Food Systems and the Environment Essay

The status of fodder security measures in any community across the globe can be considered as the major principal outcome of victuals systems when these systems ar specify generically and broadly. Increase in the yieldivity and efficiency of f are systems strike shown much success across the globe in improving victuals and reducing the prevalence of starve. How of all time the efficiency and productivity of aliment systems cast raised concerns as they pose serious threats to economical, environmental and social goals and in that locationfrom they have undermined feed security.On the other hand environmental changes round the universe in the context of political, economic and social changes may latermath to unprecedented stresses to bear on pabulum security and food systems. nourishment systems ar conceived as set of activities that range from work through to consumption. In production process of raw materials for food the major trends have been intensification of factory farm which is accompanied by concentration in the agricultural inputs and the trend to bigger agricultural lands sizes with hired labor. This trend is accompanied by increase atomisation of land among the marginalized small holders.As a consequence thither is increase demand of pissing for irrigation, increase pollution, soil loss and increased muscle demands in the production sectors. (i. ) Environmental pollution ensueing from food processing industries In the current economic systems farming is no wanter the dominant economic activity in the overall food systems. This is because large number are much concerned in adding value in the overall food product in the area of processing and packing of raw materials into food products. collectible to increase of these activities many factories and industries have concent targetd up and down the food production and supply chain.The working out of industries has resulted to more toxic effluents being emitted from facto ries into water and air. The number of processing industries in both urban and rural areas has pornographic tremendously which have resulted to pollution of water bodies, air and soil (Richardson, pp 7). In some cases ground water quality has in addition been affected ascribable to increasing production and use of pesticides and fertilizers aimed at promoting more intensive wreakping and self-importance sufficiency in food. Expansion of factories and food processing kit and boodles has also created major problems of waste disposal.Low lying fields are generally employ for waste disposals without the benefits of using sanitary methods have resulted to major pollution problems. (ii) everyplace killing of animals species confidential information endangered species. Endangered animal species face the dander of decent extinct since they are low in number and consequently need protection in order to survive. Human activities such as killing animals for food and commercial tra de are rendering many animals to continue suffering high rates of developing. A species that is being overexploited work endangered or may become extinct collect to the rate at which is being consumed.An example of over exploitation that has been experienced was the unexclusive whaling. The whaling industry during this time over exploited whales and resulted to low population sizes of whales. payable to the decreased number of whales and nearly some of them were nearly extinct some(prenominal) governments agreed to abide by inter matter moratorium on whaling. Over exploitation of animals species harms livelihood since high proportion of worlds population depends on wildlife for their meat protein and their components provided traditional medicines.Over exploitation of plant and animal species does not completely affects the following community and threatens the particular species but also it causes derangement in the whole ecosystem (Guynup, para 4). (iii) Genetically speci al foods ecological counterbalance Genetically modified foods are produced from animals and plants which their genes are changed by scientists in the laboratory. Genes are written on the DNA and are the chemical instruction for grammatical construction and maintaining life. Scientists modify these genes and alter the characteristics of an organism.In so doing yields and resistance to diseases can be improved in both plants and animals. However there are fears some of the genes which have been introduced into some crops can escape and be transferred to other plant species where they can have adverse effects. several(prenominal) critiques believes that leakage of these genes leave result to emergence of super weeds and extinctions of ordinary species of birds and insects and the food chain impart became damaged (Eiswasser, Gan & Alia, pp 9). (b) Influence of environment to food systems (i) Effects of world(prenominal) warming and environmental pollution.The overall mood chang es including ball-shaped warming and the increased climate variability ordain result to variety of impacts on agriculture. Some of he effects of climate change are ecological, biophysical and some are economic. These factors include the following first there will be lurch in agricultural zone and climate towards the poles. Second, the production patterns would be changed due to higher temperatures. Third, agricultural productivity in some regions would be increased due to increased levels of carbon dioxide, fourth the precipitation patterns will be changed and finally most hatful will be vulnerable of becoming landless.In addition changes of weather patterns may lead to increased crop infestation by pests and chocking weed. In most of the low lying climate change will result to decreased crop yields and therefore in most regions net import of crops will increase. Higher prices of food will render most masses to become at risk of hunger (Natural Resources Defense Council, para 8). (ii) Greenhouse production Greenhouse method of food production makes use of controlled environment in modern terms it is also referred to as controlled environmental agricultures.Those methods enables farmers to cultivate food or fruit producing plants in areas and at times when weather conditions would prevent them from growing or adversely affects them green house also prevents the crops from adverse weather conditions which due to the ever increasing population and more agricultural land being doomed to urban development. Intensive food production in greenhouse will play a significant role in food production (Peet, para 11). (iii) Location and food prices Provision of food system impacts on what people choose to eat and evidently people can only choose foods that are accessible, affordable and available to them.Food availability is link up to the prices and this is determined on the process that the food gets to the consumers and what is on offer. Development and changes of food distribution and supply may be parallel but there may remain strong cultural differences between regions in the way of life food is produced, distributed and made available to consumers. The cost of distribution of food also affects the food prices due to higher transport costs over long distances (Iton, pp 14). 2. Relationship between food and society. (a) Influence of food systems to the society.Alongside global environmental changes globalization of consumers preferences is another change that is taking place. In food systems the spread of fast food is considered synonymous with globalization. there has also been expansion of Asian Latin American and African and other international cuisines into national food cultures (Food and Fuel America. com, para 8). (ii) Food cultures bring people together. There are several areas which can help to bring cultures together. These include giving shows, style shows, and food court.These areas are more effective especially when they ar e organized for international cultural festivals. When people are eating from the equivalent table they can speak and ask each other questions virtually their culture directly. Food cultures and style show displays expressions from different countries and therefore people can learn the cultures through hearing, feeling and experiencing the show. In addition people learn nearly each other when they start taking about food (Weickgenant, para 5). (iii)Treads in food production in the global economyIn the year 1999 economic recovery had manifested itself globally after the global slow down which was cause by financial crisis in 1997 and 1998 in Asia. In the year 2000 there was further strengthening and the world GDP was judge to rise by not less than 3 percent which would reflect stronger economic activities. GDP in the developing countries is expected to rise by 4 to 5 percent. At this rate the ontogenesis of agricultural GDP in developing countries would not grow powerfully than overall GDP in developed countries which is expected to grow at the rate of 5 to 6 percent (Rosegrant, Paisner & Witcover, pp 4). appear food safety technologies Due to the needs of the societies to keep food for longer, government agencies and departments of motherland security set targets on bulky food contamination as the focus of attention for food security. Tampering of food or contamination of bulky food poses a serious threat to society. New technologies on the other hand provide mean of monitoring food systems and modifies people behavior. The surveillance technology that has been developed influences individual behaviors and altitudes by introducing additional adjective arrangement (Hendrickx, para 10). political sympathies enacts laws and policies in order to offer remedies of harms which cleverness have been created in the past for example enacting new seed law. Government also aims at protecting safety, quality and health of its citizens (Niskanen, pp 13). Changing in demand and supply When the demand and of a particular product of food increases production and supply of that product increases. As a result there will be much of that product in the market leading to fall in demand and price of the product leading to decreased production and supply (Lee, pp 6).Work Cited Eiswasser E, Gan K & Alia K. Genetically modified foods raise new legal issues, 2001.Retrieved on 1st October 2008 from http//www. cov. com/files/Publication/e435e641-b00a-4e20-92f3-0a8639b8f9bb/ presentation/PublicationAttachment/7cd905a2-fe8e-4a25-8709-1096d7ce6aef/oid6070. pdf. Food and Fuel America. com. Food and Fuel America, 2007. Retrieved on 1st October 2008 from http//www. foodandfuelamerica. com/2007/06/find-alternative-fuel-location. html.Guynup S. sidesplitting the Endangered Species Act, 2008. Retrieved on 1st October 2008 from http//www. blueridgepress. com/Forms/brp_columns/*ws4d-db-query-Show. ws4d? *ws4d-db-query-Show***EBK-EB-089090098094094090-1377***-Dat abase***-***brp_columns(directory)***. ws4d?brp_columns/detail. html. Hendrickx D. Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, 2008. Retrieved on 1st October 2008 from http//www. elsevier. com/locate/ifset. Iton A. Tackling the Root Causes of Health Disparities through lodge Capacity Building. Retrieved on 1st October 2008 from http//www. chc. ucsf. edu/pdf/Iton-Tackling%20The%20Root%20Causes%20of%20Health%20Disparities. pdf. Lee D. Demand and Supply the freeman Ideas on Liberty, 1998. Retrieved on 1st October 2008 from http//www. commonsenseeconomics. com/Readings/Demand%20and%20Supply. CSE. pdf Natural Resources Defense Council. Issues globose Warming, 2008. R