Ch. 11 – Producing Enough Food for the World

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 pressures If 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 • 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

provides food for grazing and browsing animals without plowing and planting plowed, planted, and harvested to provide forage for animals Rangeland vs Pasture No thank you, I was just browsing. May I help you?

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

Simplifies biological diversity and food chains • Plowing – exposes soil to erosion, disturbs physical structure • 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

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 Macro vs micronutrients

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

Ch. 11 – Producing Enough Food for the World