7 FOOD PRODUCTION

Farming is a ………………………. with inputs into the farm, processes that take
place on the farm and outputs from the farm. The aim is to produce the best
possible …………………….., such as milk, eggs, meat and crops. A profit is
only made if the income from selling the outputs is ……………………… than the
cost of the inputs and processes.

INPUTS PROCESSES OUTPUTS

e.g. land, energy,
labour, machinery,
fertilisers, costs,
seeds, pesticides ...
e.g. preparing land,
ploughing, manuring,
sowing, fertilising,
weeding, harvesting ...
 Main product–e.g. grain,
meat, eggs, milk
 ………-product-e.g straw
for animal feed
 ………………. product –
e.g. stubble to enrich soil
for next year

Farming types
We can classify farming according to several criteria:
a) according to specialisation:
 arable farming – it means growing crops; a farm can grow just one crop (it’s called
monoculture) or a range of different crops
 ……………………… farming – involves keeping livestock (hospodárske zvieratá), such as beef
cattle (hovädzí dobytok), sheep and pigs
 mixed farming – involves growing crops and keeping ……………………….. on a farm
b) according to economic status:

o subsistence farming – the most basic form of agriculture, in which just sufficient food is
provided for the farmer’s own family, usually with no or little technological input
o commercial farming – its aim is to ………………… …………………….. that the farm produces with
the highest possible profits
c) according to intensity of land use:

 extensive farming – is where a farm is………………. in

comparison with the amount of agriculture produce obtained.
Inputs per unit of land are ……………… . Examples – sheep
farming in ……………………… or growing wheat in the Canadian
prairies.

 intensive farming – is where a farm is small but they achieve

high yields per hectare. Examples – market ………………………
or dairy farming.

Organic farming
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Pesticides – all chemicals applied to crops to control pests (škodcovia), diseases and weeds
(buriny). Now, we use pesticides not to lose the crops, but they can also affect non-harmful wildlife
such as ……………. .
Fertiliser – is a mineral mixture containing one or more of the 6 main nutrients (živiny) needed
for successful plant growth. It is quite expensive to use and it can have harmful effects when the
fertiliser is washed into the …………………. and underground domestic water supplies.

Organic farming doesn’t use any chemical fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides. Instead, animal
and green .............................. (hnoj a kompost) are used with mineral fertilisers, such as fish and
bone meal. So, it is less harmful to the environment in general.

BUT it has got its problems too:

 using no chemical fertiliser means that, initially, yields are ……………………
 more weeding has to be done
 farmers have to wait several years before they can market their goods as organic
 the extra work means organic produce is more ………………………… for shoppers to buy.

The influence of natural and human inputs on farming

A wide range of factors influences how agricultural land is used. We can divide them into
3 main categories:

1) physical (environmental) factors

 relief – the flatter and the more low-lying the land, the more efficient is the farm. New
technology and investments have extended farming into more difficult landscapes. In more
mountainous areas, terracing is used, e.g. in ………………………… .

 temperature / sunshine – this is a critical factor in crop growing as each type of crop
requires a …………………………... growing temperature. So, the places with maximum sunshine
protected against frost and wind are usually the most successful.

 soils – the deeper and richer the soil, the more intensive and commercial the farm

 rainfalls / water supply –water is vital for agriculture and thus i…………………….. plays an
important role. Areas with reliable rainfalls are the best for production of good grass for rearing
animals (e.g. Scottish highlands), drier areas grow cereals and fruit (e.g. Western Slovakia)
2) economic factors

* transport and markets – transport costs influence the final price for agricultural products
thus the nearer the goods are produced to consumers, the better

* money – is needed for improving farm buildings and machinery, buying fertilizer and good-
quality seed and animals

* size of farm – in most countries there has been a trend towards ……………… but larger farms.
They seem to be more economically efficient than smaller ones as they reduce the unit costs of
production. However, small farms find it really ………………………… to compete with them and to
make a profit.

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 *mechanisation / technology – the development and application of technology requires
money. Better machinery and computers ……………………………….. outputs but reduce the need for
workers.

3) human (social, cultural, political) factors

 land tenure – the ways in which land can be owned. Some farmers own the land, some are just
tenants, which also influences farm size

 governmental influence – governments can ………………………. farmers by loans but also limit
them by production controls (how much a farmer can produce) and thus they influence farmers’
decisions about their agricultural production

Causes and effects of food shortages

CAUSES
Food shortages can occur because of both:
*natural problems, such as overused ……………., drought, floods, tropical cyclones, pests,
diseases and
*human problems like low capital investment, rapidly rising ………………….., transport difficulties,
conflicts and wars.

Problems with food shortage and malnutrition occur mainly in developing countries in Africa and
the …………………………… ……………………….. .

EFFECTS

Malnutrition can affect a huge number of people, particularly …………………….., but adults are also
endangered.
In adults: it causes reduction of their ability to work and their resistance to diseases, so they are
often ill.
In children: it can retard mental and physical development and causes illness.
Typical illnesses caused by malnutrition include: beri-beri (a lack of …… vitamin), rickets (a lack
od …… vitamin) and kwashiorkor (………..………. deficiency)

Possible solutions to food shortages

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Food aid is absolutely vital to cope with food shortages. We can distinguish 3 types of food aid:
1) relief food aid – delivered ………………………….. to people in times of …………………. (floods, droughts,
earthquakes…)
2) programme food aid – provided to the …………………. of a country for sale in local markets
3) project food aid – focused on specific groups of people as part of …………………………… development

The USA and ……………………. together provide ⅔ of global food aid.

The main organisations - the UN World Food Programme or the UN
Food and Agriculture Organisation operate mainly in Africa, but also
in parts of Asia and Latin America.
But this aid can have also some negatives:

- it can make poor countries even more ……………………………. on donor countries

- aid may not reach the poorest village people because of a high level of corruption
- some projects may lead to more expensive food and water