Improving Food Security (OCR GCSE Geography B)
Revision Note
Written by: Jacque Cartwright
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Case Study: UK's Food Security
Changes over time
Overall food consumption has fallen since the 1940s
1940s - average daily calorie intake was around 2350 kcal
1960s - increased to around 2600 kcal
2000s - decreased to around 1750 kcal
This data does not include calories from sweets, drinks or takeaways
Include these sources then the average daily calorie intake is 2,173 Kcal
In the UK, food availability is high, and the majority of people have enough to eat
In 2022, the UK produced 58% of its food, 23% came from the EU and the remaining 19% from the rest of the world
The UK relied on 33 countries for 90% of its imported supplies
Certain products, such as bananas, come from just one or two countries, which reduces the security of this supply
Factors such as location and climate affect food security - crop failure due to drought limits the availably of food, which will increase the price at the till because imports become expensive
Food availability has increased over time:
Availability of food, globally, during WW2 was less, and imports to the UK were disrupted by German attacks on ships
The UK government introduced food rationing on foods such as:
Meat
Eggs
Cheese
Buter
Sugar
This allowed people a fair share of food
A Common Agricultural Policy was introduced in the 1950s to increase production of certain crops (such as wheat) through intensive farming
Since the 1990s, food production has become more sustainable, and yields are fairly stable
However, there is a growing demand for seasonal produce (e.g. strawberries) and high-value foods (e.g. exotic fruits), to be available all year round
Making imports of these foods into the UK necessary
Success at a local scale - food banks
Food banks are community organisations that help people in crisis, with an emergency 3-day supply of food and essentials
Schools, churches, businesses, supermarkets, and individuals donate non-perishable, in-date food and essential supplies (loo roll etc.) to a food bank
It is sorted, checked, and stored by volunteers in a warehouse ready to be handed out
A range of care professionals (doctors, social workers, and police etc.) issue vouchers to people they identify as needing help
New mothers are provided with 'baby basics' and extra items at Christmas
Trussell Trust
Initially set up to help Bulgarian children sleeping rough at Bulgaria's Central Railway Station in 1997
In 2000, after a call from a mother in Salisbury, who was struggling to feed her children, the Salisbury Foodbank was set up in a garden shed and garage to supply 3 days of emergency food to local people
This model spread throughout church networks and the Trussell Trust was set up in 2004
Now the trust supports over 1200 food bank centres across the UK
They also provide additional advice and support to help people with the longer-term problem
In 2008/09, 26,000 people accessed the service, however by 2022/23, the trust provided approx. 2.9 million 3-day emergency food supplies; of which, approx. 38% was for children
Between April 2022 and March 2023, the number of people who used a food bank for the first time was 760,000. December 2022 was the busiest month on record for food banks in the Trussell Trust network, with a food parcel being distributed every 8 seconds.
Source: End of Year Stats Trussell Trust
Discussion
Advantages and Disadvantages of Food Banks
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
Improves family food security through the reduction of hunger | Does not solve the underlying problem of low wages and benefit cuts |
Improves general diets, which in turn improves health | Difficult for food banks to store fresh food. Any food given out is usually processed (e.g. biscuits, tinned soup) |
Reduces food waste through shops and bakeries donating unsold items | Raises the issue of the initial cost of the food - profit by retailers |
Provide lessons in cooking and budgeting | Short-term solution |
National scale - past attempt
After the end of WWII, there was a need to increase food production across the UK and Europe
This was attempted through the intensification of farming in the UK from the 1940s-1980s
Advantages and Disadvantages of Intensive Farming in the UK
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
Higher-yielding crops and animals were used through breeding individuals that initially gave higher yields | Monoculture reduces biodiversity, over-reliance on one type of crop, increases food insecurity |
Use of monoculture (growing just one crop over a large area) | Monoculture crops could be wiped out by a single pest, drought, or disease e.g. production of cereal crops dropped by about 500,000 tonnes because of a drought in 1976 |
Improved irrigation technology (e.g. groundwater pumping, electric sprinklers) | Intensive methods caused damage to the environment |
Increased use of chemicals such as fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides | Chemicals used in fertilisers etc cause water and soil pollution, and disrupt ecosystems by destroying pollinators such as bees and butterflies |
Increased use of machinery (mechanisation) to sow, harvest, weed and spray crops | Over-exploiting the land has also led to reduced soil fertility and increased soil erosion |
Intensification of farming increased food production - | Small farms are taken over by super-farms, losing biodiversity through the loss of hedgerows and native breeds |
National scale - present attempt
A more sustainable way of intensive farming, without the need for large areas of land, is hydroponics
Plants are grown in a nutrient solution, allowing the growing season to be extended but also, reducing the need for a specific location in the UK
This increases food production and security and reduces damage to the environment
Thanet Earth in Kent produces over 10% of the UK’s supply of peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers through hydroponic growing
Advantages and Disadvantages of Hydroponics in the UK
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
Increased food security as crops can be grown all year round in the UK, reducing the reliance on food imports | Expensive to set up and run |
Less impact on the UK by global shortages or increases in price | The cost of product is more expensive, making it unaffordable for some |
Using hydroponics allows space that would not otherwise be used to be productive (e.g. underground tunnels) | Some facilities are set up in rural areas, destroying natural habitats in their construction |
Decreased use of chemicals such as fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides through the use of natural predators | Hydroponic facilities require large amounts of energy to power the greenhouses |
Recycling of water reduces pressure on supplies | Packaging and transport costs are higher due to the smaller amounts of produce that are produced at present |
Job creation - Thanet Earth employs over 500 people | Too expensive for small farms to diversify into |
Last updated:
You've read 0 of your 5 free revision notes this week
Sign up now. It’s free!
Did this page help you?
