Sustainable Food Production
Meeting current food needs WITHOUT compromising future generations' ability to feed themselves
Food Production
Enough for current population
Environmental Protection
Preserve ecosystems & resources
Social Equity
Fair wages, access for all
Why Move Toward Sustainability?
- •Intensive farming = soil erosion, water pollution, biodiversity loss
- •Agriculture = 14.5% global greenhouse gases
- •Climate change threatens food security (droughts, floods)
- •10 billion by 2050 = need MORE food with LESS damage
Click each strategy to compare environmental impact, yields, scalability, and costs
Organic Farming
No synthetic pesticides/fertilizers, uses crop rotation and natural pest control
Environmental Impact
Yield Potential
Scalability
Cost Effectiveness
Advantages
- ✓No pesticide runoff
- ✓Soil health maintained
- ✓Biodiversity protected
- ✓Lower carbon footprint
Disadvantages
- ✗20-50% lower yields
- ✗Higher prices
- ✗Labor-intensive
- ✗Can't feed 10 billion alone
Example: 3% UK farmland organic, premium prices for farmers
Definition: Farming without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or GM crops. Uses crop rotation, compost, natural pest control (predators), and animal manure.
Advantages
- ✓ No pesticide runoff → clean water
- ✓ Soil health maintained (compost)
- ✓ Biodiversity protected (hedgerows)
- ✓ Lower carbon footprint
- ✓ No pesticide residues on food
- ✓ Higher animal welfare standards
Disadvantages
- ✗ 20-50% lower yields
- ✗ 20-50% higher prices
- ✗ Labor-intensive (hand weeding)
- ✗ Can't feed 10 billion alone
- ✗ Food security risk if all convert
UK Example: Only 3% UK farmland is organic, but growing. Demand from middle-class consumers (ethical/health concerns). Farmers receive premium prices.
Definition: "Permanent agriculture" - design systems mimicking natural ecosystems. Principles: diversity (many crops), perennials (regrow each year), multi-layered (trees + shrubs + ground crops).
Forest Garden Layers
Canopy Layer
Fruit/nut trees (apples, walnuts)
Shrub Layer
Berry bushes (blackcurrants, raspberries)
Herbaceous Layer
Herbs, vegetables, flowers
Ground/Root Layer
Root vegetables, ground cover
Advantages
- ✓ Self-sustaining (low inputs)
- ✓ High biodiversity
- ✓ Climate resilient (diverse crops)
- ✓ Carbon sequestration (trees)
Disadvantages
- ✗ Low yields vs monoculture
- ✗ Labor-intensive management
- ✗ Not scalable to feed cities
- ✗ Trees take years to mature
Definition: Growing food in cities - rooftops, vacant lots, vertical farms, community gardens.
Cuba Organopónicos
After Soviet collapse (1990s), Cuba lost 80% imports. Urban farms developed out of necessity - 90% of Havana's fresh produce now grown within the city. Averted famine.
Detroit Community Gardens
Post-industrial decline left abandoned lots. Converted to gardens providing food security for poor neighborhoods + community cohesion.
Vertical Farm Space Efficiency
Vertical Farm Floors
Traditional Farm
1 hectare horizontal
4 tons
lettuce/year
more yield
Vertical Farm
1 hectare × 10 floors
1,000 tons
lettuce/year
90%
Less water used
365
Days/year harvest
0
Pesticides needed
High
Energy costs (LEDs)
Fish Solutions
Problem: 90% large fish depleted, ocean ecosystems collapsing
- • MSC certification (sustainable quotas)
- • Aquaculture (BUT pollution concerns)
Meat Solutions
Problem: Livestock = 14.5% global GHG, deforestation
- • Reduce consumption (Meat-free Mondays)
- • Grass-fed/free-range
- • Alternative proteins (insects, lab-grown)
Protein Environmental Impact Comparison
Water Use (L/kg)
Land Use (m²/kg)
GHG (kg CO₂e/kg)
Key insight: Switching from beef to chicken reduces environmental impact by 70-75%. Insects use 90% less water and land than beef while providing equivalent protein.
Definition: Eating foods when naturally in season locally, rather than importing year-round (e.g., UK strawberries in winter from Spain/Kenya).
Advantages
- ✓ Lower carbon footprint (no airfreight)
- ✓ Fresher (harvested ripe)
- ✓ Supports local farmers
- ✓ Cheaper when abundant
Disadvantages
- ✗ Limited variety
- ✗ Convenience sacrifice
- ✗ Consumer behavior change needed
UK Seasonal Food Calendar
Strawberries
Out of seasonNot available locally this month
Apples
In SeasonAsparagus
Out of seasonNot available locally this month
Tomatoes
Out of seasonNot available locally this month
Broccoli
Out of seasonNot available locally this month
Potatoes
Out of seasonNot available locally this month
Carrots
In SeasonBlueberries
Out of seasonNot available locally this month
The Problem
1.3 billion tons/year wasted
That's 1/3 of ALL food produced globally
LICs: Post-Harvest Losses (30-40%)
- • Pests damage stored grain
- • Lack of refrigeration
- • Poor roads delay transport
Solutions: Metal silos, refrigerated trucks, better roads
HICs: Consumer Waste (30%+)
- • Supermarkets discard "imperfect" produce
- • Households throw away edible food
- • Confusion over "best before" dates
Solutions: FareShare, "wonky" veg, Too Good To Go app
Food Waste Impact Calculator
Weekly Household Food Waste
UK average: 4.5kg per household per week
104kg
Annual waste
£364
Money lost/year
260kg
CO₂ emissions
0
People could feed for days
Global context: 1.3 billion tons of food wasted annually (1/3 of all food produced). If reduced, could feed 2+ billion people with existing production.
Key Insight: No Single Solution
Sustainable strategies are ESSENTIAL for future food security BUT each has trade-offs:
- •Organic = environmental benefits but 20-50% lower yields (can't feed 10 billion alone)
- •Permaculture = sustainable but not scalable (works for smallholdings, not cities)
- •Urban farming = supplementary only (can't replace rural agriculture)
- •Waste reduction = EASIEST WIN - could feed 2+ billion with no new land/technology
Realistic approach: COMBINATION needed - Reduce waste (biggest impact) + sustainable intensification (organic techniques + selective technology) + behavior change (less meat, seasonal eating)
Which sustainability strategy has the HIGHEST potential to reduce global food waste?
Evaluate the potential for organic farming to sustainably increase global food supply. (6 marks)