Key Terminology

• • • • • • Systems approach

          • Water footprint

          • Energy efficiency ratio

Define the key terms above by using the 'Useful Links' below:

Useful Links

• • • • • • Only IAs Exam Definition - Systems Approach

          • Water Footprint Definition - Water Footprint

          • Food and Agricultural Organisation Definition - Energy Efficiency Page 8

Activity One - Comprehension

Just like we have seen in Freshwater a farm can also be organised as a system with clear inputs, process and outputs.  Systems diagrams help us to see if one area is impacted by something it could have a dramatic impact on another area of the system. Unlike we saw for a drainage basin a farm can have physical and human inputs into its system. A farmer ultimately needs to become the ecological dominant in the ecosystem of a farm to make sure it is not wholly dependent on the  natural landscape or the weather to be profitable.  Before we even look at the idea of a farm of as a system we need to have knowledge of the outcomes that a farm needs to function and what forms they take.

• • 1. What three outcomes does a farm need to be successful?

    2. Describe the three factors that impact the type of farm it becomes.

    3. Describe the factors which impact the inputs into a farming system. Make sure you give examples.

    4. What outputs occur in a farming system?

    5. Why are some of the outputs considered unintended? Describe the impact of the unintended outputs.

    6. Describe the way to measure the sustainability (energy efficiency ration) of a farm. Give examples of this.

    7. Why is farming a monoculture not sustainable?

       1. 1. 1. 1. • Low species diversity

                   • Chemical herbicides and pesticides - genetic resistance, death of desirable species, non-biodegradable materials in the food chain.

Useful Resource

'Our Planet's Food and Health' textbook by Codrington - Pages 33-37

Activity Two - Draw - Systems Diagram

Now you know what the inputs and outputs are in a farm we are now going to draw this as a systems diagram. Systems diagrams are useful to geographers as they help us to compare places. 

• • • Using the key words below create a systems diagram for a farm.

    • Add on arrows to show the flow of the inputs and outputs.

Farming as a System Diagram

Activity Three - Mind Mapping

We are now going to focus on the environmental problems caused by framing, how this is linked to a growing population and indicators that we can use compare the sustainability of food production.

• • 1. Collect a piece of A4 plain paper and a set of coloured pens.

    2. Write in the middle of the page 'Sustainability and Farming'.

    3. Use a different colour for each focus area below and write a description of how it impacts sustainability or is a measure of sustainability.

       1. 1. 1. 1. 1. • Growing population - China

                      • Food Miles

                      • Water footprint

                      • Locally grown food

                      • Vegetarian Diet

Useful Resources

'Our Planet's Food and Health' textbook by Codrington - Pages 38-40

Jimmy's Supermarket Secrets - From Crop to Shop - Google Drive (Extreme Environments)

Water Calculator

Is eating local produce better for the planet? - The Guardian or Shrink that Footprint - Food Miles 

The Independent - Veganism - Is it really environmentally friendly?