Reading this chapter is making me wish I had more to eat for dinner...
1. What is Brazil's Cerrado, and how is agriculture affecting it?
The Cerrado is the huge area of grassland and tropical forest that stretches from Bolivia and Paraguay to the Atlantic Ocean. Much of this land is now being converted to farm soybeans and support livestock grazing in Brazil, destroying the biodiversity and natural environment of the Cerrado.
2. Explain how soybeans grown in Brazil are improving diets in China.
Lower prices for soybeans are providing affordable meat proteins for those in developing countries (such as China), by providing a cheap source of feed for animals..
3. What does it mean to be chronically undernourished? How many people in the world currently suffer from this condition?
To be chronically undernourished is to not get adequate nutrition on a day to day basis. This can be either not getting enough calories daily, or to not be getting enough of certain nutrients, or in the wrong proportions. Currently, an estimated 854 million people suffer from this, with most being concentrated in developing countries.
4. Why do nutritionists worry about food security? Who is most likely to suffer from food insecurity?
Nutritionists worry about food security because even though food nowadays is so abundant and affordable, there are still many in the population that aren't getting it. This creates a feedback cycle were those that are hungry can't get themselves out of poverty; the cause of this may be poverty, the loss of jobs and work, or lacking social services. Those who suffer tend to be those already in poverty, most of which are in developing countries.
5. Describe the conditions that constitute a famine. Why does Amartya Sen say that famines are caused more by politics and economics than by natural disasters?
Famine is where there are widespread food shortages that cause starvation, social disruption, and economic chaos (as hungry people can't work or contribute to the economy). Amartya Sen argues that while natural disasters may precipitate famines, politics and economics (brought about by bad government management) create problems that often cause famines to last whereas farmers may have recovered otherwise. He mentions that no democratic country with a relatively free press has ever had a famine.
6. Define malnutrition and obesity. How many Americans are now considered obese?
Malnutrition is a general term describing nutritional imbalances caused by a lack of specific nutrients. To be obese is to be more than 20% over the ideal weight for a given height and sex. Some 64% of Americans are now considered either overweight or obese.
7. What three crops provide most human caloric intake?
Wheat, corn, and soybeans account for most human caloric intake. It is no coincidence then that they are also the most three widely cultivated crop.
8. What are confined animal feeding operations, and why are they controversial?
Confined animal feeding operations are where animals are housed and fed for rapid growth in large industrial complexes. They are controversial because of the ethical issues over animal cruelty, and also because of the impact on human and animal health; unsanitary conditions brought about by the cramming of animals in close spaces offer a breeding ground for disease and bacteria, as well as the massive amount of biological waste that is produced.
9. What is soil? Why are soil organisms so important?
Soil is a combination of many components in different proportions: sand and gravel, silts and clays, dead organic material, soil fauna and flora, water, and air. Soil organisms such as bacteria, algae, and fungi help to decompose dead organic material into nutrients for plants. They also help to give the soil texture by burrowing through it and leaving loose pockets of air. This improves fertility.
10. What are four dominant types of soil degradation? What is the primary cause of soil erosion?
The four dominant types of soil degradation are wind erosion, water erosion, chemical degradation (nutrient depletion, salt accumulation, acidification, or pollution), and physical degradation (compaction, water accumulation, or laterization). Soil erosion is primarily caused by wind or water, but the effects of agriculture can exacerbate this (the Dust Bowl in the 1930s is a prime example of this).
11. What do we mean by the green revolution?
The green revolution refers to the spread of new high-yield varieties of crops around the world. This is the primary reason for how the world is still managing to feed a growing population, despite the shrinking of the amount of land suitable for agriculture.
12. What is genetic engineering, or biotechnology, and how might it help or hurt agriculture?
Genetic engineering is the splicing of genes from one organism into another. This has created higher-yield crops that are more resistant to drought, frost, or diseases, but opponents argue that GMO crops might interbreed and mix with wild species causing the rise of "superweeds" or other harmful plant species. Also, some worry that there may be harmful health effects caused by the ingestion of GMOs; the FDA currently does not recognize any however.
13. What is sustainable agriculture?
Sustainable agriculture is agriculture that does not cause permanent damage to the land or soil, thus sustainable for it can be done indefinitely if done correctly. Soil conservation through contour plowing or strip cropping are some techniques that can be employed for sustainable agriculture.
14. How could your choices of coffee or cocoa help preserve forests, biodiversity, and local economies in tropical countries?
Simply put, consumers regulate the market. Buying coffee or cocoa from proven sustainable farming operations helps these businesses to keep employing their sustainable techniques and perhaps spread this to other operations; on the contrary, buying products from farms that employ destructive techniques give them more incentive to keep doing what they do. Essentially, if no one buys unsustainable coffee or cocoa, then no one will want to grow any.
15. What are the economic advantages of low-input farming?
Production cost for low-input farming is lower, and their products command a higher price (since they can be advertised as not being GMOs, for which a growing premium market for now exists).
hoang phong
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