Systems Approach (DP IB Geography)

Comparison of Energy Efficiency & Water Footprints in Food Production

• The systems approach looks at all components, relationships and feedback effects within a process

• The approach is useful for showing whether the impacts in one area of the system have consequences on another 

• Food production is a system:

  • Inputs - things that enter the system

    • Human inputs like labour, money, and technology

    • Physical inputs like land, soil, seeds and water 

  • Transfers/processes/stores - the operations that occur during food production, turning inputs into outputs

    • Weeding, ploughing, sowing, milking, rearing, shearing etc.

    • Decision-making by states and farmers 

    • Changes and patterns in land use

  • Outputs - the products (the end of the system)

    • Positive outputs - crops, milk, eggs, animal fodder, profits/wealth

    • Negative outputs - waste, air/water/land pollution, soil erosion 

• The system may also have feedback effects:

  • Positive feedback - imbalanced equilibrium with stagnation, decline or complete loss of the system

  • Natural disasters may also impact positive feedback

  • Negative feedback - return to equilibrium with increased reinvestment and innovation

• Food systems can be intensive or extensive

  • Intensive systems: 

    • Capital intensive - high capital and low labour inputs 

    • Labour intensive - low capital and high labour inputs 

    • Profit oriented 

    • The land is relatively small

    • Output is high

  • Extensive systems:

    • Small labour and capital inputs

    • Rely on natural characteristics e.g. rainfall and soil quality

    • The land is larger

    • Fewer agricultural technologies 

    • Output is low

    • Subsistence oriented 

Advantages of the systems approach 

• The systems approach can compare energy efficiency and the water footprint within food production systems

• There are many different types of farms/food production systems

• Each food production system will have different energy efficiency and water footprints 

Types of food production systems 

Energy efficiency

• Modern food systems require man-made technologies and resources to function 

  • These may need large energy inputs to operate 

• The Energy Efficiency Ratio measures the energy efficiency of a system 

• It is calculated by:

  • Total outputs ÷ total inputs

• Inputs can be:

  • Direct e.g. fuel, labour, machinery, planting

  • Indirect e.g. irrigation, electricity, fertilisers and pesticides

• Energy efficiency can be affected by:

  • Climate 

    • Warmer climates are more efficient. Crops will need fewer energy resources (they can use the sun)

    • Wetter climates are more efficient as they need less irrigation

  • Soil type 

    • Some soils are not fertile and require more fertilisers 

  • Crop type

    • Certain crop types need more energy 

  • Topography 

    • Flatter topographies use less energy as there is lower water/nutrient runoff

  • Farming type 

    • Certain farming types may be less energy-efficient than others 

  • Use of technology

    • Greenhouses use more energy than cultivating open land

• The energy efficiency ratio is useful for showing the efficiency of different food production systems

• However, it ignores energy use in other areas of production e.g. packaging, processing, distribution and consumer preparation before consumption

Water footprint 

• All food systems require embedded water to operate

• Agriculture uses roughly 85% of global water consumption 

• The water footprint can be calculated by summing up all the water used in the system

• It includes the consumption and pollution of freshwater (inputs and outputs)

• Water is separated into 3 categories: 

  • Green - water from rainfall that is evaporated, transpired or stored in the soil or used by crops

  • Blue - water from surface/groundwater sources that evaporates, is used for a product or is returned to another source e.g. for irrigation 

  • Grey - sources of water pollution into freshwater through pipes or from indirect leaching/runoff 

• Factors affecting the water footprint include: 

  • Climate

    • Wetter climates require less irrigation 

  • Topography

    • Fewer pollutants from runoff on flatter land

  • Type of food production system

    • Meat production requires more water than vegetable growth 

    • Pastoral farming has a higher water footprint than arable farming

    • Certain crops may need more fertiliser or pesticides (this may cause more pollution)

• The water footprint is useful for showing the sustainability of different food production methods 

• It can be used to assess and produce more sustainable methods of water use

Sustainability of Food Production

• Food production is negatively affecting our environment

  • Agrochemicals cause pollution of land and water

  • Farming contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, e.g. methane

  • Deforestation and wetland clearing damages ecosystems and habitats

• Sustainable agriculture is a method of food production, which will sustain current and future generations, without damaging the environment 

• It maintains agricultural productivity, reduces environmental damage and maintains resources for the future 

• The systems approach is useful for showing the relative sustainability of food production in different areas and each part of the system 

• Many ‘sustainable’ solutions focus on parts of systems, instead of the system as a whole

  • Agricultural policies are in place to support farmers in adopting environmentally friendly techniques 

  • These mainly focus on protecting biodiversity, whilst ignoring issues like pollution, soil degradation and lower yields 

  • This means the whole system isn’t taken into account

•  Using a systems approach means that sustainable solutions can benefit all parts of the system

  • This means considering the economy and the environment in inputs, processes and outputs