Ch. 11 – Producing Enough Food for the World

Case Study: Food for China

China’s History and Current Statistics

1.3 billion 1.5 billion by 2025? Area harvested for rice decreased from

31.1 million ha to 29.3 million ha Impact of increased demand for world

grain supplies? 1959-1961 30 million starved to death Attempt to slow growth one couple, one

child policy 1980 – 1995 total fertility rates dropped

and annual grain production increased

Reasons for concern

Flooding of farmland due to construction of Three Gorges Dam

Building of roads, railroads, and manufacturing plants

Water crisis Chinese are eating higher on the

food chain

Themes

Human population Global perspective Sustainability Science and values

11.1 Can We Feed the World?

Main threat to existing land in agricultural production?

- human development pressuresIf world population doubles?Methods?If we cannot double production??

Dig For Victory

Google Image Result for http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0yXfnAl_CDk/Tace8OC7RmI/AAAAAAAADV8/LUzjN3lp4aQ/s1600/allotment+4.jpg

Vertical Farming

The Vertical Farm Project - Agriculture for the 21st Century and Beyond | www.verticalfarm.com

11.2 How We Starve

- undernourishment vs malnourishment

- protein – source vs cost- supply vs distribution – impacted

by?- solutions?

11.3 – What We Eat and What We Grow

1. Crops – 6 of 14 of 200 of 3,000 of 500,000

a) wheat, rice, maize, potatoes, sweet potatoes, manioc, sugarcane, sugar beet, common beans, soybeans, barley, sorghum, coconuts, and bananas

Rangeland vs Pasture

provides food for grazing and browsing animals without plowing and planting

plowed, planted, and harvested to provide forage for animals

May I help you?

No thank you, I was just

browsing.

2. Aquaculture

historically hunted – not sustainable

the farming of food in aquatic habitats – can be very productive

Mariculture – the farming of ocean fish

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/11/135324866/salmon-farming-in-chile-impacts-fishermen-environment

11.4 An Ecological Perspective on Agriculture

How do agroecosystems differ from natural systems?

1. Stop ecological succession at an early stage – requires time and effort

2. Monoculture – vulnerable to disease, drains soil of particular nutrients(crop rotation)

3. Planting in neat rows – easier for insects

4. Simplifies biological diversity and food chains

5. Plowing – exposes soil to erosion, disturbs physical structure

6. Genetically modified crops – a novel situation

11.5 – Limiting Factors

Ideal soil composition = required chemical elements

pores for air and water high organic content varied particle size

Liebig’s law – growth is affected by one limiting factor at a time

Synergistic Effect – a change in the availability of one resource affects the response of an organism to some other resource

Ex) Soil lacks nitrogen- nitrogen needed to make protein(enzyme)--- enzyme is needed to take up and use phosphorus

Macro vs micronutrients

Required by all living things in relatively large amounts

S, P, Mg, Ca, K, N, O, C, and H

Required in small amounts

Ex) Molybdenum, copper, zinc

11.6 – The Future of Agriculture

- History of agriculture a. Resource-based – based on biological

technology, conservation of land, water, and energy(10,000 years ago)

b. Mechanized – high demand for resources(18th-19th centuries)

c. Return to resource-based(20th century)

d. Organic and genetically engineered crops(present)

11.7 – Increasing the Yield per Acre

The Green Revolution – development of crops with:

a. higher yields b. better resistance to

disease c. better ability to grow

under poor conditions. Improved Irrigation - drip irrigation,

hydroponics

11.8 Organic Farming

3 qualities: a) more like natural ecosystems

than monocultures b) minimizes negative

environmental impacts c) food does not contain artificial

compounds

What is organic?

Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used

Organic Farms in New Jersey

http://www.new-jersey-leisure-guide.com/organic-farms.html

11.9 Alternatives to Monoculture

Climate predictions dictate hybrid seed choices

Trade off long-term stability for a very high productive year

11.10 Eating Lower on the Food Chain

Eating lower on the food chain

Must consider soil conditions – can it sustain crops

Animals are a major source of protein

Animals are also used for transportation, a source of wool, leather and fertilizer

11.11 Genetically Modified Food

3 practices: a. faster and more efficient ways to

produce new hybrids b. introduction of the “terminator”

gene c. Transfer of genetic properties

from different forms of life

Goals of genetic modification of crops

Development of strains with the same symbiotic relationship as legumes

Development of strains with improved tolerance to drought, cold, heat, and toxic chemicals

Development of strains that produce their own pesticides

You decide

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/exist/

Visit this website and make your decision based upon the information presented. You will be asked for your decision on the test and you must back it up with information from this website.

11.12 Climate Change and Agriculture

Climates suited to agriculture may move further north less than optimal soils

Increased temperatures increased rates of evapotranspiration supplying water for irrigation a problem