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14.2
World Food Supply
Supply and Economics
More food produced than ever- more food available per person than ever
Advances in agricultural practices and technology
Why so many starving people then? Food is traded as a commodity- economic
factors affect the distribution
Green Revolution
Two main foods of the world- wheat and rice Began in 1960’2 with new strains of wheat and rice-
better resistance to disease, grow faster, grow in more climates ( fertilizers and irrigation)
New plants increased crop yields 4X New machinery also increased production But, people who need it most ( 3rd world) cannot
afford the new technology, machines ( and fuel), fertilizers, or irrigation systems
Net result- countries like ours produce much more than we need- price of crop goes down; poor farmers cannot get a decent price for their crop
Cash Crops
Poor farmers cannot afford to plant and grow food crops, so they grow crops they’ll get more money for- cash crops
Cash crops include tobacco, opium, livestock feed, etc.
Cash crops often are exported In many developing nations 85% of the farmland is
owned by 5% of the people Money earned is used to by weapons- support
political leaders who will help the landowners.
Hunger
Natural causes- drought, overpopulation Also caused by gov’ts and profit-driven
landowners
Food From Water
Fish and sea animals- important source of protein ( 40% of protein in developing nations)
Currently- 55 billion metric tons produced naturally each year
Estimated oceans could produce 100 million metric tons for food; we now produce 90 million metric tons- so are we reaching the limit?
Quantities of some fishes are dropping; over fishing? 40 of 280 commercially harvested fish species are in danger
Aquaculture-commercial production of fish in a controlled environment
China, Thailand, India, Vietnam- fish are raised in algae in wastewater ponds