What’s for Lunch?

Martha B. SharmaAPHG Workshop

NCGE – Lake Tahoe, NV

October 6-7, 2006

www.rettew.com

V. Agricultural and Rural Land Use

Development and diffusion of agricultureMajor agricultural production regionsRural land use and settlement patternsModern commercial agriculture

Importance of Agriculture

All humans depend on agriculture for food Urban-industrial societies depend on the base of food surplus generated by farmers and herders Without agriculture there could be no cities, universities, factories, or offices Today agriculture remains the most important economic activity in the world Agriculture employs 45 percent of the working population In some parts of Asia and Africa, over 80 percent of the labor force is engaged in agriculture

Agricultural Revolutions

Agriculture has passed through a series of revolutionary changes

Not everywhere at the same timeSome places still largely unaffectedTransition from predominantly subsistence activity to predominantly capital-intensive, market-oriented commercial agriculture

Three distinct revolutions

First Agricultural Revolution

~12,000 year agoReplaced hunting and gatheringInvolved plant and animal domestication

Emergence of seed agriculture (wheat, rice)Use of the plowUse of draft animals

Modest population increase and outmigration

Second Agricultural Revolution

Late Middle AgesOccurred in tandem with Industrial Revolution

End of feudal landholding systemEnclosure of individually owned fieldsEmergence of urban industrial markets

Modification of subsistence farming practices

Crop rotationUse of natural and semi-processed fertilizersNew tools and equipment

Dramatic increase in crop and livestock yieldsTransportation technology linking farm and urban commercial food market

Third Agricultural Revolution

Origins in North AmericaIndustrialization of agriculture

Mechanization Replacement of human labor with machines

Chemical farmingUse of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides

Food manufacturingAddition of economic value through processing, canning, refining, packaging

Green RevolutionPlant breeding

BiotechnologyGenetic manipulation

Traditional breeding involves exchanging all genetic material between two related plants.

Genetic engineering usually only involves moving one or two genes and can cross the species barrier.

Desired gene

Traditional plant breedingDNA is a strand of genes,

much like a strand of pearls. Traditional plant breeding combines many genes at once.

Traditional donor Commercial variety New variety

Desired Gene

X =(crosses)

(many genes are transferred)

Plant biotechnologyUsing plant biotechnology, a single gene may be added to the strand.

Desired gene Commercial variety New variety

(transfers)

=

Desired gene

(only desired gene is transferred)

Protests at WTO Meetings

Biotechnology

Manipulation and management of biological organisms

Recombinant DNA techniquesTissue culture (cloning)Cell fusionEmbryo transfer

Positive: high yielding, disease resistant “super” plantsNegative: periphery excluded by distance and cost + concerns about safety

Increase in Genetically Engineered Crops in the

U.S.

Source: http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/BiotechCrops/

More than 50 biotech food products have been approved

for commercial use in the United States

CanolaCorn CottonPapayaPotato

SoybeansSquashSugarbeetsSweet cornTomato

Four crops accounted for nearly all of the global biotech

crop area in 2002

5%

12%

21%

62%

Canola

Cotton

Corn

Soybeans

Source: International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications

Four countries accounted for 99 percent* of the global biotech

crop area in 2002

4%

6%

23%

66%

China

Canada

Argentina

United States

*Australia, Bulgaria, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Romania, South Africa, Spain and Uruguay accounted for the remaining 1 percent of biotech crop acres.

Source: International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications

Some Benefits

of Genetically Modified

Foods

Some Concerns about Genetically Modified Foods

Possible adverse effects on human healthIntroduction of new allergens Antibiotic-resistant genes in foodsProduction of new toxinsConcentration of toxic metalsEnhancement of toxic fungiEnvironmental impactsDangers not yet identified

http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_environment/

Bringing It Into The Classroom

“Harvest of Fear”A Learning Activity

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/

Harvest of Fear -- SynopsisIn "Harvest of Fear," FRONTLINE and NOVA explore the intensifying debate over genetically-modified (gm) food crops. Interviewing scientists, farmers, biotech and food industry representatives, government regulators, and critics of biotechnology, this two-hour report presents both sides of the debate, exploring the risks and benefits, the hopes and fears, of this new technology. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/

Eight Main Themes

GM foods: pros and consPests, pesticides, GM capabilitiesConflicts with mixed cropsPesticide resistanceAttitudes toward GM foodsIntellectual property rights and GM foodsOrganic farmingGreen Revolution

Using the Class Activity

Student resources provided:Page 1 – Viewing Guide

Main Themes in the videoImportant terms (21) used in the videoQuestions to consider while watching the video

Page 2 – Taking a PositionQuestions (6) to guide development of a position statementSelected web sites to begin research

FOR

AGAINST