This GCSE Geography quiz looks at global food production. The production and distribution of food is just one example of how globalisation has affected our lives. When you pick an item off the shelf of a supermarket, you probably don't think about where it has come from or how it reached the shelf. The way that world food needs are met is complex and the demand for food is constantly increasing as the population increases. The food supply chain is also complex and can involve several countries. Food produced in one country could be processed and packaged in a different country before being sold around the world.
Global food consumption is uneven. In MEDCs, the over-consumption of food leads to health problems like obesity and heart disease.
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In LEDCs, the opposite is true and in some countries over half of their population is suffering from under-nutrition. The reasons for food shortages are population increases, increasing wealth and more extremes of weather.
Every year, the population of the world increases. MEDCs are able to import more food from LEDCs. The LEDCs turn more land over to commercial farming for export which leaves less land for subsistence farming. As populations of emerging economies become generally wealthier, they demand more meat and dairy produce. More land is used for rearing animals and some of the food e.g. grains like wheat and barley that could be grown for humans is given to the farmed animals so less reaches the market. The production of a single kilogram of meat takes around five kilograms of grain. More extreme weather means that crops can be unexpectedly lost owing to drought, heavy rain or high winds.
There are two contrasting views about global resource shortages like food. The first one is rather negative and was suggested by Thomas Malthus in the 18th century, well before globalisation or the idea of the welfare state had become established. He believed that as the population grew faster than food could be grown, the population growth would be kept in check and even reduced by starvation and wars for control over food and other resources. He called this a positive check. He also supposed that people might try to slow the population growth by having smaller families and gave this a name too, he called it a preventative check.
The more positive view came in the 1960s when globalisation was well under way. Esther Boserup wrote that people will find ways around the food shortages by inventing new ways of growing crops and animals. We do in fact see this in operation today with genetic modification and selective breeding being used to increase the yields of crops and to make them more resistant to pests and drought.
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1.
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Which of the following is a true statement. |
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[ ] |
The global demand for food is less now than it was 25 years ago |
[ ] |
A food supply chain sometimes involves several countries |
[ ] |
Globalisation has had no effect on food supplies |
[ ] |
LEDC economies are usually based on agriculture so they do not suffer from food shortages |
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2.
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There are several causes of global food shortages, which of the following is NOT one of them? |
|
[ ] |
World population is always increasing |
[ ] |
Extreme weather destroying crops |
[ ] |
Food can be shipped around the world |
[ ] |
Increasing wealth in NEEs |
|
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3.
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What are 'food miles'? |
|
[ ] |
The distance food is transported to reach the consumer |
[ ] |
The distance that one kilogram of food would power an aeroplane |
[ ] |
The speed at which food is transported |
[ ] |
The distance that the food in a supermarket would stretch if it was placed end to end in a long line |
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4.
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Which of the following methods of transporting food around the globe would be the most likely to have the lowest carbon footprint? |
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[ ] |
Container ship |
[ ] |
Aeroplane |
[ ] |
Sail powered ship |
[ ] |
Lorry |
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5.
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Which one of the following is NOT an effect of the globalisation of food production? |
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[ ] |
Produce like fruit and vegetables can be obtained 'out of season' |
[ ] |
Subsistence farming has flourished in LEDCs as small farmers can now export their produce |
[ ] |
The growing of cash crops in LEDCs has increased |
[ ] |
Consumers have a wider choice of foods |
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6.
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In MEDCs, food is readily available. What problems does this cause? |
|
[ ] |
Obesity and heart disease |
[ ] |
Under-nutrition and obesity |
[ ] |
Diabetes and under-nutrition |
[ ] |
Muscle wasting and osteoporosis |
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7.
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Which of the following is the name given by Thomas Malthus to a decline in population due to food shortages? |
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[ ] |
Negative check |
[ ] |
Neutral check |
[ ] |
Positive check |
[ ] |
Reverse check |
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8.
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How are scientists trying to help to solve the problems of world food shortages? |
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[ ] |
They are creating food tablets |
[ ] |
They have invented a liquid that can be added to food that stops under-nourished people from feeling hungry |
[ ] |
They are developing better tractors |
[ ] |
They are using genetic engineering and selective breeding |
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9.
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Food security is: |
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[ ] |
keeping food in a locked cupboard |
[ ] |
making sure that no contamination enters food during processing and packaging |
[ ] |
making sure that packaging does not burst open when it is being stored or transported |
[ ] |
the ability of a population to access food of sufficient quality and quantity to ensure they are properly nourished |
|
|
10.
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Which of the following factors does NOT threaten international food security? |
|
[ ] |
The annual increase in global population |
[ ] |
Slash and burn agriculture |
[ ] |
The global economy |
[ ] |
Environmental events |
|
|
1.
|
Which of the following is a true statement. |
|
[ ] |
The global demand for food is less now than it was 25 years ago |
[x] |
A food supply chain sometimes involves several countries |
[ ] |
Globalisation has had no effect on food supplies |
[ ] |
LEDC economies are usually based on agriculture so they do not suffer from food shortages |
|
|
2.
|
There are several causes of global food shortages, which of the following is NOT one of them? |
|
[ ] |
World population is always increasing |
[ ] |
Extreme weather destroying crops |
[x] |
Food can be shipped around the world |
[ ] |
Increasing wealth in NEEs |
|
|
3.
|
What are 'food miles'? |
|
[x] |
The distance food is transported to reach the consumer |
[ ] |
The distance that one kilogram of food would power an aeroplane |
[ ] |
The speed at which food is transported |
[ ] |
The distance that the food in a supermarket would stretch if it was placed end to end in a long line |
|
|
4.
|
Which of the following methods of transporting food around the globe would be the most likely to have the lowest carbon footprint? |
|
[ ] |
Container ship |
[ ] |
Aeroplane |
[x] |
Sail powered ship |
[ ] |
Lorry |
|
|
5.
|
Which one of the following is NOT an effect of the globalisation of food production? |
|
[ ] |
Produce like fruit and vegetables can be obtained 'out of season' |
[x] |
Subsistence farming has flourished in LEDCs as small farmers can now export their produce |
[ ] |
The growing of cash crops in LEDCs has increased |
[ ] |
Consumers have a wider choice of foods |
|
|
6.
|
In MEDCs, food is readily available. What problems does this cause? |
|
[x] |
Obesity and heart disease |
[ ] |
Under-nutrition and obesity |
[ ] |
Diabetes and under-nutrition |
[ ] |
Muscle wasting and osteoporosis |
|
|
7.
|
Which of the following is the name given by Thomas Malthus to a decline in population due to food shortages? |
|
[ ] |
Negative check |
[ ] |
Neutral check |
[x] |
Positive check |
[ ] |
Reverse check |
|
|
8.
|
How are scientists trying to help to solve the problems of world food shortages? |
|
[ ] |
They are creating food tablets |
[ ] |
They have invented a liquid that can be added to food that stops under-nourished people from feeling hungry |
[ ] |
They are developing better tractors |
[x] |
They are using genetic engineering and selective breeding |
|
|
9.
|
Food security is: |
|
[ ] |
keeping food in a locked cupboard |
[ ] |
making sure that no contamination enters food during processing and packaging |
[ ] |
making sure that packaging does not burst open when it is being stored or transported |
[x] |
the ability of a population to access food of sufficient quality and quantity to ensure they are properly nourished |
|
|
10.
|
Which of the following factors does NOT threaten international food security? |
|
[ ] |
The annual increase in global population |
[x] |
Slash and burn agriculture |
[ ] |
The global economy |
[ ] |
Environmental events |
|
|