Food ProductionEdexcel GCSE Biology: Revision notes
Section 1
What is Food Security?
Food security means reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food. Biological factors: population growth, meat/fish consumption, new pests/pathogens, environmental change, sustainability issues.
Always explain WHY a factor reduces food availability or increases demand.
Section 2
Population Growth and Meat/Fish Consumption
Growing population needs more food/land/water. Rising animal farming wastes energy vs crops directly; overfishing reduces fish stocks.
Growing crops to feed cattle then eating cattle wastes far more energy than eating crops directly.
Section 3
New Pests and Pathogens
Spread via trade/travel/climate change; destroy crops, wipe out livestock, hard to treat without existing resistance.
Pests damage crops directly (insects/rodents); pathogens cause disease.
Section 4
Environmental Change
Climate change alters rainfall/temperature, making regions unsuitable for established crops; extreme weather destroys harvests; can introduce new pests.
Section 5
Sustainability Issues
Biofuel production competes with food crops for land. Rising agricultural input costs (fertiliser, pesticide) make production more expensive, reducing supply/raising prices.
Weigh biofuel benefit (renewable energy) against cost (less food land).
Must Know
- Food security threats: population growth, meat/fish demand, new pests/pathogens, climate change, biofuel land use, rising input costs.
- Animal farming/overfishing less efficient/sustainable than crops.
- Climate change shifts suitable growing regions.
- Biofuel land competes with food crops.
That's the notes covered.
Carry on to the next subtopic.