Food Shortages (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Geography)
Revision Note
Author
Bridgette BarrettExpertise
Geography Lead
Causes & Effects of Food Shortages
In 2015 world leaders committed to ending world hunger by 2030
The UN estimates that the number of people in 'hunger emergencies' has increased from 135 million in 2019 to 345 million in 2022
Global food prices are rising - 23% higher than in 2021
World grain reserves are lower than they have been for 14 years
Women and girls account for 70% of the people suffering hunger
Causes of food shortages
The causes of food shortages can be divided into natural and human factors
It is important to remember that natural causes can often be made worse by human activity
An example would be floods which result from heavy and prolonged rainfall but may be made worse by:
Urbanisation
Deforestation
Climate change leading to increased snow and ice melt, sea level rise and changing weather patterns
Natural | Human |
---|---|
Flooding - crops cannot cope with being waterlogged also causes the death of livestock | War and conflict - people are unable to farm due to the conflict. War also disrupts supply and movement of food supplies |
Drought and unreliable rainfall - this can reduce crop yields significantly | Rising food prices - people cannot afford the food that they need |
Disease - these reduce yields and can result in livestock deaths/culling e.g. swine flu | Human induced global warming - leads to changing weather patterns, increased temperatures and rising sea levels |
Pests - locusts can wipe out entire fields of crops in a matter of hours | Lack of investment - many LEDCs have poor transport systems which means that transporting food and livestock is difficult. They also do not have the funds to invest in agriculture |
Tropical cyclones - bring heavy rainfall and strong winds which can destroy large areas of crops | Corruption - investment in rural areas and agriculture does not happen as a result of corrupt politicians taking the money |
| Rapid population increase - the food available has to be shared between more people, decreasing the amount that people have |
| Soil erosion and desertification - overgrazing and overcultivation lead to a loss of soil fertility so plants won't grow, or yields decrease |
Effects of food shortages
The impact of food shortages ranges from undernutrition to wasting
Undernutrition - people do not consume enough calories, this is linked to 45% of all child deaths
Malnutrition - people's diet lacks the correct nutrients to keep them healthy
Wasting - when people have low weight in relation to their height - affects 45 million children under the age of 5
Rising food prices
When there is increased demand and reduced supply the prices increase
Underdevelopment - loss of productivity
If a country's workforce is suffering from food shortages, they will be less productive, and development will slow or even reverse
Soil erosion and desertification
Farmers may over cultivate and overgraze the land in an attempt to increase the amount of food available
Social unrest
Food shortage may lead people to riot and loot
Migration
People migrate to other countries or to urban areas where the food supply is better. This can impact those areas with the development of illegal settlements
Worked Example
Describe the natural problems which cause food shortages.
[3 marks]
Answer:
Drought causes crop failure [1]
Floods destroy crops [1]
Tropical storms destroy crops/cause flooding [1]
Pests eat crops [1]
Disease destroys the crop [1]
Possible Solutions to the Problem of Food Shortages
There are a number of solutions to food shortages including:
Possible solution | How it works | Advantages | Disadvantages |
---|---|---|---|
Food aid | This can be short (after a disaster or in a crisis) or long term (often given to the LEDC government to distribute). The aid is given by MEDCs often through organisations such as the World Food Programme (WFP) as well as by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as Oxfam and Save The Children. |
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Irrigation | The artificial watering of crops - the success of this is dependent on the type of irrigation. Surface irrigation or drip irrigation |
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Genetically Modified (GM) crops | When the genetic material of a crop is altered to make them disease/pest resistant, have higher yield or be drought resistant |
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Green Revolution and High Yield Varieties | Involved in the development of high yield varieties of main food crops including wheat, maize and rice |
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Education of farmers | Education for farmers about sustainable farming methods |
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Mechanisation | Use of tractors and other machines to complete farming tasks |
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Fertilisers/ Pesticides | Fertilisers are added to increase yields through adding nitrogen Pesticides are used to kill or deter pests from eating crops |
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Appropriate technology | Includes methods such as Contour ploughing or intercropping |
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Case Study: Yemen
Located on the south-east of the Arabian Peninsula
Location of Yemen
Yemen has a mainly hot desert climate with a temperate climate in the western mountains
In summer months temperatures reach 40oC and there is little rainfall
Winter months are cooler between 25-35oC but with little rainfall
Agriculture
There is increasing agricultural activity in Yemen with crops including:
Millet
Corn
Wheat
Barley
Sorghum
Other crops include coffee, cotton and fruit which were grown for export
Over 73% of the population relies on agriculture as their main source of income
Causes of food shortages
Conflict
In 2015 after years of internal conflict, civil war broke out
Continued conflicts have led over 4 million Yemenis to be displaced
Food aid supplies have been affected by blockades at the ports intended to stop weapons entering the country
Internal infrastructure (roads, airports and communication) has also been affected by the conflict which stops the movement of food around the country
Drought
In recent years drought has further affected supplies
The main crop growing areas have received only one third to a half of the usual precipitation
Pests
In 2019 swarms of locust hit Yemen destroying many of the crops
The conflict had affected the control and monitoring program
Lack of pesticides meant that the Yemeni struggled to control the insects
Corruption
Food aid is taken by those involved in the fighting and those in power
It often does not reach those who need it most
Population increase
The population has increased to almost 30 million from 26.5 million in 2015
This increases the demand for food
Effects of food shortages
The Yemeni economy has declined
These issues have mostly happened in the crop growing areas in the south-west
In 2016 it is estimated that farm produce losses totalled $964.5million
Yemen became dependent on imports for 90% of its grain supplies - much of this was from Ukraine, the supply of which has been affected by the Russian invasion
More than 80% of the population live below the poverty line
50% of the population working in agriculture have lost their jobs
Food prices have increased between 30-70% meaning people cannot afford a healthy diet
Food basket price in Yemen
The UN estimates more than 226,000 Yemeni have died due to food shortages and lack of health services
Acute malnutrition now threatens over 50% of children under 5
The total number of food insecure population is expected to reach 19 million by the end of 2022
Solutions
Since the start of the conflict billions in aid has been sent to Yemen through organisations such as:
UNICEF
Red Cross
World Food Program
Oxfam
Getting aid to the people who need it is challenging for the reasons outlined in 'causes' above
The World Food Program provides 13 million people with food assistance through:
Rations
Vouchers
Cash transfers
Until the end of the conflict the food shortages are likely to continue and may even get worse
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