Chapter 3 Questions: FOOD

Food for Thought

How can we ensure that all people have access to nutritious food?

What agricultural practices are compatible with a healthy planet?

How can we cultivate a greater connection with raw foods and the
process of growing food?

How can local systems be designed to support healthy food choices?

What things are important to consider when buying food?

Complete the following questions on the chapter on Food:

1. When you read that there is more than enough food grown to feed everyone
on Earth, what is your reaction?
2. In addition to grain, what other resources do you think would be needed to
raise livestock? What are the sustainability implications of this resource use?
3. What are some reasons for groups of humans to switch from hunting and
gathering to farming? What evidence seems to suggest that the rise of
agriculture was inevitable?
4. What can we learn about sustainable agriculture from indigenous groups like
the Incas?
5. What are two positive results of the Green Revolution?
6. Some people think that genetically modified foods should be labeled so that
consumers know they are eating GMOs. What do you think?
7. Do you think food should be patented? Why or why not?
8. How might globalization of food markets be connected to hunger?
9. Have you ever worked to make change as a consumer (perhaps by asking
for a particular product or by providing feedback about a product or

service)? How could you do something similar to support sustainable food

systems?
10. Some farmers in other countries think the U.S. Farm Bill unfairly penalizes
them. What do you thinkis it fair for the government to ensure that
farmers can sell their crops at low prices abroad?

Discussion
1.

What were you most surprised to learn about famine?

2.

The severe drought in 2011 affected the entire Horn of Africa, including

Ethiopia and Kenya. Why do you think famine has only been officially
declared in Somalia? Based on what you know about root causes of famine,
how do you think Ethiopia and Kenya differ from Somalia?
3.

How does the image of Somalia and the Horn of Africa today compare with

the history of the region? What factors do you think could have led the region
to destabilize?
4.

Why might some donors be reluctant to send aid to the region?

5.

What do you think is needed to end the famine in Somalia? How can

additional deaths in the region be prevented?

6.

What systems or structures could prevent future famines, in Somalia or

elsewhere?
7.

Why are maps like the FAO World Hunger Map useful tools? How could they

be used to inform policy and decision-making?

8.

What are possible unintended consequences of generalizing about a region

based on information like the World Hunger Map?

9.

Which countries appear to be the most food insecure? How do you know?

10. What factors seem to be correlated with food insecurity? Can you think of
any other possible factors that would either contribute to food scarcity or be a
consequence of food scarcity?
11. For the more food insecure countries, what would you recommend to move
them toward greater food security?

12. Imagine you are a young farmer who is trying to determine which
agricultural practices (tilling/plowing, irrigation, application of pesticides) will
be best for the long-term future of your farm. What factors would you need to
consider?
13. Which of the sustainable techniques/strategies seem to be the easiest to
implement? What makes them seem easier than other practices? Why might it
be difficult for a farmer to adopt some of the sustainable alternatives?
14. What mechanisms or institutions could encourage the adoption of more
sustainable techniques?