MODULE 5: ENSURING FOOD SECURITY
The challenges placed on farmers today are onerous- to produce food in a changing and volatile climate, faced with limited resources and spaces suitable for production.
The global population is expected to hit 9 billion by 2050 up from 7 billion today.
ENSURING FOOD SECURITY
Geography and Population
Land is an asset required in food production, yet its availability has reached a critical state.
Farmers who raise crops and livestock depend on the availability of land suitable for agriculture.
Suitability can be determined by a number of land characteristics
(soil type, topography or slope, water availability, drainage capacity, availability of macro-and micronutrients, tract size).
NATURAL FACTORS
Geography and Population
Rapid development or conversion of land by way of urban expansion is also happening across the globe in an attempt to accommodate growing populations.
These lands are being converted into residential spaces, building lots, paved highways and parking lots, schools, etc.
Understanding land as both an asset and a limitation to growth in agriculture is critical to the analysis of the food system.
NATURAL FACTORS
Climate
Earth’s climate has introduced a number of new and unique challenges for agriculture.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the combined land and ocean temperature has increased at an average rate of 0.07 degrees Celsius per decade since 1880; however, the average rate of increase since 1981 (0.18 Celsius) is more than twice as great.
More than 80 percent of farm operations globally are classified as rainfed agriculture, or production that relies on rainfall as its primary water source.
NATURAL FACTORS
Climate
Climate change may also affect agriculture in its impact on the spread of pests and pathogens among crops and livestock.
Annually between 20 to 40 percent off global crop production is lost to pests, costing global economy around $220 billion.
Changing weather patterns can shift or altogether change the movement and distribution of pests and pathogens.
Researchers contend that warmer global temperatures have allowed pests and pathogens to survive at higher latitudes, encouraging winter survival and spread.
NATURAL FACTORS
Climate
Climate change may also affect agriculture in its impact on the spread of pests and pathogens among crops and livestock.
Annually between 20 to 40 percent off global crop production is lost to pests, costing global economy around $220 billion.
Changing weather patterns can shift or altogether change the movement and distribution of pests and pathogens.
Researchers contend that warmer global temperatures have allowed pests and pathogens to survive at higher latitudes, encouraging winter survival and spread.
NATURAL FACTORS
Modern Farming Practices and Biotechnology
Currently, less than 35 percent of the global labor force is engaged in farming.
The percent is less than 4 percent in most developed countries
Globally, farms are becoming smaller and mechanized, but still increasing in productivity.
The majority of farms worldwide are small or very small
Three most important food crops in the world are rice, wheat, and maize (corn).
ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS
Resources: Soil, Water, and Nutrients
Food cannot be produced without adequate soil, water, and nutrients.
Access to high quality soils, sufficient freshwater supplies, and nutrients readily available for plant uptake is restricted in many parts of the world, and yet increased food production requires increasingly more of each resource.
More than 80 percent of water consumption in the US can be attributed to agriculture.
California grows nearly half of fruits, vegetable, and nuts consumed in the US.
ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS
Resources: Soil, Water, and Nutrients
Water and soil are limitations not only in terms of their availability, but also in terms of their integrity.
Water quality is compromised when wastes (residential, industrial, amd agricultural) are carried off land, move with water, and pool in freshwater reservoirs.
Concentrated chemicals or nutrients can have a harmful effect on aquatic systems.
In addition to chemical or fertilizer wastes, animal waste runoff from farming systems can carry bacteria and parasites that also compromise water quality.
ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS
Fuel Crops
Some crops are grown not for food or feed, but rather for fuel, also known as biofuel
Two specific biofuels can be found in the global market
Ethanol
Biodiesel
Biodiesels are generally produced to achieve two goals
Energy independence (weaning away from dependency on foreign oil)
Reduction of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.
ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS
Food Waste
More than 25 percent of global farmland is used to produce food that is wasted.
Globally, 30 percent of cereals; 40-50 percent of root crops, fruits, and vegetables; 20 percent of oil seeds, meat, and dairy; and 35 percent of fish produced never reach dinner plates.
Every year, consumers in rich countries waste almost as much food (222 million tonnes) as the entire net food production of sub-Saharan Africa (230 million tonnes).
Even if just one-fourth of the food currently lost or wasted globally could be saved, it would be enough to feed 870 million hungry people in the world.
ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS
Malnutrition has many influential factors.
Access to safe water sanitation, food security, violent conflict, climate change, and lack of nutritional education.
Access to safe water
Approximately 50 percent of all people in developing countries are suffering from a health problem caused by lack of water sanitation.
Food security
Food insecurity (the inability of a household to obtain enough nutritious food to sustain its members)
MALNUTRITION
The first form of malnutrition is undernutrition, to which young children are particularly vulnerable.
Approximately 45 percent of deaths among children under 5 years of age worldwide is linked to undernutrition.
Undernutrition is is most prevalent in but not exclusive to developing (third-world) countries.
MALNUTRITION/UNDERNUTRITION
The first form of malnutrition is overnutrition, which includes being overweight, obesity, and the concomitant obesity-related illnesses.
Overnutrition is most likely to be associated with developed countries.
MALNUTRITION/OVERNUTRITION
Reproductive health may be the most controversial area of health in the world, encompassing many divisive topics such as contraception, the “morning after” pill, abortion, stem cells, gender-based violence, and sexually transmitted infections.
WHO’s definition of reproductive health (pg. 116 of the textbook)
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
The most vulnerable individuals of society have historically been women and children.
Poor infant health is directly correlated with poor maternal health, low income, and lack of education.
Pregnancy and delivery are the leading causes of death around the world for women of childbearing age.
The prevalence of maternal deaths from preventable complications of pregnancy and delivery also reaches new heights during times of civil unrest.
MATERNAL HEALTH
The word contraception can trigger some of the most virulent debates around the world.
Over 214 million women of childbearing age worldwide have an unmet need for contraception.
Contraception and education are inextricably linked.
Educating girls has many positive societal and health impacts, the most significant of which is improving child health and reducing infant mortality.
PLANNING AND CONTRACEPTION
Access to Care
33 percent of Americans say that they’ve delayed medical treatment due to financial burden.
Financing health coverage is worldwide concern.
Culture
The decision of whether or not seek medical treatment tis heavily related with one’s cultural identity.
Cultural perceptions of disease vary widely throughout the globe
Quality of Care
The quality of the care provided to patients is not the same in all areas of the world.
SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
Tuberculosis (TB)
Ebola
Smallpox
Polio
HIV/AIDS
Malaria
Measles
SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19)
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
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