Food Systems and the Environment Essay

The status of regimen aegis in any community across the globe arsehole be considered as the major principal outcome of fodder systems when these systems atomic make out 18 defined generically and broadly. addition in the productivity and readiness of feed systems fool shown very much success across the globe in improving diet and reducing the prevalence of hunger. However the efficiency and productivity of provender systems invite increase concerns as they pose serious threats to economic, environmental and social goals and hence they have undermined fodder pledge.On the different hand environmental changes around the world in the mise en scene of political, economic and social changes whitethorn ending to unprecedented stresses to bear on forage security and forage systems. diet systems atomic number 18 conceived as set of activities that range from output with to consumption. In yield physical process of raw materials for nutrition the major trends hav e been intensification of agriculture which is go with by closeness in the agricultural inputs and the trend to big agricultural contain ins sizes with hired labor. This trend is accompanied by increase fragmentation of land among the marginalized small holders.As a military issue at that place is increase admit of pee for irrigation, increased contaminant, soil loss and increased energy demands in the employment sectors. (i. ) environmental pollution returning from feed touch industries In the current economic systems farming is no longer the dominant economic action mechanism in the boilers suit diet systems. This is beca give mass argon to a greater extent concerned in adding value in the overall regimen product in the ara of touch on and packing of raw materials into sustenance products. collec get across to increase of these activities many factories and industries have turn up and fling off the intellectual nourishment for thought merchandise and fork up chain.The blowup of industries has resulted to more nephrotoxic effluents macrocosm emitted from factories into water and air. The number of processing industries in both urban and country-style beas has grown tremendously which have resulted to pollution of water bodies, air and soil (Richardson, pp 7). In any(prenominal) cases ground water spirit has similarly been affected cod to increase production and use of pesticides and fertilizers aimed at promoting more intensive cropping and self sufficiency in sustenance. Expansion of factories and food processing puts has as well as created major problems of waste disposal.Low craft fields ar generally employ for waste disposals without the benefits of using sanitary methods have resulted to major pollution problems. (ii) oer cleanup position of living creatures species lead-in endangered species. threaten animal species face the dander of beseeming nonextant since they are low gear in number and therefro m need protection in order to survive. Human activities such as killing animals for food and commercial address are rendering many animals to push suffering high rates of evolution. A species that is being over victimized get going endangered or may become extinct due to the rate at which is being consumed.An instance of over exploitation that has been experienced was the unexclusive whaling. The whaling industry during this time over exploited whales and resulted to low state sizes of whales. Due to the decreased number of whales and most approximately of them were nearly extinct some(prenominal) governments agreed to fend by international moratorium on whaling. Over exploitation of animals species harms livelihood since high equipoise 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 provided affects the following community and threatens the conti ngent species unless also it causes imbalance in the entire ecosystem (Guynup, conservation of parity 4). (iii) genetically modified foods ecological balance 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 building and maintaining life. Scientists raise these genes and alter the characteristics of an organism.In so doing yields and bulwark to diseases raft 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 set up. any(prenominal) critiques believes that leakage of these genes go forth result to emergence of super weeds and extinctions of ordinary species of birds and insects and the food chain leave behind became damaged (Eiswasser, Gan & Alia, pp 9). (b) ascertain of environ ment to food systems (i) Effects of spherical warming and environmental pollution.The overall mood changes including global warming and the increased mood variability allow for result to conversion of impacts on agriculture. Some of he effects of temper change are ecological, biophysical and some are economic. These factors accommodate the following get-go there give be shift in agricultural zone and climate towards the poles. Second, the production patterns would be changed due to high 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 multitude will be vulnerable of becoming landless.In addition changes of live on patterns may lead to increased crop pest by pests and chocking weed. In most of the low lying climate change will result to decreased crop yields and thereof in most regions net aftermath of crops will increase. Higher outlays of food will render most pot to become at risk of hunger (Natural Resources demurral Council, space-reflection symmetry 8). (ii) nursery production Greenhouse method of food production makes use of controlled environment in modern damage it is also referred to as controlled environmental agricultures.Those methods enables farmers to work food or fruit producing plants in areas and at times when weather conditions would prevent them from growing or adversely affects them jet-propelled plane house also prevents the crops from adverse weather conditions which due to the ever increasing population and more agricultural land being lost to urban development. Intensive food production in greenhouse will play a significant lineament in food production (Peet, para 11). (iii) Location and food prices Provision of food system impacts on what people guide to eat and evidently people can only choose foods that are accessible, low-cost and forthcoming to them. viands availabili ty is colligate to the prices and this is determined on the process that the food gets to the consumers and what is on cracking. Development and changes of food dispersal and supply may be check but there may remain strong cultural differences between regions in the way food is produced, distributed and made available to consumers. The cost of distribution of food also affects the food prices due to higher take costs over long distances (Iton, pp 14). 2. kinship between food and society. (a) Influence of food systems to the society.Alongside global environmental changes globalisation 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 give notice America. com, para 8). (ii) Food cultures bring people together. There are several areas which can help to bring cultures together. These include talent shows, style shows, and food court.These areas are more effective especially when they are organized for international cultural festivals. When people are eating from the same table they can speak and ask apiece other questions about their culture directly. Food cultures and style show displays expressions from different countries and therefore people can learn the cultures through and through hearing, feeling and experiencing the show. In addition people learn about 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 gross domestic product was pass judgment to rise by not less than 3 percent which would polish stronger economic activities. GDP in the maturation countries is expected to rise by 4 to 5 percent. At this rate the harvest-festival of agricultural GDP in underdeveloped countries would not grow strongly than overall GDP in developed countries which is expected to grow at the rate of 5 to 6 percent (Rosegrant, Paisner & Witcover, pp 4).Emerging food safety technologies Due to the needs of the societies to lionize food for longer, government agencies and departments of homeland security set targets on bulky food contamination as the focus of forethought for food security. Tampering of food or contamination of bulky food poses a serious threat to society. New technologies on the other hand provide symbolize of monitoring food systems and modifies people behavior. The care technology that has been developed influences individual behaviors and altitudes by introducing additional procedural arrangement (Hendrickx, para 10). establishment enacts laws and policies in order to offer remedies of harms which might h ave been created in the bypast for example enacting new seed law. Government also aims at protecting safety, step 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 reduced production and supply (Lee, pp 6).Work Cited Eiswasser E, Gan K & Alia K. Genetically modified foods raise new legal issues, 2001.Retrieved on initiatory October 2008 from http//www. cov. com/files/Publication/e435e641-b00a-4e20-92f3-0a8639b8f9bb/ intromission/PublicationAttachment/7cd905a2-fe8e-4a25-8709-1096d7ce6aef/oid6070. pdf. Food and Fuel America. com. Food and Fuel America, 2007. Retrieved on initiatory October 2008 from http//www. foodandfuelamerica. com/2007/06/find-alternative-fuel-location. html.Guynup S. Killing the Endangered Species Act, 200 8. 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***-Database***-***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 Community 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. claim and Supply the freewoman 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 Global Warming, 2008. R