Chapter 19 Food Resources A Challenge for Agriculture

Chapter 19 Food Resources: A Challenge for Agriculture

Food and Nutrition Important molecules: • Carbohydrates • Proteins • Lipids • Minerals • Vitamins

Food and Nutrition Human Foods

World Food Problems In 2004: • 86 countries are low-income, food deficient. • 800 million people were food deficient • 182 million children severely malnourished and underweight

World Food Problems Common diseases due to malnourishment: Marasmus Kwashiorkor

World Food Problems Producing Enough Food Total Grain Production Per Capita Grain Production

World Food Problems Famines • 1983 -1985 – Drought in Africa resulted in 1. 5 million deaths in Ethiopia and Sudan • 1993 – civil unrest and drought resulted in 2 million starving Somalis • 1990’s – flooding and drought resulted in 2 million deaths in North Korea

World Food Problems Maintaining Grain Stockpiles World grain carryover stocks U. N. estimates that carryover stocks should not fall below 70.

World Food Problems Why the decline in carryover stocks? More grain is going towards feeding livestock.

World Food Problems Poverty and Food: Making Food Affordable for the Poor • Poverty Poor nutrition • Malnutrition more common in urban than rural areas in developing countries • Infants, children, and elderly most susceptible to hunger and poverty.

The Principal Types of Agriculture Industrialized agriculture

The Principal Types of Agriculture Subsistence agriculture • Shifting cultivation • Slash-and-burn agriculture • Nomadic herding • Intercropping

Challenges of Producing More Crops and Livestock The Effect of Domestication on Genetic Diversity Genetic diversity enhances long-term species survival

Challenges of Producing More Crops and Livestock The Effect of Domestication on Genetic Diversity Lower Genetic Diversity in Domesticated Animals / Plants Increased probability of widespread disease outbreak

Challenges of Producing More Crops and Livestock The Global Decline in Domesticated Plant and Animal Varieties In past, many localities had special varieties Dutch Belted cow

Challenges of Producing More Crops and Livestock The Global Decline in Domesticated Plant and Animal Varieties Many world farmers now using just a few varieties.

Challenges of Producing More Crops and Livestock Increasing Crop Yields US wheat yields

Challenges of Producing More Crops and Livestock Increasing Crop Yields Case-in-Point: The Green Revolution Development of a superior rice plant

Challenges of Producing More Crops and Livestock Increasing Livestock Yields Modern livestock production commonly relies upon: • hormone supplementation • antibiotics in feedstuff

Challenges of Producing More Crops and Livestock Genetic Engineering

Challenges of Producing More Crops and Livestock Issues with Genetic Engineering: • The Safety of Genetic Engineering • The Backlash Against Genetically Modified Foods • Should Foods from Genetically Modified Crops and Livestock Be Labeled?

The Environmental Impacts of Agriculture Most livestock now grown in feedlots Leads to problems like sewage disposal.

The Environmental Impacts of Agriculture Insects are becoming increasingly resistant to pesticides Leads to increases in the amount of pesticides applied. Leads further to pesticide residue on foods and contaminated land / water.

The Environmental Impacts of Agriculture Other problems: • Land degradation • Habitat fragmentation • Cultivating marginal lands

Solutions to Agricultural Problems Sustainable Agriculture

Solutions to Agricultural Problems Making Subsistence Agriculture Sustainable and More Productive • Slash-and-burn agriculture in rainforests is sustainable, if few people practice it • Researchers trying to find ways to increasing long-term productivity

Fisheries of the World Major types of seafood:

Fisheries of the World Problems and Challenges for the Fishing Industry

Fisheries of the World Overharvesting is the most serious problem

Fisheries of the World Ocean Pollution and Deteriorating Habitat 80% of global ocean pollution comes from human activities on land

Fisheries of the World Aquaculture: Fish Farming • 2003 aquaculture production of fin fish and shellfish = 41. 9 million tons • In US: aquaculture accounts for 6% of all seafood consumed; $900 million-ayear industry • Major drawback: its expensive