food booklet

• which countries consume the most calories

  canada, USA, europe and north America
• which countries consume the least calories

  sub-Saharan africa and india
• which countries produce the most food

  usa brazil uk china india nigeria
• which countries produce the least food

  sub-saharan
• how was increased population led to increased food consumption

  more people means more food needed to survive
• how has transportation storage led to increase food consumption

  food can be kept for along time so can be transported around
• food security

  having access to enough safe affordable nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life
• food surplus

  countries which produce more food than what is needed
• food deficit

  having more demand than more food
• food insecurity

  areas where they experience a deficit for a long time
• factors affecting food supply - most significant factor = climate


  countries with extreme climates struggle to grow food.

  Extreme weather events such as floods and drought can make this even worse.
• factors affecting food supply - 2nd most significant factor = water stress


  crops and livestock need water to survive. where this is limited and irrigation is unaffordable people struggle to supply enough food.
• factors affecting food supply - 3rd most significant factor = poverty


  poor people rarely have their own land to grow food. even if they do struggle to afford seeds and fertiliser. globally poorer nations can't afford to import food.
• factors affecting food supply - 1st least signifcant factor = pests and dieases


  these reduce crop yields by eating or killing them e.g loctus
• factors affecting food supply - 2nd least significant factor = technology


  those with technology can grow food more efficiently and faster leading to surpluses. those without get left behind.
• factors affecting food supply - least significant factor = conflict


  fighting may damage agricultural land or make it unsafe. refugees forced to flee conflict zones find it harder to access food. war can also disrupt trade routes
• impact of food insecurity - famine


  this is a serious lack of food across a large area. people are unable to get enough food leading to starvation and death. there have been some devasting examples of this including the famine in Somalia which lasted from 2010 - 2012. The UN estimates that around 258,000 Somalia's died across the nations.
• impact of food security - undernutrition 


  lack of balanced diet and deficiency in minerals and vitamins FAO estimates that 805 million people suffered from undernutrition from 2012 - 2014. It is a major public health problem, particularly in South Asia and Sub Saharan Africa. 300k deaths per year
• impact of food insecurity - soil erosion


  involves the removal of fertile top soil layers by wind and water. There are several causes - over grazing animals reduces the amount of vegetation leaving soil exposed - cultivation of marginal land to increase food production = loos of fertility.
• impact of food insecurity - rising prices 


  food prices = increases mainly due to increased prices for fertilisers, animal feed, food storage, processing and transportation. Increased food cost food represents a larger share of their spending.
• impact of food insecurity = social unrest


  food prices index increased dramatically in 2008 and again in 2011. Most inadents happen in LICs or NEEs in Africa + Middle East e.g 2011 price of cooking oil and flour doubled in Algeria