The first midsize black holes, and the environmental impact of global food production

Science ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Crespi
Keyword(s):  
Black Holes ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Global Food

Phosphorus: Past History and Contributions to the Global Food Supply

2019 ◽  
Vol 103 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Past History ◽  
Phosphate Fertilizer ◽  
Global Food ◽  
Global Food Supply

Since its early rudimentary forms, phosphate fertilizer has developed in step with our understanding of successful food production systems. Recognized as essential to life, the responsible use P in agriculture remains key to food security.

Food security in the 21st century and in the role of biotechnology

foresight ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 1 (5) ◽  
pp. 399-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Pinstrup‐Andersen ◽  
Marc J. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Supply Side ◽  
Adequate Diet ◽  
The World ◽  
Productivity Gains ◽  
Global Population ◽  
Global Food

Although global food production has consistently kept pace with population growth, the gap between food production and demand in certain parts of the world is likely to remain. More than 800 million people in developing countries lack access to a minimally adequate diet. Continued productivity gains are essential on the supply side, because global population will increase by 73 million people a year over the next two decades. In this article we assess the current global food situation, look at the prospects through to the year 2020, and outline the policies needed to achieve food security for all. Emphasis is on the role that agricultural biotechnology might play in reaching this goal.

Food Power and the Global Supermarket

2018 ◽  
pp. 178-209
Author(s):  
Shane Hamilton
Keyword(s):  
Cold War ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Linseed Oil ◽  
Food Chains ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Retail Chain ◽  
The World ◽  
Private Corporations ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Global Food

This chapter discusses how U.S. transnational agribusiness corporations demonstrated U.S. farm and food power to the world from the 1960s into the 1980s. In earlier decades of the Farms Race, U.S. farmers were called upon to feed the hungry world as a counter-revolutionary project with a humanitarian veneer. By the late 1970s, politicians and businessmen were increasingly declaring their intent to rewrite the rules of global food production and trade on entirely profit-driven terms. Building on Cold War-inspired modernization and development projects initiated in the 1940s–1960s, U.S.-based transnational agribusinesses in the 1970s–1990s—including the International Basic Economy Corporation (IBEC), the former linseed-oil manufacturer turned global commodities giant Archer Daniels Midland, and the Ozarks-based retail chain Walmart—constructed a world in which private corporations, including supermarkets, emerged as the primary institutional mechanisms for regulating and coordinating global food chains.

scholarly journals Buzz City: Bee-Builder's Toolkit

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Sisourath
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Urban Site ◽  
Bee Pollination ◽  
Urban Green Spaces ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Public Sphere ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
Global Food ◽  
Global Food Supply

Bee populations are directly linked to the sustainability of our environment, as healthy bees are required for viable food production. Habitat loss and fragmentation from rapid urban development are some of the major factors that have led to an alarming decline in recent bee populations. Without bee pollination, our global food supply would diminish immensely leading to shortages and crises that threaten our food security. This thesis will explore architectural strategies to create dedicated bee habitats within the urban realm. The designs will encompass the crafting of a bee builder’s toolkit, which consist of bee-friendly components that can be adapted to various urban site conditions. It will look at opportunities for integrating bee-friendly habitats within the public sphere. These will create networks of pollination corridors that connect existing fragmented urban green spaces. This strategy aims to strengthen pollination and pollinator health while stimulating public engagement and awareness of the environment.

Crop losses due to diseases and their implications for global food production losses and food security

Food Security ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 519-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serge Savary ◽  
Andrea Ficke ◽  
Jean-Noël Aubertot ◽  
Clayton Hollier
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Crop Losses ◽  
Global Food ◽  
Production Losses

A food crime perspective

2018 ◽  
pp. 11-26
Author(s):  
Allison Gray
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Critical Criminology ◽  
Green Criminology ◽  
Criminal Behaviour ◽  
Social Harm ◽  
Global Food

A food crime perspective involves an evaluation of the (lack of) criminal, legal, and regulatory organisation, and the insufficient, ineffective, or lack of enforcement, which surrounds the criminal behaviour and social harms produced within systems of food production, processing, marketing, distribution, selling, consumption, and disposal, victimising (often simultaneously) humans, animals, and the environment. Married to a social harm approach, and grounded in the views of critical criminology, green criminology, and radical victimology, a food crime perspective problematises the practices and contexts of food systems as immoral, harmful, and criminal. This chapter introduces this concept of a food crime perspective in three parts. First, it recognises the study of food must be contextualised in contemporary global food systems. Second, it situates a food crime perspective among other (sub)theories of criminology. Finally, it concludes with an argument why it is important to think criminologically about food.

scholarly journals Michael Elliott CBE. 30 September 1924 — 17 October 2007

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 ◽  
pp. 109-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Pickett
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
World Health ◽  
Individual Contribution ◽  
Pyrethroid Insecticides ◽  
New Class ◽  
Structure Activity ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Global Food

Michael Elliott was the leader of work at Rothamsted that invented and subsequently commercially developed the pyrethroids, a new class of insecticides. Michael made probably the greatest individual contribution to the control of insect pests that not only constrain global food production but also affect the health of ourselves and our livestock. In one of the first pioneering structure–activity relationship studies, Michael led the multidisciplinary team that invented the major pyrethroid insecticides bioresmethrin, permethrin, cypermethrin and deltamethrin. In the 1980s these represented two-thirds of the global pyrethroid market; at that time pyrethroids captured more than 25% of the total insecticide market and were used on 33 million hectares of crops (Wirtz et al . 2009). In 2002 deltamethrin was the world's largest-selling pyrethroid, with annual sales worth $208 million (information from Cropnosis Ltd). In terms of human health, in 2009 it was estimated that pyrethroid-treated bednets significantly decreased the number of deaths due to malaria among children under five years of age by about one-fifth as well as reducing all incidents of malaria, and in 2011 the World Health Organization recommended its vastly expanded use. Reference Wirtz, K., Bala, S., Amann, A. & Elbert, A. 2009 A promise extended—future roles of pyrethroids in agriculture. Bayer CropSci. J. 62 , 145–158.

scholarly journals A life cycle environmental sustainability analysis of microbial protein production via power-to-food approaches

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (11) ◽  
pp. 2190-2203 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Sillman ◽  
V. Uusitalo ◽  
V. Ruuskanen ◽  
L. Ojala ◽  
H. Kahiluoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Protein Production ◽  
Blue Water ◽  
Impact Categories ◽  
Microbial Protein ◽  
Soybean Production ◽  
Global Food

Abstract Purpose Renewable energy produced from wind turbines and solar photovoltaics (PV) has rapidly increased its share in global energy markets. At the same time, interest in producing hydrocarbons via power-to-X (PtX) approaches using renewables has grown as the technology has matured. However, there exist knowledge gaps related to environmental impacts of some PtX approaches. Power-to-food (PtF) application is one of those approaches. To evaluate the environmental impacts of different PtF approaches, life cycle assessment was performed. Methods The theoretical environmental potential of a novel concept of PtX technologies was investigated. Because PtX approaches have usually multiple technological solutions, such as the studied PtF application can have, several technological setups were chosen for the study. PtF application is seen as potentially being able to alleviate concerns about the sustainability of the global food sector, for example, as regards the land and water use impacts of food production. This study investigated four different environmental impact categories for microbial protein (MP) production via different technological setups of PtF from a cradle-to-gate perspective. The investigated impact categories include global warming potential, blue-water use, land use, and eutrophication. The research was carried out using a life cycle impact assessment method. Results and discussion The results for PtF processes were compared with the impacts of other MP production technologies and soybean production. The results indicate that significantly lower environmental impact can be achieved with PtF compared with the other protein production processes studied. The best-case PtF technology setups cause considerably lower land occupation, eutrophication, and blue-water consumption impacts compared with soybean production. However, the energy source used and the electricity-to-biomass efficiency of the bioreactor greatly affect the sustainability of the PtF approach. Some energy sources and technological choices result in higher environmental impacts than other MP and soybean production. When designing PtF production facilities, special attention should thus be given to the technology used. Conclusions With some qualifications, PtF can be considered an option for improving global food security at minimal environmental impact. If the MP via the introduced application substitutes the most harmful practices of production other protein sources, the saved resources could be used to, for example, mitigation purposes or to improve food security elsewhere. However, there still exist challenges, such as food safety–related issues, to be solved before PtF application can be used for commercial use.

scholarly journals The Water Footprint of Global Food Production

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 2696
Author(s):  
Mesfin M. Mekonnen ◽  
Winnie Gerbens-Leenes
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Water Footprint ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Blue Water ◽  
Dietary Shifts ◽  
Global Food ◽  
Main Consumer ◽  
Future Population

Agricultural production is the main consumer of water. Future population growth, income growth, and dietary shifts are expected to increase demand for water. The paper presents a brief review of the water footprint of crop production and the sustainability of the blue water footprint. The estimated global consumptive (green plus blue) water footprint ranges from 5938 to 8508 km3/year. The water footprint is projected to increase by as much as 22% due to climate change and land use change by 2090. Approximately 57% of the global blue water footprint is shown to violate the environmental flow requirements. This calls for action to improve the sustainability of water and protect ecosystems that depend on it. Some of the measures include increasing water productivity, setting benchmarks, setting caps on the water footprint per river basin, shifting the diets to food items with low water requirements, and reducing food waste.

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