Ch. 9 Food ProductionCh. 9 Food Production

Human Effects on Soil Erosion and Human Effects on Soil Erosion and DegradationDegradation

Human ImpactsHuman Impacts OvergrazingOvergrazing DeforestationDeforestation Overcultivation: Unsustainable AgricultureOvercultivation: Unsustainable Agriculture IrrigationIrrigation

EffectsEffects ErosionErosion ToxificationToxification SalinizationSalinization DesertificationDesertification

Soil Conservation MeasuresSoil Conservation Measures

Soil conditioners or amendments, composting Soil conditioners or amendments, composting Wind reduction strategies (wind breaks, shelter Wind reduction strategies (wind breaks, shelter

belts, strip cultivation)belts, strip cultivation) Cultivation techniques (terracing, contour Cultivation techniques (terracing, contour

plowing, strip cropping)plowing, strip cropping) Efforts to stop plowing of marginal land or Efforts to stop plowing of marginal land or

highly sloped landhighly sloped land regrowth of trees and soil rebuildingregrowth of trees and soil rebuilding Crop rotationCrop rotation

Commercial Farming “Green Revolution” in agriculture of 1940’s til today when industrial ag

ideas brought to developing countries: fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, and planting high-yielding crop varities (not same as “Green Movement” or environmental movement)

Compaction of soil with heavy equipment and large rangelands for animals Salinization of soil with flood irrigation Toxification of soil and crops with pesticides Tremendous fossil fuel requirements for fuel and fertilizer amendments

GMO’s and FarmageddonGMO’s and Farmageddon

From Green Revolution to Gene Revolution: pest resistance, increased From Green Revolution to Gene Revolution: pest resistance, increased tolerance, improved nutrition, great yieldstolerance, improved nutrition, great yields

Golden Rice: genetically modified to help meet nutritional needs of Golden Rice: genetically modified to help meet nutritional needs of Vit A (blindness prevention) and Iron (anemia prevention)Vit A (blindness prevention) and Iron (anemia prevention)

Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) gene: an insect resistant gene added to Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) gene: an insect resistant gene added to cotton and other cropscotton and other crops

Round-up ready crops: Corn and soybeans sold by Monsanto which Round-up ready crops: Corn and soybeans sold by Monsanto which are resistant to Round-up herbicide (contraversy over creating are resistant to Round-up herbicide (contraversy over creating “superweeds” and Monsanto owning patent on major food source)“superweeds” and Monsanto owning patent on major food source)

GMO’s can cause allergy confusion, antibiotic resistance in pathogens, GMO’s can cause allergy confusion, antibiotic resistance in pathogens, possible toxic production along with gene modification…verdict is possible toxic production along with gene modification…verdict is still out on long term safety of GMO’s for human food and ethical still out on long term safety of GMO’s for human food and ethical dilemna over allowing patented food and market manipulationsdilemna over allowing patented food and market manipulations

Subsistence Agriculture in Developing World

feed the family plus a little extra income The pressure of increasing population and diversion

of better land to industrialized agriculture lead to unsustainable practices

Woodlands and forests are cleared Gatherers then must travel farther from homes

leaving soil for erosion and compaction Less trees with less firewood so no use animal dung

for fire instead of as manure nutrients for the land Overuse of “good land”, not allowing it to rest or

remain fallow to recover nutrients These factors tend to increase poverty making

pressures for further environmental harm, viscous cycle

Livestock have a HUGE Livestock have a HUGE environmental footprintenvironmental footprint

A 2006 report from FAO A 2006 report from FAO Livestocks Long ShadowLivestocks Long Shadow says livestock says livestock production is one of the major causes of the world's most pressing production is one of the major causes of the world's most pressing environmental problems: including global warming, land environmental problems: including global warming, land degradation, air and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity. degradation, air and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity.

Livestock is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, a bigger share than that of transport (13.5%) by aggregating emissions throughout the livestock commodity chain - from feed production (which includes chemical fertilizer production, deforestation for pasture and feed crops, and pasture degradation), through animal production (including enteric fermentation and nitrous oxide emissions from manure) to the carbon dioxide emitted during processing and transportation of animal products.

More Livestock problemsMore Livestock problems Grazing occupies 26% of terrestrial surface and is cause of 70% of Grazing occupies 26% of terrestrial surface and is cause of 70% of

Amazon rain forest for pasturelandAmazon rain forest for pastureland 70% of all dryland grazing landis considered degraded due to 70% of all dryland grazing landis considered degraded due to

overgrazing, compaction and erosionovergrazing, compaction and erosion 70% of use row crops are animal feed70% of use row crops are animal feed Largest sectoral source of water pollution with large industrial feed Largest sectoral source of water pollution with large industrial feed

lots: ammonia, phospates, nitrates, antibiotics, hormones, other lots: ammonia, phospates, nitrates, antibiotics, hormones, other pharmaceuticals, fertilizers and pesticide from animal feed, etc.pharmaceuticals, fertilizers and pesticide from animal feed, etc.

as much as 37 percent of anthropogenic methane, mostly from as much as 37 percent of anthropogenic methane, mostly from enteric fermentation by ruminants, and 65 percent of anthropogenic enteric fermentation by ruminants, and 65 percent of anthropogenic nitrous oxide, mostly from manure. nitrous oxide, mostly from manure.

Solutions? Adopt “polluter pays” principle to incentivize better practices Shift to more sustainable practices to clean up waste, or turn waste into profits Government tax incentives & subsidies for better farming practices

Factory Farms as disease Factory Farms as disease breeding grounds?breeding grounds?

Faster, bigger, cheaper demands on food started with the “fast food” Faster, bigger, cheaper demands on food started with the “fast food” industry of McDonalds needing lots of cheap, beef fast industry of McDonalds needing lots of cheap, beef fast

Closely confined animals with limited diets (often having herbivores Closely confined animals with limited diets (often having herbivores eating ground meat product along with grains) and wading in their eating ground meat product along with grains) and wading in their own feces = perfect conditions for pathogens to spreadown feces = perfect conditions for pathogens to spread

Foot-and-mouth disease, mad cow disease (bovine spongiform Foot-and-mouth disease, mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), staphylococcus, avian flu, swine flu, etc some encephalopathy), staphylococcus, avian flu, swine flu, etc some capable of “jumping” to humanscapable of “jumping” to humans

Silver Lining: Austrialia is the world’s top beef producer and is free of most of these diseases since all their cattle is ranch raised on vast areas of Australian rangelandsAlso Polyface Farms of movie Fresh a successful model of pasture based, indigenous minded, sustainable farming

Soil Erosion on rangelandSoil Erosion on rangeland

Strip Cropping (alternating high and Strip Cropping (alternating high and low crops, different pests)low crops, different pests)

Strip cropping (alternating high and low crops) in Wisconsin improves yields, reduces pest damage and erosion, and creates a

more sustainable system of agriculture

Contour FarmingContour Farming rows plowed perpendicular to slope rows plowed perpendicular to slope can use satellite guided machinerycan use satellite guided machinery

Terraced land in IowaTerraced land in Iowa

Shelter BeltsShelter Belts

Some good news!Some good news!Loss of arable soil is not being lost as fastLoss of arable soil is not being lost as fast

Traditional Flood Irrigationirrigation = artificial supply of water to soil, as opposed to rain-fed

Basin flood irrigation of wheat

Trickle system (drip system irrigation) delivers Trickle system (drip system irrigation) delivers water to roots and cuts back on evaporation rateswater to roots and cuts back on evaporation rates

Older Sprinkler SystemOlder Sprinkler Systempossible splash erosionpossible splash erosion

Aiming Spray Heads DownAiming Spray Heads Down

Children with MalnutritionChildren with Malnutrition

Famine

A severe shortage of food accompanied by significant increase in death rate

The two most common causes of famine today are drought and conflict/war

For example, droughts in Sahel (south of Sahara desert in Africa) in late 60’s and mid 80’s

Millenium Development Goals to Millenium Development Goals to reduce poverty, decrease deadly illness and improve young reduce poverty, decrease deadly illness and improve young

education of women and childreneducation of women and children

MDG’s of 2000 SummitMDG’s of 2000 SummitGoal 1: Eradicate extreme Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Target 1A: Halve the proportion of people living on < $1 a dayTarget 1A: Halve the proportion of people living on < $1 a day & suffer from hunger& suffer from hunger

Goal 2: Achieve Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education

Target 2A: By 2015, Target 2A: By 2015, allall children can complete a full course of children can complete a full course of primary schooling

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower womenGoal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

Goal 4: Reduce child mortalityGoal 4: Reduce child mortality

Target 4A: Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality Target 4A: Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality raterate

Goal 5: Improve maternal healthGoal 5: Improve maternal health

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseasesGoal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases

Target 6A: Halt by 2015 & begun reverse the spread of Target 6A: Halt by 2015 & begun reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS and malaria and malaria

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainabilityGoal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

Target 7B: Reduce Target 7B: Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss

Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for developmentGoal 8: Develop a global partnership for development

Soil Management StrategiesSoil Management Strategies

Commercial Commercial

(midwestern US)(midwestern US)

Subsistence Subsistence

(central China-Loess plateau(central China-Loess plateau))Huge tires on new tractors have Huge tires on new tractors have lessened compaction but expensivelessened compaction but expensiveSatellite navigation to follow paths has Satellite navigation to follow paths has left some soil untouched but are left some soil untouched but are expensive and not an option for manyexpensive and not an option for manyDirected spray heads has lessened Directed spray heads has lessened water erosionwater erosionReduced tillage leads to less erosion Reduced tillage leads to less erosion and better water retention but may need and better water retention but may need more herbicides and hinders decomp. of more herbicides and hinders decomp. of O. matterO. matter

Terraced land- washed awayTerraced land- washed away3-3 system has raised yields 3-3 system has raised yields and slowed erosion(1/3 grass and slowed erosion(1/3 grass & trees on steeps, 1/3 & trees on steeps, 1/3 orchards, 1/3 crop growing on orchards, 1/3 crop growing on least sloped)least sloped)Reward for planting trees has Reward for planting trees has led to non native species and led to non native species and no one to care for themno one to care for them

Conservation Reserve Program

Payment from US government to farmers who will protect erosion-prone land as a reserve and not farm it

Farm Bills are those that support US farming through subsidies and tax incentives could refocus on rewarding sustainable practices and low toxin food productions

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety•An international agreement in 2000 promoting the precautionary principle in regards to trade of GMO’s, taking precautions when any reasonable concern may be there and requiring labeling of GMO’s being present

Africa- Niger Soil BuildingAfrica- Niger Soil Building Cordons pierreux: long lines of stones the size of a fist stall water Cordons pierreux: long lines of stones the size of a fist stall water

long enough for suspended silt to fall to ground along with seeds long enough for suspended silt to fall to ground along with seeds which leads to succession in Africa south of Sahara desert and which leads to succession in Africa south of Sahara desert and increase soil fertilityincrease soil fertility

Zais: foot deep holes filled with household compost and manure to Zais: foot deep holes filled with household compost and manure to attract termites which decompose matter and aerates soil for plants attract termites which decompose matter and aerates soil for plants so that newly planted trees survive also in Africa. wind break for so that newly planted trees survive also in Africa. wind break for seedlings planted in holes alsoseedlings planted in holes also

Costa Rica 2009 Costa Rica 2009 Sustainable FarmingSustainable Farming

Livestock raised for local production and consumptionIn an rural setting that has nutrient needs for the waste

Costa Rica 2009 Costa Rica 2009

On-site waste water On-site waste water treatment using natural treatment using natural wetlands and specialized wetlands and specialized plantsplants

Costa Rica 2009 Costa Rica 2009

Conversion of Conversion of manure into methane manure into methane biogas for energybiogas for energy

Costa Rica 2009 Costa Rica 2009

Completing the natural cycle of Completing the natural cycle of animal waste and crop animal waste and crop remnants being composted then remnants being composted then reused as fertilizer for cropsreused as fertilizer for crops

Costa Rica 2009 Costa Rica 2009

Shade-grown coffee grown as part of the Shade-grown coffee grown as part of the ecosystemecosystem

preserving native soil, no slash and burn preserving native soil, no slash and burn and start the degradation of the soiland start the degradation of the soil

protecting biodiversityprotecting biodiversity

Costa Rica 2009Costa Rica 2009 organically grown cocao plantsorganically grown cocao plants established farming cooperative to established farming cooperative to

enhance marketabilityenhance marketability

Costa Rica 2009 Fun TimesCosta Rica 2009 Fun Times

AssignmentAssignment

Read article and evaluate soil management 3 Read article and evaluate soil management 3 strategies used in a commercial/conventional strategies used in a commercial/conventional farming system and 3 in a subsistence farming farming system and 3 in a subsistence farming systemsystem

Must have at least 3 practices for eachMust have at least 3 practices for each Must cite sourcesMust cite sources