 – Drought in Africa resulted 1983-1985 – Drought in Africa resulted in 1.5 million deaths in Ethiopia and Sudanin 1.5 million deaths in Ethiopia and Sudan

• 1993 – civil unrest and drought resulted 1993 – civil unrest and drought resulted in 2 million starving Somalisin 2 million starving Somalis

• 1990’s – flooding and drought resulted 1990’s – flooding and drought resulted in 2 million deaths in North Koreain 2 million deaths in North Korea

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

World Food ProblemsWorld Food Problems

World Food ProblemsWorld Food Problems

Poverty and Food: Poverty and Food:

Making Food Affordable for the PoorMaking Food Affordable for the Poor• Poverty Poverty Poor nutrition Poor nutrition• Malnutrition more common in Malnutrition more common in

urban urban than rural areas in developing than rural areas in developing countriescountries

• Infants, children, and elderly most Infants, children, and elderly most susceptible to hunger and poverty.susceptible to hunger and poverty.

World Grain World Grain Carryover StockCarryover Stock

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

World Food ProblemsWorld Food Problems

Poverty and FoodPoverty and Food• 1.3 billion people are so poor they cannot 1.3 billion people are so poor they cannot

afford proper nutritionafford proper nutrition• More common inMore common in

• Rural than urban areasRural than urban areas• Infants, children and the elderlyInfants, children and the elderly

Economics and PoliticsEconomics and Politics• Cost money to store, produce, transport and Cost money to store, produce, transport and

distribute fooddistribute food• Getting food to those who need it is politicalGetting food to those who need it is political

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

Principle Types of AgriculturePrinciple Types of Agriculture

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

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

Challenges of Producing More Crop Challenges of Producing More Crop and Livestockand Livestock

Domestication and Genetic DiversityDomestication and Genetic Diversity• Domestication of crops and livestock Domestication of crops and livestock

causes a loss of genetic diversitycauses a loss of genetic diversity• Farmer selects and propagates animals with Farmer selects and propagates animals with

desirable agricultural characteristicsdesirable agricultural characteristics

• Many high yielding Many high yielding crops are genetically crops are genetically uniformuniform

• High likelihood that High likelihood that bacteria, fungi, bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc. will viruses, etc. will attack and destroy attack and destroy entire cropentire crop

Increasing Crop YieldIncreasing Crop Yield

Challenges of Producing More Crop Challenges of Producing More Crop and Livestockand Livestock

• Food production Food production increased in increased in developed developed countries countries (wheat (left)(wheat (left)

• PesticidesPesticides• Selective Selective

breedingbreeding

Case-In-Point Green RevolutionCase-In-Point Green Revolution

High Yielding Rice VarietiesHigh Yielding Rice Varieties

Increasing Livestock YieldsIncreasing Livestock Yields• Hormone supplementsHormone supplements

• US and Canada do thisUS and Canada do this• Europe does not citing human health concernsEurope does not citing human health concerns

• AntibioticsAntibiotics• 40% of antibiotics produced in US are used in 40% of antibiotics produced in US are used in

livestock operationslivestock operations• Problems with increased bacteria resistanceProblems with increased bacteria resistance

Challenges of Producing More Crop Challenges of Producing More Crop and Livestockand Livestock

Antibiotic Use and ResistanceAntibiotic Use and Resistance

Manipulation of genes by taking specific gene from a cell of Manipulation of genes by taking specific gene from a cell of one species and placing it into the cell of an unrelated one species and placing it into the cell of an unrelated speciesspecies

Genetic EngineeringGenetic Engineering

Issues with Genetically Modified Issues with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)Organisms (GMOs)

Determined to be safe for human Determined to be safe for human consumptionconsumption

Concerns about GMO seed or pollen Concerns about GMO seed or pollen spreading in wildspreading in wild

Backlash against GMOsBacklash against GMOs

GMOs are not currently labeledGMOs are not currently labeled• FDA finds it would be counterproductive and FDA finds it would be counterproductive and

expensive to labelexpensive to label

The Environmental Impacts of The Environmental Impacts of AgricultureAgriculture

Most livestock now grown in feedlotsMost livestock now grown in feedlots

Leads to problems like sewage disposal.

Environmental Impacts of Environmental Impacts of AgricultureAgriculture

High use of fossil fuels and High use of fossil fuels and pesticidespesticides• Air pollutionAir pollution

Insects, weeds, and disease-Insects, weeds, and disease-causing organisms causing organisms developing resistance to developing resistance to pesticidespesticides• Contaminate food supplyContaminate food supply

Environmental Impact of AgricultureEnvironmental Impact of Agriculture

Land degradationLand degradation• Decreases future ability of land to support Decreases future ability of land to support

crops or livestockcrops or livestock

Habitat fragmentationHabitat fragmentation• Breakup of large areas of habitat into Breakup of large areas of habitat into

small, isolated patchessmall, isolated patches

Cultivating marginal landsCultivating marginal lands• Irrigating dry landIrrigating dry land• Cultivating land prone to erosionCultivating land prone to erosion

Solutions to Agricultural Problems- Solutions to Agricultural Problems- Sustainable AgricultureSustainable Agriculture

Sustainable AgricultureSustainable Agriculture

Examples:Examples:• Natural Predator-prey relationships instead Natural Predator-prey relationships instead

of pesticidesof pesticides• Crop selectionCrop selection• Crop rotation and conservation tillageCrop rotation and conservation tillage• Supplying nitrogen with legumesSupplying nitrogen with legumes• Organic agricultureOrganic agriculture

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)Integrated Pest Management (IPM)• Limited use of pesticides with sustainable Limited use of pesticides with sustainable

agriculture practicesagriculture practices

Fisheries of the World- ProblemsFisheries of the World- Problems

No nation lays claim to No nation lays claim to open oceanopen ocean• Resource susceptible to Resource susceptible to

overuse and degradationoveruse and degradation

OverharvestingOverharvesting• Many species are at Many species are at

point of severe depletionpoint of severe depletion• Cod (right)Cod (right)• 62% of world’s fish stock 62% of world’s fish stock

are in need of are in need of management actionmanagement action

Fisheries of the World- ProblemsFisheries of the World- Problems

Major types of seafood:Major types of seafood:

Fisheries of the WorldFisheries of the WorldOverharvesting Overharvesting is the most is the most serious problemserious problem

Fisheries of the World- ProblemsFisheries of the World- Problems

Ocean Pollution - dumping ground we Ocean Pollution - dumping ground we used to think that “dilution is the used to think that “dilution is the solution.”solution.”

80% of global ocean pollution comes from 80% of global ocean pollution comes from human activities on land:human activities on land:• OilOil• Heavy metalsHeavy metals• Deliberate litter dumpingDeliberate litter dumping• Stormwater runoff from cities and Stormwater runoff from cities and

agricultural areasagricultural areas

Fisheries of the World- ProblemsFisheries of the World- Problems

AquacultureAquaculture• Growing of aquatic organisms for human Growing of aquatic organisms for human

consumptionconsumption• Great potential to supply foodGreat potential to supply food• In US: aquaculture accounts for 6% of all In US: aquaculture accounts for 6% of all

seafood consumed; $900 million-a-year seafood consumed; $900 million-a-year industryindustry

Fisheries of the World- ProblemsFisheries of the World- ProblemsAquaculture (continued)Aquaculture (continued)

• Locations of fisheries may hurt natural Locations of fisheries may hurt natural habitatshabitats

• Produce waste that pollutes adjacent waterProduce waste that pollutes adjacent water