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© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
5.55.5 To what extent canTo what extent can technology helptechnology help increase agriculturalincrease agricultural production andproduction and alleviate foodalleviate food shortages?shortages?
Part APart A
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
What are the factors affecting food supply?
The causes of famine are very complex. It may be a natural or human-induced disaster, or a combination of both.
Natural hazards and an unfavourable physical environment
may not lead to…Reduce food
productionFamine
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
What are the factors affecting food supply?
Climate Natural environment
Natural hazards
Physical factors
Farming technologies
Economic development
Wars & conflict
Food supply
Affect the ability and necessity to import food
Cultural factors
Affect local food production
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
Can technology help increase food supply?
We have seen that modern farming technology used in
southern California has successfully increased farming productivity.
Can we apply the same tactics to
countries suffering from food
shortages?
Can we apply the same tactics to
countries suffering from food
shortages?
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
Can technology help increase food supply?What are GM crops?
GM crops are crop plants created for human and animal consumption using ______________.biotechnology
The four main GM crops grown are soybean, maize, cotton and canola.
Genetically-modified maize plant in California (Credit: Lowell Georgia/Corbis)
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
Can technology help increase food supply?What are GM crops? Global area of GM crops
in 2007 reached 114.3 million hectares.
Major growers of GM crops in 2007(Source: International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications)
The major GM crop producing countries in 2007 are the ______, __________, _______ and ________.
Monsanto is a multinational company producing more than 90% of GM seeds worldwide.
USAArgentina Brazil
Canada
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
In southern California, modern farming technology has successfully
increased farming productivity. However, it may have negative
impact on the environment.
Before exploring the negative impact, we first learn how the agro-ecosystem functions in
Part B.
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
1 ClimatePhysical factors
Rainfall is a major factor affecting the amount of food produced.
The Sahel
Little rainfall is unfavourable for
farming
Low agricultural output
Other unfavourable factors for farming
Low food supply
Food shortages
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
Which places have a poor water resource?
Which places have a poor water resource?
1 ClimatePhysical factors
The Sahel
Southern California
Do both the Sahel and southern California
experience food shortages? Why?
Do both the Sahel and southern California
experience food shortages? Why?
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
2 Natural environmentPhysical factors
• ( Gentle / Rugged ) relief• ( Infertile / fertile ) soil• Large rivers are ( absent / present )
Which place is more
favourable for farming?
Which place is more
favourable for farming?
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
3 Natural hazardsPhysical factors
Natural disasters like flooding, droughts and hailstorms can result in crop failure.
Rainstorm
Hailstorm
A maize field is submerged in flood water in North Korea in 2007
(Credit: Reuters/OTHK)
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
3 Natural hazardsPhysical factors
In more developed countries, farmers have savings and usually food surpluses and a healthy insurance system to get through crop failure.
In less developed countries, when there is crop failure, people do not have the money or resources to help them get through it. Food shortages occur as a result.
Source: Natural hazards: Global overview of countries of concern,
2006, World Food Programme
The impact of crop failure in more developed countries
and less developed countries is different
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
1 Farming technologies and the level of productivity
Cultural factors
Traditional farming methods in less developed countries often result in low crop yields
In less developed countries, farmers
usually have a ( lower / higher )
education level and little capital
They farm with ( traditional /
modern ) methods. The productivity is
( low / high )
(Credit: Reuters/OTHK)
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
2 Economic developmentCultural factors
An area that cannot produce enough food to meet local food demand can import food from
other countries
Countries which have a population living below US$1 a daySource: UN Human Development Report 2007/8
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
2 Economic developmentCultural factors
However, the countries who have the greatest need for imported food are very often the least able to pay for it. They are known as the Low-
Income Food-Deficit Countries
Countries which have a population living below US$1 a daySource: UN Human Development Report 2007/8
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
2 Economic developmentCultural factors
Poor hygiene Not able to grow or buy food
Poverty
Lower productivity
Poor health Hunger
Low income
Famine
Prolonged hunger
Poverty cycle
Poverty and famine are
closely linked.
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
3 Social factorsCultural factors
Places with distinct social classes may have an unequal distribution of food among various classes.
For example, in some places, men are allocated more food than women and children.
Hence, the ability to obtain food varies with the social background of the people.
Children in Niger experiencing food shortages(Credit: Dominique Derda/France 2/Corbis)
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
4 Wars and conflictCultural factors
Refugees in Chad (Credit: Olav A. Saltbones/ Norwegian Red Cross)
Farmers may abandon their fields and flee to a safe place.
Troop movement may destroy crops.
Irrigation systems and transport are paralysed.
Failure in growing crops and in getting aid give rise to famine.
A large number of people are displaced from their homes as refugees.
It is difficult to distribute food to the hungry people.
How do wars and conflict affect the food production?
How do wars and conflict affect the food production?
© Oxford University Press 2009
Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?
5 Political factorsCultural factors
Government and bureaucratic inefficiency can add to food shortage problems.
In countries where corruption and bribery are common, it is impossible to ensure that food goes to the needy.