Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages? 5 Combating famine― Is technology a panacea for food shortages?

Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?

55 Combating famine― Combating famine― Is technology a Is technology a panacea for food panacea for food shortages? shortages?

55 Combating famine― Combating famine― Is technology a Is technology a panacea for food panacea for food shortages? shortages?


5.15.1 What is famine? What is famine? Where do mostWhere do most famines occur?famines occur?


What is famine?

A severely malnourished child in Niger

A starving child and his starving livestock

People are suffering from

hunger and malnutrition

Animals are also died of

hunger

(Credit: Bo Mathisen/International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies)It shows that some

countries are facing the problem of food shortages.

(Credit: Reuters/OTHK)


What is famine?

Swelling of the abdomen is a common symptom in serious malnutrition (Credit: Bo Mathisen/International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies)

Famine refers to the situation in which many people die of severe food shortages.

However, famine occurs less frequently when compared with hunger and malnutrition.


What is famine?How serious is the problem of hunger and malnutrition?

How serious is the problem of hunger and malnutrition?

_____ in seven people in the world are suffering from hunger and malnutrition.

One


Where does famine most likely to occur?

Risk of food shortages by countrySource: FAO Statistical Yearbook 2004, Volume 1, the UNFAO

Which countries are less likely to suffer

from food shortages?

Which countries are less likely to suffer




GNP per capita by countrySource: 2007 World Development Indicators, the World Bank

Most of the ( less developed / industrialized ) countries have

low risk of food shortages. They have a high level of economic development. They are usually

rich and politically stable.

Western European countries

The USA

Canada

Australia

Japan


Risk of food shortages by countrySource: FAO Statistical Yearbook 2004, Volume 1, the UNFAO


Which countries are more likely to suffer


Which countries are more likely to suffer



GNP per capita by countrySource: 2007 World Development Indicators, the World Bank


The countries with high risk of food shortages are mostly less developed countries. They have a very low GNP per capita. Nearly half of them are in

central and southern Africa.

Central and southern African countrie

s

North KoreaMongolia

Bangladesh

Afghanistan


Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk? Is the food production

enough for feeding the world population?

Is the food production enough for feeding the

world population?

Production of cerealsConsumption of cereals

2,057 (2004-5) 2,013.5 (2004-5)

World production and consumption of cereals (million tonnes)

The food production is ( not enough / enough ) for feeding the world population.

Source: UNFAO


Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk?World production and consumption of cereals (million tonnes)

Region/CountryProduction of cereals

Consumption of cereals

Sub-Saharan Africa 90 (2004-5) 113 (2004-5)

Japan 12.4 (2005) 22 (2005)

In ( Sub-Saharan Africa / Japan ), the food consumption is greater than its food production.

There are food shortages in ( Sub-Saharan Africa / Japan ), while Japan does not suffer from food shortages.

Why?Why?

Source: UNFAO

Because Sub-Saharan Africa are poor and cannot afford to buy food from the world

market. In fact, the world food supply is uneven.


Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk?

When food supplies cannot meet the demand, there are food shortages.

Food demand

Food supply>>

Population size

Local farm production

Food importsFood

shortages

Famine

Prolonged severe conditions


Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk?

Net trade in food (2002-4)Source: FAO Statistical Yearbook 2005, Volume 1, the UNFAO

Countries with a low risk of food shortages produce more than their people consume.They export and sell their surplus grains at

world market prices.

Food surplusThe USAFood surplus

France



Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk? For rich countries whose food production

is not enough to meet its demand, such as Japan, the problem of food shortages

can be solved by importing food.

How does Japan solve the problem of food shortages?

How does Japan solve the problem of food shortages?

JapanFood shortages Food surplus

The USAFood surplusFrance



Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk? Countries with a high risk of food shortages like

the Sub-Saharan countries are unable to produce their own food to meet demand. They do not have

money to buy food from the world market.

Can Sub-Saharan countries solve the

problem of food shortages by

importing food?

Can Sub-Saharan countries solve the

problem of food shortages by

importing food?

Sub-Saharan countries

Food shortages

Food surplus

Food surplusFrance

The USA


Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk? Uneven food supply

Food production > Food consumption

Food consumption > Food production

Food surplus Food shortages

Import foodExport surplus

foodNot enough money

to import food

Sufficient food supply Famine


What are the similarities found among countries where famine occurs?

Sub-Saharan Africa

Japan

GNP per capita (US$) (2006) 830 38,630

Agricultural labour force (%) (2004)

59 3

Illiteracy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) (2006)

39Less

than 1

Birth rate (per 1,000 people) (2006)

40 9

Dietary energy consumption (kcal/person/day) (2003-5)

2,220 2,750

Life expectancy (years) (2006)

50 82

Political situationCivil wars

and corruption

Stable

They are ( poor / rich ).

They rely heavily on _____________.

They have ( low / high ) education level.

The birth rate is ( low / high ), leading to a high population growth.

agriculture

What are the characteristics of the

countries which is more likely to suffer

from famine?

What are the characteristics of the

countries which is more likely to suffer

from famine?

Poor nutrition often leads to ( long / short ) life expectancy.They are politically ( stable / unstable ).


How is famine related to agriculture?The food supply in a country is closely related to its level of food production.

Food production Food supply Risk of famine

In order to solve the problem of famine, can we increase food

production by applying various agricultural technologies?

In order to solve the problem of famine, can we increase food

production by applying various agricultural technologies?

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Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages? 5 Combating famine― Is technology a panacea for food shortages?