Feeding The Third World

Feeding The Third World

Millions of people today, despite technological advances enabling fish

and meat production and crop yields to soar, are still living in

hunger. It is estimated that nearly 30% of the world's population

suffer from some form of malnutrition, and the majority of these

people live in Developing Countries. Intensive and Subsistence Farming

both present possible solutions to dealing with world hunger and

ending the suffering of the Third World.

Intensive Agriculture, also known as Factory or Battery Farming,

involves land being farmed in order to achieve the greatest yield

possible with the use of inorganic fertilisers and pesticides because

it is used to supply large companies and distributors.

Monoculture

Intensive Farming focuses on Monoculture; large areas where the same

crop is grown on the same land year after year. Farmers generally

specialise in growing one to three types of crops, with land being

cleared once a year before the crop is planted. Factory farming also

concentrates on one form of husbandry, e.g. dairy, cattle, or pig

breeding. By doing so;

* Farmers make better use of their equipment.

* Organisations such as supermarkets benefit by having fewer farms to

negotiate purchases with.

These points mean that intensive farms are on the whole economical and

resourceful.

In monoculture areas, most hedges, walls and fences are removed which

profits farms by;

* Creating more space for the growth of crops that increases their

yield (per unit area).

* Reducing labour costs since there is no need to care for hedges.

* Removing the shade created by taller hedges, so they...

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...icrobes that are essential for

the cycling of nutrients, and fungi that contribute to the more stable

physical soil structure. The greater abundance of insects, including

pest consuming spiders and beetles, in addition to the above mentioned

factors means that organic agriculture works more efficiently than

intensive farming systems, producing more for each unit energy.

Sustainable agriculture produces diverse forms of high quality foods,

fibers and medicines, that would present more benefit to people in

Developing Countries by providing them with a wider range and choice

of nutrition, than two or three intensively grown crops. It also uses

locally available renewable resources, appropriate and affordable

technologies and minimizes the use of external and purchased inputs,

which is essential for Developing Countries.