food production

• what is food security

  having enough food to be able to feed a population
• state the biological factors threatening food security

  • rising birth rates
  • changing diets in developed countries -> food is transported around the world
  • new pests and pathogens
  • environmental changes affecting food production
  • increased cost of agriculture
  • armed conflicts
• how does intensive farming increase the production of animals

  • feed animals high protein foods to increase growth
  • reduce their energy loss to the environment :
  • limiting movement
  • regulating their surrounding temperature
  • feed animals antibiotics to prevent diseases
• what are the advantages of intensive farming

  • higher yield of food
  • more efficient
  • allows easier quality control
• what are the disadvantages of intensive farming

  • may lead to antibiotic resistance
  • cost is high
  • ethical objections e.g. limiting movements
• how can fish stocks be conserved

  • control the size of gaps in fishing nets to prevent juvenile fish from being killed before reaching reproductive maturity
  • introduce fishing quotas
• what is a transgenic organism


  an organism that has been genetically modified to contain genetic material from another source
• state an example of genetically modified food

  golden rice
• how might crops be genetically modified

  • to improve nutritional value
  • to be pest resistant
  • to pesticide resistance