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Food Management

Global food supply is uneven -- the amount of food that countries produce varies, and the amount of food people eat also varies across the world. Food security is when people are able to eat enough nutritious food to stay healthy and active. Food insecurity is when people can't get enough food to stay healthy and active. Global food consumption is increasing due to rising population and economic development. Food insecurity is a complex issue affected by physical and human factors, and has a range of negative impacts including famine, undernutrition, soil erosion, rising prices and social unrest.

The amount of food that countries produce varies. A map showing the production of cereals by country from 2012 to 2014 shows that North America and East Asia produce a lot of food, while Central America and Africa only produce small amounts of food. The factors that affect how much food can be produced are explained on the next page. The production of other food follows a similar pattern. The amount of food people eat also varies across the world. A map showing daily calorie intake per person (2011-2013) shows: HICs, such as the USA, eat a lot. They can afford to import a large variety of foods, and many people have a high income so can buy more food. LICs, such as Ethiopia, consume less food -- less is available and people can't afford as much. NEEs, such as China, are consuming more as their wealth increases.

Key Terms

Food Security — When people are able to eat enough nutritious food to stay healthy and active. Countries that produce a lot of food or are rich enough to import what they need have food security.
Food Insecurity — When people can't get enough food to stay healthy and active. Countries that don't grow enough to feed their population and can't afford to import the food they need have food insecurity.

Global Food Production and Consumption Maps

Two world maps: 1) Cereal production by country (2012-2014) measured in metric tonnes (millions), with categories: >410, 90-410, 50-90, 28-16, 16-50, 2-8, <2, and no data available. North America and East Asia produce the most. 2) Daily calorie intake per person (2011-2013) with categories: Over 3395, 3266 to 3395, 2546 to 3095, 1358 to 1539, 1995 to 3066, Less than 2546, No data available. HICs have the highest calorie intake.

Cereal production (metric tonnes, millions)Daily calorie intake per personHICs - high consumptionLICs - low consumptionNEEs - increasing consumption

Case Studies

Exam Tips

  • •Learn the difference between food security and food insecurity -- you need to be able to define both clearly.
  • •Know specific statistics: 260,000 died in Somalia famine (2010-2012), 40% of under-5s in sub-Saharan Africa have stunted growth, 37% of world's wheat crops threatened by wheat rust, GM rice (C4 breed) could increase yields by 50%.
  • •Be able to explain BOTH physical AND human factors that affect food supply -- examiners often ask for examples of each.
  • •For the Burkina Faso case study, learn both advantages and disadvantages with specific figures (e.g. 3300 hectares irrigated, 12,500 tonnes of rice, only 22% above poverty threshold).
  • •Remember the five impacts of food insecurity: famine, undernutrition, soil erosion, rising prices, and social unrest. Be able to give a named example for at least two.
  • •Understand the difference between irrigation types: gravity flow, sprinklers, and drip systems.
  • •For sustainable food supply, know at least three methods: organic farming, permaculture, and urban farming initiatives.
  • •One third of food globally is lost or wasted -- this is a key statistic for exam answers about sustainability.