Write an essay in which you explain what is meant by the concept of food security. Describe
also the ways in which poor crop farming practices pose a threat to food security in South
Africa. Finally mention how genetically modified food may help to address the problem of food
shortage
Food security.
• The state of having reliable access
• to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.
Poor crop farming practices
• monoculture planting the same crop over and over
• because it is cost effective, but
• it attracts more pests and it
• reduces quantity of crop produced
• this makes food more expensive to buy / less affordable
• pest reduce the quality of crop making
• it necessary to use more pesticides, more money spent
• pesticides / insecticides kill useful crops also
• pesticides are bad for human health
• affects nerves - they also cause pollution and it
• also reduces biodiversity
• monoculture causes top soil erosion, leading to
• more fertilisers to be used
• over fertilisation causes oxygen deprived soil
• leads to less production of crops in future
• and also produces greenhouse gases
• poor irrigation/ poor infrastructure used due to
• lack of awareness / education / experience / motivation
Genetically modified food
• genes for desired traits are removed
• from one plant and introduced into another plant
• to make better crop
• examples of desired traits
• resistance to diseases
• short maturity
• higher yield
• cheaper food
• increases nutritional value
• longer shelf life
• bigger and more attractive food, etc.
• helps poor / starving / famine people
• to make food accessible and available
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller kumarangovender. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R80,00. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
