Key questions:

1. Is there enough food for China’s population?

2. How does farming technology increase food supply
and help ensure food security?
3. How does the misuse of farming technology create
negative impacts?

F2 U3 Farming Google Site

https://sites.google.com/spcc.edu.hk/f2-farming/home
Part I:
1. Is there enough food for China’s population?

https://sites.google.com/spcc.edu.hk/f2-farming/home
 What about China’s situation?
Task 1:
 Read Table 1
 Complete Fig.1 (a bar graph to show the local food
production and consumption)
(Unit: million tonnes)
    2010 2017
Supply Local production 540 618
Import 7.3 131
Demand Local consumption 525 631
Export 1.9 3
Balance
(supply – demand)
 Fig.1 Local food production and con-
sumption Local production
in China in 2010 and 2017 Local consumption
Local production / consumption (mil-
700
600
500
lion tonnes)

400
300
200
100
0
2010 2017
Year
 Fig.1 Local food production and con-
sumption Local production
in China in 2010 and 2017 Local consumption
Local production / consumption (mil-
700
600
500
lion tonnes)

400
300
200
100
0
2010 2017
Year
 What about China’s situation?
Task 2:

1. Calculate the balance between food demand and supply

for each year on Table 1. (Unit: million tonnes)
    2010 2017
Supply Local production 540 618
Import 7.3 131
Demand Local consumption 525 631
Export 1.9 3
Balance
(supply – demand) 20.4 115
 Table 2
Consumption and self-sufficiency rate of
major agricultural products in China (2020)

Consumption Self-sufficiency
(kg/capita) rate
Wheat 79 93%
Corn 59 92%
Rice 106 98%
Pork 31 88%
Soybean 13 15%
Beef 6.6 71%
Fruits 198 98%
Vegetables 495 99.9%
https://
www.hangseng.com.cn/1/PA_esf-ca-app-content/content/pws
/home/pdf/monthly_report_Mar_EN.pdf
2. Refer to Fig.1, describe the changes in local food production
and consumption in China between 2010 and 2017.
 Both local food production and consumption have increased.

3. Refer to Fig.1, Tables 1 and 2.

Can China supply enough food to meet the food demand?
If yes, how is it achieved?
 Generally yes
 In 2017, the total food supply is enough for the total food demand.
(Table 1) The self-sufficiency rate for major agricultural products
(E.g. rice, meat, fruits and vegetables) also remained high in 2020.
(Table 2)
 Yet, the local food production is actually less than the local
consumption. (Fig. 1).
 To meet the food demand, China has imported 131 million tonnes
of food. (Table 1)
4. Describe the change in food consumption in China.
Suggest reasons for the change.
 Increasing
 Population size: growing population  higher food consumption
 People’s income: economic development has increased Chinese
people’s income  higher food demand (especially meat
consumption)
Change in
GDP per capita in China:

Change in meat consumption

in China:
5. What factors might influence the food supply in China?
(recall the farming problems learnt in U3.3)
 Natural hazards – flooding & droughts  reduce crop yield  decrease in
supply () HOW???
 *Threat of global climate change  reduce crop yield  decrease in supply
()
 Desertification & urbanization  loss of farmland  decrease in supply ()

 Farming technology increases the productivity  increase in supply ()

 Import from other countries  increase in supply ()
6. Is it important for China to maintain a high rate of self-
sufficiency in food supply? Why?
 Yes?

 large population (1.4 billion)  difficult and expensive to

import food for such large population
 To maintain food security of China
Recap 3.3 Farming Problems in China
3.4 Can technology produce more
food for our growing population?
Part II:
1. How can scientific farming techniques
increase food supply?

2. How does the misuse of farm techniques

create negative impacts?
Task

Refer to the Google Site

https://sites.google.com/spcc.edu.hk/f2-farming/home and try your best
to complete the tables on notes p.3-4.
FARMING TECHNIQUE
1:
Use of IRRIGATION
Examples of the types of irrigation:

Drip irrigation
Spray (Sprinklers) Flood irrigation
 https://www.google.com/maps/@
34.9007832,-116.7111377,46844
m/data=!
3m1!1e3

Farming in
deserts
How does it help improve farm
productivity?

To provide water to areas that do not have

enough natural water to grow crops
Land that was originally too dry (e.g. in deserts)
could potentially be used for cultivation.
Longer growing season as farming may continue
during dry months.
Negative impacts of over-irrigation -
salinization
Negative impacts of
over-irrigation: salinization

Salinization
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYKZUUNCPHk
Concerns and negative impacts of
the mismanagement of irrigation

 In semi-arid areas where evaporation rate is high,

over-irrigation may cause salinization.
 Salty soil is bad for the growing of crops.
 If too much irrigation is applied, salts in the deeper
part of the soil would be dissolved in water.
 After the water is evaporated, salts are left behind
on the soil surface.
FARMING TECHNIQUE
2:
Use of
AGROCHEMICALS (e.g.
fertilizers, pesticides and
herbicides)
Examples of agrochemicals:
Fertilizers

Herbicides
control and kill weeds

Pesticides
control and kill pests
Use of chemical
fertilizers and
pesticides
How does it help improve farm
productivity?

 ­Fertilizer: a chemical or natural substance added to

soil or land to increase its fertility  to increase crop
yield
 Pesticide: a chemical used to kill pests, including
insects, rodents, fungi  to ensure good harvest
 Herbicide: a chemical to kill unwanted plants (weed)
Negative impacts of the use of fertilizers and
pesticides
From the videos and the following slides, summarize the major problems with using
agro-chemicals on your notes.

Too much fertilizers: Use of pesticides:

Ted-Ed: Do we really need

pesticides (from 2:00-4:08)
https
What is eutrophication (FuseSchool)
://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLll
(1:55) Z-qiXJA
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LAT1gLM
Pu4
The use of fertilizers: negative impacts
 What is the green layer in
the river?
 What causes the green
layer to appear?
 How does the green layer
affect living things in the
river?
The use of fertilizers: negative impacts

What is
eutrophication
(FuseSchool)
(1:55)
https://
www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=6LA
T1gLMPu4
Concerns and negative impacts of
applying fertilizers -Eutrophication

1. Too much nutrients washed into rivers and lakes

 algal bloom
2. Thick layer of algae cover the surface and prevent
sunlight from reaching other water plants
3. Plants die and oxygen becomes depleted
4. Decomposition (decay) of dead plants and algae by
bacteria further uses up the oxygen
5. Low level of oxygen  fish and other organisms also die
The use of pesticides: negative impacts

Crops polluted
 According to a test done by Greenpeace, 15 out of 38
samples of vegetables and fruits sold in supermarkets and
wet markets are polluted with excessive pesticides.
 Some samples contain more than 10 types of pesticides.
These pesticides do not decompose completely before
harvesting.
 If we eat polluted vegetables and fruits for an extended
period, our nervous system and other organs, such as the
liver, may become damaged.
8 December, 2010
From SCMP:
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1680360/pesticide-levels-excessive-third-gu
angzhou-vegetables-study
Concerns and negative impacts of
applying fertilizers and chemical
pesticides

 Some insects develop resistance to insecticides –

creating superbugs  use more chemicals
 Contaminate water sources and soil
 Harmful for other organisms e.g. bees (important
pollinators)
 Harmful for human health if consumed – nervous
system and the liver
FARMING TECHNIQUE
3:
Use of BIOTECHNOLOGY

1. Hybrid crops
2. Genetic Modification - GM)
 1. What is a hybrid crop?

 Created by cross breeding two

different species of crops, so better
quality species can be obtained to
raise farm output.

Example:
Over half of the rice grown in China is
hybrid rice and it is credited with helping
the country increase its annual rice yields
and ensure food security.
Third-generation Hybrid Rice Achieves High Yields in China (00:00-1:41)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK2XDh0Hpz4
2. What are GM crops?
 GM crops are plants that are altered to incorporate genes with
a desirable trait.

E.g. Producing a GM tomato New species

can grow in
1. Takes out antifreeze gene from the Arctic fish
extreme low
temperature
Survives in
extremely low
temperatures

2. Transplants the antifreeze gene into the tomato

How does GMO potentially solve some farm
or food problems?
Watch the videos and give (at least) three major benefits of GM
crops.

1. What is genetically modified food? - BBC What's New?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FZewFiw7IE

2. Are GMOs Good or Bad? Genetic Engineering & Our Food

(5:29-8:20) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TmcXYp8xu4

What Is a Genetically Modified Food? - Instant Egghead #45

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMPE5wlB3Zk
How does GMO potentially solve some
farm or food problems?
How does genetic engineering improve the food crops?
1. have higher yield  increase productivity with the
same amount of land
2. need less water for irrigation  survive dry periods /
tolerate droughts (counter climate change)
3. resist pests  use less pesticide and ensure good
harvest + increase income of farmers
4. add nutrients, e.g. rice that contains vitamin A
(Golden Rice)
Why are some people concern about
growing and consuming GMO?

1. Health concerns – although the current available

scientific studies show that GM crops are not
harmful to health, some people are concerned
about the long-term impacts of GM crops. (GM is a
rather new technology – last 30 years)

2. Unintentional spreading of engineered DNA during

pollination  ecological balance may be disrupted
Extension:
Do your own research and find out the newest farming
technology! You will be surprised by how advanced it could be
to grow our crops today and in the future!

Share on Google Classroom what you found (include some

descriptions and a video link)
 Ideas form 2B
 Student’ slides have been shared on google classroom, for
your interest :D)
 Indoor vertical farming, hydroponics, aeroponics
 Artificial intelligence
 Drones
 GPS
 Automation and efficient machinery
https://youtu.be/xDsZC-s6V9g?t=37
 Laser scarecrows
 Bee vectoring
Discussion:
In view of its rapid economic development, will China
be able to maintain a high self-sufficiency in food
supply?

• What will INCREASE food supply with respect to

economic development?
• What will REDUCE food supply with respect to
economic development?
Discussion:
In view of its rapid economic development, will China
be able to maintain a high self-sufficiency in food
supply?

Wealth /
Less Capital
arable land
Economic
development

Food import

Farming
Pollution
technology
Points supporting ‘YES. China will be able to
maintain a high self-sufficiency in food
production.’
• Technological improvement due to larger
funding in research  potentially higher
efficiency and productivity
• especially on how GM crops can
improve quality and quantity of
crops (examples?)
• greenhouse for temperature and
humidity control
• Increased use of fertilizers and
pesticides
• More efficient and advanced
irrigation ( able to farm in
deserts)
• Possibly favourable government policies
to maintain high self-sufficiency and food
security
• e.g. on land use;
• e.g. agricultural subsidies  new
farming techniques to improve
harvest)
Points supporting ‘NO. China will NOT be
able to maintain a high self-sufficiency in
food production.’
• Population continues to increase steadily
even though there is a smaller growth
rate  high demand
• Higher living standard  demands more
and a larger variety of food especially
protein / meat
• Urbanization taking up farmland +
pollution
• Desertification: over-cultivation in arid
and semi-arid regions  salinization 
land becomes unproductive
• Higher level of education  fewer
people want to become farmers 
potentially reduce in productivity
• Climate change  more frequent
extreme climatic events such as flooding
and drought + intensified desertification
• Economy grows  less emphasis on
farming – rely more on import
Some evaluation from students 
 Technology hasn’t been
developed to the point that it
could substitute nature  still
require a lot of land for farming
 When there is a demand (due
to lowering food supply) 
business opportunities /
incentive to increase crop
productivity  new techniques
to improve harvest
 Population growth slows down as
the economy develops  so the
increase in demand might be
stabilizing
 Rapid economic develop might
intensify climate change with
greater amount of carbon
emission (from electricity
generation / vehicles / industries
and intensive farming), which
reduces food productivity