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examBoard: Cambridge
examType: IGCSE
lessonTitle: Food Supply Management Strategies
Food supply management involves the methods countries use to ensure their populations have enough to eat. As global population continues to grow, managing food resources has become increasingly important. This is especially true in regions facing challenges like climate change, water scarcity and limited agricultural land.
Key Definitions:
The world needs to produce about 70% more food by 2050 to feed a projected population of 9.7 billion people. This must be done while dealing with climate change, water shortages and the loss of farmland to development. Food supply management strategies aim to solve these complex challenges.
Food is not evenly distributed around the world. While some regions produce surpluses, others face shortages. About 820 million people worldwide don't have enough to eat, despite the fact that globally we produce enough food for everyone. This highlights the importance of effective food management strategies.
Countries use various approaches to grow more food. These range from traditional methods to high-tech solutions. The best strategy often depends on a country's level of development, climate and available resources.
This involves getting more food from the same amount of land. It's a key strategy in places where available farmland is limited.
Started in the 1960s, this involved developing high-yielding crop varieties, using more fertilisers and pesticides and improving irrigation. It dramatically increased food production in countries like India and Mexico.
Using machinery like tractors, harvesters and irrigation systems allows farmers to work larger areas of land more efficiently. This is common in HICs but can be too expensive for small-scale farmers in LICs.
GM crops are designed to resist pests, diseases, or harsh weather conditions. Golden Rice, for example, is engineered to contain vitamin A to combat deficiency in developing countries.
In the 1960s, India faced severe food shortages and relied on food aid. The Green Revolution transformed Indian agriculture through high-yielding wheat and rice varieties, irrigation projects and chemical fertilisers. By the 1980s, India became self-sufficient in grain production. Wheat yields nearly tripled between 1960 and 2000. However, challenges included increased water usage, soil degradation from chemical fertilisers and growing inequality between farmers who could afford the new technologies and those who couldn't.
As the environmental impacts of intensive farming become clearer, many countries are adopting more sustainable approaches to food production.
This avoids synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, instead using natural methods like crop rotation, composting and biological pest control. While yields may be lower than conventional farming, organic methods protect soil health, water quality and biodiversity. The UK's organic market is worth over £2.5 billion annually.
This combines fish farming with growing plants in water. Fish waste provides nutrients for the plants, which in turn clean the water for the fish. This closed-loop system uses 90% less water than traditional farming and can be set up in urban areas where land is scarce.
New technologies are revolutionising how we produce, distribute and consume food.
This uses technology to make farming more accurate and controlled. The goal is to ensure sustainability while maximising yields.
Tractors guided by GPS can plant seeds in perfectly straight rows with minimal overlap, reducing seed and fuel usage by up to 15%.
These monitor crop health, soil conditions and water needs, allowing farmers to apply water and fertiliser only where needed.
Collecting and analysing farm data helps predict yields, detect problems early and make better management decisions.
Effective food supply management isn't just about production it also involves getting food to where it's needed.
This provides food to populations facing shortages or emergencies. It can be direct (actual food) or indirect (money to buy food). While essential in crises, long-term food aid can sometimes undermine local farmers by flooding markets with cheap imports.
This system ensures farmers in developing countries receive fair prices for their products. It also promotes sustainable farming practices and prohibits child labour. Products like coffee, chocolate and bananas are commonly fair trade certified.
In Kenya, mobile technology has transformed food supply management. The M-Farm app allows farmers to check market prices, sell products collectively and buy farm inputs directly from manufacturers. This has cut out middlemen who previously took much of the profit. Farmers using the app have seen their incomes increase by up to 50%. Additionally, the app provides weather forecasts and farming tips. Over 100,000 Kenyan farmers now use mobile technology to improve their farming businesses, showing how even simple technology can dramatically improve food security.
A critical but often overlooked food management strategy is reducing waste. About one-third of all food produced globally is wasted enough to feed 2 billion people.
Different approaches are needed at various points in the food supply chain.
Improved harvesting techniques, better storage facilities and efficient transportation can reduce losses before food reaches consumers.
Supermarkets are beginning to sell "imperfect" produce that would previously have been thrown away. Some donate near-expiry food to charities.
Better meal planning, understanding food date labels and composting can help households reduce the 70kg of food the average UK person wastes annually.
Effective food supply management requires a combination of approaches tailored to local conditions. As climate change intensifies and population grows, these strategies will become increasingly important. The most successful countries will likely be those that balance increased production with sustainability, while reducing waste and ensuring equitable distribution.
Remember that food security isn't just about having enough food it's about having the right food, produced in the right way, available to everyone who needs it. The strategies we've explored show that with careful management and innovative thinking, we can meet the food challenges of the future.
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