FARMING AND FAMINE

Farming and Famine

Introduction

•Farming is the world’s major primary industry.
•LEDCs at risk from famine.
•An adult needs 2300 calories per day.
•High consumption of calorie : overweigh – Heart diesese and stroke.
•A lack of calorie and the right vitamins : malnutrition – weak and sick.

THE CAUSE OF FAMINE

Drought :
When the rains fail, harvests can be destroyed and farmers are left without food.

Desertification :
Deforestration result in land that easily eroded and become unproductive.

War :
Wars can destroy farmings as people leave the land to fight or escape.
Money spent on weapons rather than on Agriculture.
e.g. Somalia in 1992

Poverty :
Landless people do not have land to farm on.

Trade :
Poor prices for crops which they export.
Pay a high price for manufactured goods which they import from the developed world

International Debt :
LEDCs owe money to the MEDCs.
Most of their income to pay off debt and intersest. Little to spend on farming.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?
MEDCs help the poorer world.
To “write off” some or all of international debt.
Fair trade
e/g Maya Gold – selling an organic chocolate from Third world producers.

TYPE OF FARMING
Commercial Farming :
The growing of crops and rearing of animals for sale at markets.
Mostly located at MEDCs.

Subsistence Farming :
The growing of just sufficient crops and the rearing of just enough animals to feed a family.
Mostly in LEDCs.

Intensive Farming :
Uses a small amount of land from which high yields are obtained.

Extensive Farming :
Uses large areas of land from which lower yields are obtained.

Farming in rich and poor countries :
•In LEDCs Most people work in the fields to provide enough food for themselves.
•If there are any crops left over, they take them to the local market for sale.
•Most of the products are produced under intensive commercial conditions in Europe.

End of Doc.