FOOD RESOURCES

TEAM MEMBERS 
SHRI NIKHITHAA R M
PON LIBARNA S
RITIKA E C
 BARGHAVI P
YASWANTH KUMAR R S
INTRODUCTION
Food is any substance consumed to provide
nutritional support for the body and which is able
to meet physiological needs for growth of the
human body. Food is essential for growth and
development of living organisms.
It is usually the plant or animal origin that contains
essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats,
protein, vitamins or minerals. Out of thousand
edible plants and animals around 3 dozens types
form major food of humans. Some species of
crops provide food , whereas other provide
commercial products like oils, fiber, etc.....
SOURCES OF FOOD

Agriculture is the source of the majority of food

components.
In ancient times the source of food was through gathering
and hunting.
Nowadays in modern society , we obtain food through
cultivation through agriculture , domestication of animals
or through fishing . 
Due to the agricultural revolution with the application of 
science and technology world food supply increased
remarkably. 
 Our main food sources

Plants and  animals are the main source of food for all the organisms on earth.

Food obtained from animals is the main source of protein and includes fish, milk, meat, poultry, and cheese.

Whereas plants provide us with fruits and vegetables, which are an important source of fibers, proteins and
carbohydrates.

We also obtain food from marine and fresh water. Sea food contributes 70 million metric tons of high quality
protein to worlds diet.

  
WORLD FOOD SUPPLY

World Food Day is an international day celebrated every year worldwide on 16 October to commemorate
the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945. It is a specialized
agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and
food security.
In the  last  50 years the world food production has tripled
At global level, only 20 species of crops are used for food. These, in approximate order of importance are
wheat, rice, corn, potatoes; barley, sweet potatoes, cassavas, soybeans, oats, sorghum, millet,etc
But the food production in 64 developing countries lagging behind the population growth rate.
Food systems rely on a variety of Earth's natural resources: land, water, minerals, fossil fuels, biodiversity and
ecosystem services.
Worldwide, the food supply available to people depends on a variety of environmental, technical, and
sociopolitical factors
 UNCONTROLLED POPULATION: 

“the balance of production and consumption” of foodstuffs is very important.

The world population increases rapidly. So, if the world population grows up in
current pace, the amount of production of cereal crops is said to be unable to
catch up with the population in the future. 

WORLD NATURAL DISASTER : 

FOOD Climate change is having an increased impact on food production as droughts

and flooding become more frequent and more severe. Shrinking access to
fertile land and water may trigger refugee crises and conflicts. 

PROBLEMS  FOREIGN COMPANIES: 

Foreign companies are taking over vast swathes of fertile farmland in poor
countries to grow food for export, potentially diminishing local farmers' access to
land and food. 
WORLD FOOD PROBLEMS 

 POVERTY:
Ultimately, the main reason why most people are unable to feed
themselves is not that food is unavailable but they cannot afford
it. But poverty also reduces food output. Many African farmers
produce small harvests because they lack irrigation and
fertilisers. Example : Africa has the lowest fertiliser usage in the
world – a measure of how its farmers are simply unable to afford
the inputs used by their developed world counterparts. 
 GLOBAL FOOD PRICES: 
 Rising global food prices affect people's ability to buy enough
to feed their families, especially the urban poor, who can spend
as much as 80 percent of their income on food.  In 2007 and
2008, the global price of basics like rice, wheat and maize
soared and triggered riots in many countries.  Example :
Population growth demand for more varied diets in countries like
China and India and many poor people are unable to buy
enough food. 
WORLD FOOD
PROBLEMS
UNDERNOURISHMENT: 
It is the lack of sufficient calories in food. According to FAO
estimate, the average minimum daily requirement over the
whole world is about 2,500 calories per day. People who
receive less than this calorie requirement are said to be
undernourished.  In the developing countries , one child in four
dies of one disease or the due to undernourishment and suffer
from deafness, anaemia, thyroid etc. 
MALNOURISHMENT: 
 It relates to the deficiency of such nutrients in food as proteins,
vitamins or essential chemical elements. In poorer countries ,
people get malnourished because they cannot afford a
healthy diet like meat, fruit , milk and milk products and such
lead to a variety of health problem like goitre, anaemia etc. 
 Although India is the third largest producer of staple crops ,
an estimated 300 million Indians are still undernourished. Our
food problems are directly related to our  population. 
India is self-sufficient in a number of food crops including rice
and wheat, which are among the national staples, and
there is enough food to meet demand. Despite this,
hundreds of millions of Indians have poor nutritional health. 

INDIAN Micronutrient deficiencies are common in India, mainly as a

result of a focus on calorie availability and not dietary
diversity. 

SCENARIO: Poor water management and subsidies that encourage

wasteful practices in agricultural production could come to
present a threat to Indian food security. 
Malnutrition and poverty are the main causes for the
adoption of food security in India. 
Every year nearly 5000 children die due to inadequate food
consumption. HUNGAMA report published by Nandi
Foundation in 2011 found that 42% of the children under the
age of five are underweight and 59% are stunted. 
SOME SOLUTIONS TO COMBAT EXISTING FOOD
PROBLEMS 

Introduction of
Improvement of
improved method of
financial and Balancing the Checking population
cultivation based on
educational status of demand with supply   growth
science and
Indian cultivators  
technology  

Protection of food
Increasing from rats, insecticides
Proper public Proper transport
production of food etc. Judicious
distribution facilities
grains distribution of
available supplies
 The word agriculture don’t need a definition.
Agriculture is the world’s oldest and largest industry;
more than half of all the people in the world still live
on farms. But, because of production, processing and
distribution of food — and that took on a large scale
CHANGES larger effects on the environment are unavoidable. 
CAUSED BY
AGRICULTURE

The effects of agriculture on the environment can be

broadly classified into three groups, namely 

Global Regional Local

effects effects effects
 It refers to the change in the world at large 
Global
These include climate changes as well as potentially extensive changes in
changes  chemical cycles such as oxygen cycle, CO2 cycle etc 

These generally result from the combined effects of farming practices in the
same large region. Regional effects include deforestation, desertification,
CHANGES CAUSED  Regional large scale pollution, increase in sedimentation in major rivers and in the
estuaries at the mouths of the rivers and changes in the chemical fertility of
Effects: 
BY AGRICULTURE soils over large areas. In tropical waters, sediments entering the ocean can
destroy coral reefs. 

These occur at or near the site of farming. These changes / effects include
 Local soil erosion and increase in sedimentation downstream in local rivers.
Effects:  Fertilizers carried by sediments can also transport toxins and destroy local
fisheries. 
OVERGRAZING 

Wikipedia defines Overgrazing as, 
“Overgrazing occurs when plants are
exposed to intensive grazing for extended
periods of time, or without sufficient
recovery periods. It can be caused by
either livestock in poorly managed
agricultural applications, game reserves,
or nature reserves. It can also be caused
by immobile, travel restricted populations
of native or non-native wild animals.” 
Let's have a look at these images

Which of these two areas do you think is best for grazing and
why?

Pasture 1 bring nutritious grasses in high quantities but

only for a short term and can be easily overgrazed.
Whereas Pasture 2 has variety of bush and tree feed
opportunities
 ❑ Soil erosion 
Animals will graze even on the slightest shoots of new growth. Without the plants or
vegetation cover, the soil is left bare and exposed to harsh weather such as heavy
downpour and high temperatures, which disintegrates the rocks and carries the
topsoil away. 
❑ Loss of Valuable Species 
The natural composition of the plant population and their regeneration capacity is
significantly affected by overgrazing. The original pasture crops are composed of
high-quality pastures and herbs with great nutritional value. When animals intensively
graze on such pastures, even the root stocks which contain the reserve food or
regeneration capacity get ruined. 
   Once ruined, some other more adaptable species, such as weeds and unpalatable
CHANGES plants, take up their place. These secondary plant species have less nutritional
values, and because they are highly adaptive, they replace the native species,
thereby causing the loss of valuable plant species. 
CAUSED BY ❑ Food Shortage/Famine 
OVERGRAZING  Overgrazing is a primary contributor to desertification because it converts arable or
pasture land into unproductive land. The resultant soil is thus not suited for growing
food since it loses its essential nutrients. 
The loss of land productivity directly results in the loss of food available for
consumption. This heightens food supply reduction, and if population growth is still
registered, it causes starvation and economic challenges. 
❑ Negative Pollution 
In arid and semi arid areas of India, the number of grazing animals is 2 to 10 times
higher than the grasslands can support. This decreases productivity and quality of
grasslands and causes Negative pollution ie reduction in soil productivity due to
overuse.  
SOLUTION TO OVERGRAZING 

Proper Management of Animals 

As much as overgrazing is associated with the number of animals, it’s more about the management of
the animals.
It is simply up to those in charge of grazing to take appropriate measures in ensuring that these
management practices are effectively utilized. Proper management of animals also bears the potential
of wholly enhancing grazing land conditions via improved pasture production and soil health.
Land Use Management               
Land use management involves the proper assessment of various land uses and the implications of
human activities on land. Local and regional factors such as aridity and rainfall patterns also have to be
considered before any land development or exploitation implementations are undertaken.
The use of soil conservation measures and silvopastoralism, in conjunction with controlled livestock
restriction from sensitive areas can also help cut down and reverse the effects of overgrazing.
Shifting to Other Ways of Feeding Livestock 
It is essential to understand that livestock can be fed on stored fodder as well. This process not only
ensures the fact that the livestock does not overfeed, but it also ensures that pastures are not
overgrazed. This is yet another sustainable practice that could be adopted. 
EFFECTS OF MODERN AGRICULTURE

What is Modern agriculture?

Modern agriculture is an evolving approach to agricultural innovations and farming practices that help farmers

increase efficiency and reduce the number of natural resources like water, land, and energy necessary to meet the world’s food,
fuel, and fiber needs. 

Impact of Modern Agriculture:

Modern agriculture improves our affordability of food, increases the food supply, ensures the food safety, increases sustainability,
and also produces more biofuels. But at the same time, it also leads to environmental problems because it is based on high
input–high output technique using hybrid seeds of high-yielding variety and abundant irrigation water, fertilizers, and pesticides. 
SOIL EROSION: 

The top fertile soil of the farmland is removed due to the excessive water supply. This
leads to the loss of nutrient-rich soil that hampered productivity. 

CONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER: 

From agricultural fields, nitrogenous fertilizers leach into the soil and finally
contaminate groundwater. When the nitrate level of groundwater exceeds 25 mg/l,
they can cause a serious health hazard known as “Blue Baby Syndrome”, which
affects mostly infants even leading to their death. 
 WATER LOGGING 
If water stands on land for long time, it is
called water logging. In water logged
conditions, pore-voids in the soil get filled with
water and soil-air gets depleted. In such a
condition the roots of plants do not get enough
air for respiration 
SALINITY: 
Water not absorbed by soil, is evaporated
leaving behind a thin layer of dissolved salts in
the top soil. This is called salinity of the soil. Saline
conditions are exhibited when pH is greater
than 8.0 In this situation, the roots of plants do
not get enough air to respiration then it leads to
low crop yield as well as low mechanical
strength.
 Micronutrient imbalance : Chemical fertilizers used in
modern agriculture contain macro-nutrients(N, P, K).
Excess use of fertilizers in fields causes micro-nutrients (B,
Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu, Mo, Cl) imbalance

PROBLEMS Nitrate pollution: Excess Nitrogenous fertilizers

IN USING contaminates the groundwater. It causes "Blue Baby

Syndrome".

FERTILIZERS 
Eutrophication: The application of excess fertilizers in fields
leads to wash off of the nutrient loaded water into
nearby lakes causing over-nourishments called
Eutrophication. It is the reason that the lakes get attacked
by "Algal blooms". Algal blooms use nutrients rapidly and
grow fast. Their life is short, they die and pollute water
thereby affecting aquatic life in the lake
PROBLEMS IN USING
PESTICIDES: 
First generation pesticides - Sulphur, Arsenic, Lead ,
Mercury. 
Second generation pesticides-  Dichloro Diphenyl
Trichloroethane (DDT), aldrin etc 
Death of non-target organisms: Several insecticides
kill not only the target species but also several
beneficial not target organisms
Pesticide resistance: Some pests that survive the
pesticide generate highly resistant generations that
are immune to all kinds of pesticides. These pests
are called "super-pests"
Bio-magnification: Biomagnification is any
concentration of a toxin, such as pesticides, in the
tissues of tolerant organisms at successively higher
levels in a food chain.
Risk of cancer: Pesticide enhances the risk of
cancer in two ways
                    (i) It acts as a carcinogen  
                    (ii) It indirectly suppresses the immune system. 
CASE STUDIES

Salinity and water logging in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan

The first alarming report of salt-affected wasteland
formation in connection with irrigation practices came from
Haryana (then Punjab) in 1858. It was reported that several
villages in Panipat, Rohtak and Delhi lying in command area
of Western Yamuna Canal were suffering from destructive
saline efflorescence. The “Reh Committee” in 1886 drew the
attention of the government on some vital points showing a
close relationship between irrigation, drainage and spread
of “reh” and “usar” soils
 CASE STUDIES

The floods of 1947, 1950, 1952, 1954-56 in Punjab resulted in aggravated water

logging with serious drainage problems. Introduction of canal irrigation in 1.2 m ha in
Haryana resulted in rise in water-table followed by water-logging and salinity in many
irrigated areas causing huge economic losses as a result of fall in crop productivity.
Rajasthan too has suffered badly in this regard following the biggest irrigation
project “Indira Gandhi Canal Project” and the sufferings of a big area
in Western Rajasthan have changed from a condition of “water-starved Wasteland
" to that of a “water soaked wasteland”.
South Sudan food
insecurity
South Sudan has about 10 million
people. Although more than 70 percent of
South Sudan’s landmass is thought to be
arable, and even the Nile and its many
tributaries water these lands, only about 4
percent of South Sudan is farmed. Most
land either lies fallow or is used to raise
cattle—in most parts of the country.
As hunger levels continue to deepen in
South Sudan due to a combination of
violence, climate change and
COVID-19 like adding fuel to
the flame , the 2021 South Sudan
Humanitarian Response
Plan was launched  aiming to reach 6.6
million people – including 350,000 refugees
- with life-saving assistance and protection
Punjab’s green revolution movement:

 In 1965-66, India could produce only 72 million tonne of food grains against the demand
of 90 million tonne.
With only two options in hand to either increase food grains production - either opting for
land distribution among smallholders or opting for technology in traditional farming,
policymakers opted for the latter as an option to reduce scarcity of food grains. This
meant using high yielding seeds, irrigation, fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides
under Intensive Agricultural Districts Programme (IADP), along with assured prices to
farmers to sell their surplus food. This drive was known as the Green Revolution and Punjab
was the center of this revolution.
Punjab's wheat and paddy farming dominated the economy and their bumper
production became a role model for development within a few years. But the growth
was based on high extraction of groundwater and use of heavy chemical fertilizers,
which ruined the productivity of the soil. Gradually within one and half decade, Punjab
agriculture growth started to decline. According to Indian Council for Research on
International Economic Relations (ICRIER) study, "The growth rate dropped to 3 per cent
in the period of 1986 to 2005
In 2008, Researchers at Punjab University discovered DNA damage in 30 percent of
Indian farmers who treated plants with herbicides and pesticides. An additional study
found heavy metals and pesticide chemicals in drinking water.
THANK YOU