Notes

• Three variations concerning what food is consumed around the world:

  • Level of Development: people in developed countries consume more food from different sources than those in developing countries
  • Physical conditions: climate influences what can be grown and consumed in developing countries, while food is shipped long distances in developed countries
  • Cultural Preferences: food preferences can be expressions of culture rather than physical and economic factors
• According to the UN, an individual needs to consume 1,844 kilocalories daily

  • Average worldwide consumption is 2,902 kcal
  • Developing regions average daily consumption is 2,800 kcal
  • Sub-Saharan Africa's average daily consumption is 2,400 kcal
• Most undernourishment is found in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia

  • India, China, and Africa have the most undernourishment
  • Undernourishment is increasing in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Regions that produce the most:

  • Maize (corn): North America
  • Rice: South and East Asia
  • Wheat: worldwide
  • Others: Africa
• Regions where cereals are over 50% of protein:

  • Most of Africa
  • Asia
  • Southeastern Asia
• Regions where over 60% of protein is from meat:

  • US
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Northern Europe
• Regions with under 20% protein from meat:

  • Africa
  • South Asia
• Hunters and gatherers needed food for survival through hunting, fishing, or gathering plants like berries, nuts, fruits, and roots

  • Lived in small groups to avoid exhausting resources
  • Hadza people of Tanzania still practice this lifestyle
• Agricultural revolution began in 8000 B.C.E

  • First domestication of crops and animals was at the end of the last ice age
  • Humans transitioned from hunter-gatherers to farmers
  • Dog was the first domesticated animal around 12,000 years ago
• Commercial agriculture:

  • Large farm size
  • Heavy use of machinery
  • Low percentage of people engaged in farming
  • Crop yield for sale off the farm
• Subsistence agriculture:

  • Production of food primarily for the farmer's family
  • Small farm size to cover family's food needs
  • Few machinery used due to financial constraints
  • High percentage of people engage in subsistence agriculture
  • Crop yield for the farmer's family
• Whittlesey identified 11 main agricultural regions

  • Five important in developing countries:
  • Intensive subsistence; wet rice dominant
  • Intensive subsistence; not dominant
  • Pastoral nomadism
  • Shifting cultivation
  • Plantation
  • Six important in developed countries:
  • Mixed crop livestock
  • Dairy
  • Grain livestock ranching
  • Mediterranean
  • Commercial gardening
• Intensive subsistence agriculture:

  • Farmers put in a large effort to maximize yield
  • Found in most of Asia
  • Warm conditions support this type of farming
  • China and India lead in rice production
• Double crop:

  • Obtaining two harvests per year from one field
  • Helps crops grow fast