How to Improve Food Production - Research Paper Example

Food production Food is considered to be among the most basic needs for human beings. As a result, food distribution, production, and consumption are consequently the most important economic activities in countries all over the world. In Africa, the production of food is so important that approximately 70% of the continent’s population engage directly in distributing and producing food (Wendell 22). Farming is vital in to human being’s day to day lives as it ensures human survival and existence. Over the recent past there have been various discussions regarding the mode of food production within the food industry. A large number of people are against the current methods that are used in food production. Critics argue that in the past the farming methods that were employed were safer compared to the current mode of production. The traditional methods of food production are considered to be more appropriate for human consumption. This is because the traditional methods of food production enhanced the bioavailability of micro-nutrients in plant based diets ensuring food was of high quality and proper for human consumption. As much as technology has increased efficiency in the process of food production, it has also degraded the quality of food production. This paper analyses the various modes of food production and determines the appropriate and safe method with regard to human consumption. The film Food Inc. tries to argue out that people’s eating patterns and habits have changed over the last 50 years. Industrialization has led to the mechanization of food production and preservation. Urbanization has also resulted to people migrating and embracing city life where have little time and land to farm and instead they opt to buy processed food (Kenner). Most people have embraced the office culture as the spend most of the times in offices. The film asserts that the current mode of food production has led to the provision of foods that have high sugar levels and more refined carbohydrates. The film also exposes the various issues that are involved in the process such as safety of the employees within the industries and the safety of the processed food. The ‘fear factories’ article explains the conservation farming that was practiced in the past in relation to the modern farming techniques. In the article Scully stresses that “I had come to view the abuses of industrial farming as a serious moral problem” (Scully 151). The author also postulates on the cruelty that farm animals face in the current ways of farming. He questions the moral standards that should guide humans in their treatment of animals, and when should the standards be applied in law. Scully (154) says, “I had come to view the abuses of industrial farming as a serious moral problem, a truly rotten business for good reason passed over in polite conversation.” In the article, ‘the Pleasures of eating’ the author discusses on the need for people to understand where and how their food gets produced. The author encourages people to eat responsibly and only have what’s enough for them. Wendell states that “eating is an agricultural act” (Wendell 1). She encourages the readers to eat responsibly, prepare their own food, participate in food production to the extent they can, learn on the origins of the food they purchase, and what is involved in the best farming and gardening (Wendell 3). The film and the two articles address issues related to healthy food production and consumption. None of the articles or the film has offered a solution to the argument of appropriate farming methods. I find the earlier or traditional methods of food production to be so outdated, time consuming and primitive. The farmers had to entirely rely on the slow nature to take its course (Scully 158). This took a relatively longer time for the produced food to reach the consumers hence it’s an inconvenience. With the current rapid population growth there is more demand for food and the technology has come in handy. The traditional methods of farming will not be able to supply food for the vast population that the world is currently experiencing. Technology has played a key role in minimising the time of production and eradicating production gaps that inconvenienced people. The issues pertinent to the quality of food production vary depending on the authors opinions. In the film food Inc., current food products are characterised with high sugar concentration and the carbohydrates are considered less safe by most consumers. The Fear factories book also argues that with the current modes of production people are more profit oriented as opposed to the past where most people were mainly subsistent. Money-mindedness has led to pay less attention to the quality and safety of the farms produce (Wendell 26). I believe the modern farming methods with technology have significantly improved the food products quality because the foods are produced with specific combination of ingredients that are most necessary for human consumption. I particularly agree with the article ‘pleasures of eating’ which stresses on the keenness and alertness on peoples eating habits. People should know the difference between being healthy and eating healthy food stuff. It is up to an individual to decide what food to consume. The author discourages processed food consumption by stating that “eating is an agricultural act” (Wendell 1). It is a person who decides whether to take junk food or healthy food. As much as the food products have high concentration of carbohydrates it’s the responsibility of an individual to decide to live healthy. Farming should be considered as a profit making venture but as long as they don’t produce products that harmful to human beings. With the current advanced education levels it is the responsibility of each person to consume food with relevant healthy or required elements. In my opinion the food products that are being produced by the different producing companies in the world are all fit for consumption. Different foodstuffs only become health hazards to human when they are consumed in excess. All foodstuffs have undergone scientific validation and procedures and all those found to be harmful to humans are not allowed into the market by the authorities and respective bodies. This clearly shows that is responsibility of the consumer to balance his or her diet. Each consumer should take what’s enough or recommended. I believe every person should be responsible of their eating habits because any type of food can be hazardous if consumed in the wrong proportions.. The farming methods have changed because of the increased demand of the modern food rather than the traditional foods (Salatin 180). People prefer junk food to naturally produced food products. If people mind their health and demand more of naturally produced food then more of it will be produced. This proves the fact that the consumers are the ones to blame for the type of food products in the market and not the producers. Like in any other business the producers produce what the consumers demand. In the article "Food Safety and Nutritional Aspects of Modification of Crop Quality", the authors postulate the various measures and standards that genetically modified- GM crops pass through before human consumption. They are in support of the impact that technology has in food production such as insertion of genes that ensure crops become insect resistant and herbicide tolerant. They postulate that safety assessment strategies for GM crops have been designed in accordance with internationally agreed principles for evaluation of environmental and food safety impact. “The European Network on the Safety Assessment of Genetically Modified Food Crops –ENTRANSFOOD, has developed a detailed stepwise procedure for the safety assessment of foods derived from GM crops, in particular regarding the test methods to be used and the generation of required data” (Kuiper & Kleter 138). The authors also state that “in the foreseeable future, GM crop-derived foods may be expected to have the potential to provide health benefits that go beyond basic nutritional needs” (Kuiper & Kleter 139). They expect GM crops to provide possible beneficial effects on both human and animal health. In his article "Food quality and safety: consumer perception and demand", Grunert employs the total quality model to assess consumer quality perception in regard to food. He defines food safety as “a subject that encompasses nutritional qualities of food and more wide ranging concerns about the properties of unfamiliar foods, such as European consumers’ uneasiness about genetically modified foods” (Grunert 382). The author is intent in understanding whether the consumers understand the quality of the foods they buy. The author finds out that food choice and consumer demand are linked to quality and safety perception. The author shows the increased awareness of the consumers in finding the foods that they consume. Grunert argues “It is concluded that food quality and safety are central issues in today's food economics, though many research questions remain to be addressed (Grunert 380) Edited by Jelle Bruinsma, the article “World agriculture: towards 2015/2030. An FAO perspective” provides possible future developments in world agriculture, food, and nutrition sectors. The article forecasts that “The deceleration in demographic growth and the gradual saturation in per capita food consumption for parts of the world population are important factors that will contribute to slow the growth of food demand and, at the world level, also of production” (Bruinsma 26). Their projections, however, also reveal that food demand and consumption will grow significantly. This calls into a rethink on the available food production modes which will satisfy the increased demands. The article suggests that “the bulk of the increases in world consumption of crop and livestock products have been originating in the developing countries” (Bruinsma 29). This indicates a need to fill the gap in demand in developing countries by employing modern agricultural technology in food production that ensures safety of end consumers. According to Robert Paarlberg organic food is obtained by biologically obtaining and importing fertility in a manner that is ecologically balanced with regard to organic food productions (Paarlberg 147). Modern food production companies process food by processing raw ingredients to foods which are suitable for human consumption. This process has come in handy in inhibiting food shortage especially in developing nations. Paarlberg (145) says, “The development and introduction of high-yielding wheat and rice seeds into poor countries, paid huge dividends. In Asia these new seeds lifted tens of millions of small farmers out of desperate poverty and finally ended the threat of periodic famine. India, for instance, doubled its wheat production between the years 1964 and 1970. This enabled the country to terminate all dependence on international food aid by the year 1975. There is still the world debate among the developed countries on the most effective mode of food production that will take care of the food shortages in developing countries. The world population is rapidly growing and this definitely means an increase in food production hence making new solutions to the food debate inevitable. Robert Paarlberg supports industrial production of food but he argues that local, organic, or slow food cannot solve the hunger problem effectively. He says that the myth that sustainable food depends on organic food is primitive since it cannot work. According to him this method cannot sustain the poor because the small scale farmer will be left with nothing to eat as demand for organic food will outweigh its supply. I totally agree with him that countries should adopt both methods of food production to effectively solve the food shortage problem. The small scale farmers who entirely depend on farming as their economic activity will be forced to buy and sell almost all of their fool in the local markets. Robert suggests that advanced modern industrialised agriculture and precision farming methods are the most reliable way to reduce hunger and at the same time maintain low food prices as possible. According to him organic farming is very expensive to maintain making it ineffective compared to green revolution which produces large amounts of food (Paarlberg 141). He encourages all Americans to embrace modern highly capitalised and science intensive system of food production in farming and industrial food. I totally agree with Robert as this method will help both the rich and the poor. The global interpretation and perception of food issue is based on the international prices. Helping the poor to feed themselves is not a good idea and it should be discouraged. The poor should be helped so that they start farming by themselves. When prices go down it is assumed that food crisis is over among the poor and they can have more food. This theory does not apply practically in the hunger stricken areas in the globe. The U.N Food and Agriculture Organization report in 2010 shows that a majority of all the hunger stricken people either live in or south Asia Africa where nearly all of them are either small-scale farmers or casual laborers in the farms. They get fertilizers, seeds and access a direct link to the international market to sell their produce. In many cases, the cost from the rural farms is too expensive for them. Only about seventy percent of rural families can access the urban markets (Salatin 178). These farmers end up selling and buying within the local regions in the countries causing the prices to be out of control. This makes the program unable to serve its key purpose which is to eradicate hunger in the majority of the people. The report suggests that the situation may worsen if the plan is not discouraged. The number of hungry will, therefore, increase to an alarming thirty percent in just ten years. Although from experience, improved infrastructure, energy health facilities and education solved the problem, a more permanent solution is vital. The solution is to empower the poor to improve their own lives. Nicolette Niman on the other hand discourages people from eating meat and suggests that people should preserve the animals. “People should eat less meat, but better meat,” (Niman 171). She is really disturbed by the way in which animals in the industrial farms are treated. She argues that the animals are usually congested in the farms yet they offer not solution to the hunger problem (Niman 170). She argues that industrialized animal farming leads to increased pollution of the environment. The carbon dioxide emitted from the machines that maintain the facilities. She also notes that non industrialized animal farming that is well managed minimizes the levels of harmful greenhouse gases but instead it improves the environment Conclusion With the rapid increasing population the most effective way to improve food production is empowering farmers so that they become better producers. Introducing of organic foods will cause the farmers to loose market for their farm products. The farmers should be discouraged from depending on the international markets which have organic foods. Organic foods cannot solve the global issue of hunger as it does not cater for the small scale farmers. Organic food production increases the rate of pollution to the environment since a lot of machinery is used in the process. The sure global way of reducing global hunger is by implementing advanced modern industrialized agriculture and precision farming techniques. This will help in empowering the farmers and help the increase their products. Annotated Bibliography Berry, Wendell. “The Pleasures of Eating.” What Are People For? New York: North Point Press, 2000. Rpt in Food. Eds. Brooke Rollins and Lee Bauknight. USA: Fountainhead Press, 2010. 21-28. Print The book pleasures of eating which warns readers to be alert and keen on their eating habits. Eating healthy food stuff and being healthy are two separate things and should not be confused. Either, the choice of what food to consume also lies with the individual. Bruinsma, Jelle. World agriculture: towards 2015/2030. An FAO perspective. Earthscan Publications Ltd, 2007. Bruinsma discourages the intake of genetically modified foods because have concentration of components that are harmful to human’s health. People should focus on consuming foods produced by traditional methods of agriculture and they will be able to live longer and healthy. Food, Inc. Dir. Robert Kenner. Perf. Eric Schlosser and Michael Pollan. Magnolia Pictures,  2008. http/:www.foodinc.com The film Food Inc. Provides an interesting view on the food production debate as it tries to argue out the case that our eating habits and patterns have changed . The film begins with an assertion that the manner in which we do eat has gradually changed over the last 50 years. Grunert, Klaus G. "Food quality and safety: consumer perception and demand.” European Review of Agricultural Economics 32.3 (2005): 369-391. Grunert in this book stresses on quality and safety in the food production industry. He supports the traditional methods of food production and says processed food is mainly junk with massive health hazards. Kuiper & Kleter insist that genetically modified food is necessary for the world to feed its massive and rapid growing population. They postulate that the safety and nutritional aspects of genetically modified crops has been standardized making their consumption healthy. Scully, Matthew. “Fear Factories: The Case for Compassionate Conservatism—for Animals.” The American Conservative. Oct 2010. Rpt in Food. Eds. Brooke Rollins and Lee Bauknight. USA: Fountainhead Press, 2010. 151-159. Print Scully gives dimension to the conservation farming as practiced in the early days and the type of farming as practiced in the modern days. Of more interest is the cruelty to the farm animals. The book pleasure of eating also discusses our eating habit with the author warning the readers to eat responsibly. Niman, Nicolette Hahn. “The Carnivore’s Dilemma.” NY Times 2009, Rpt in Food. Eds. Brooke Rollins and Lee Bauknight. USA: Fountainhead Press, 2010. 169-173. Print. In her article, Niman discourages industrialized animal farming. She encourages people to desist from eating meat and instead preserve the animals. Paarlberg, Robert. “Attention Whole Food Shoppers.” Foreign Policy. June 2010. Rpt in Food. Eds. Brooke Rollins and Lee Bauknight. USA: Fountainhead Press, 2010. 141-149. Print Paarlberg discourages the entire dependence of people on organic foods but instead encourages on the farmers being empowered and promoted to embrace modern scienmce intensive and highly capitalized mode of agriculture. Salatin, Joel. “Declare Your Independence.” Food, Inc. 2009, Rpt in Food. Eds. Brooke Rollins and Lee Bauknight. USA: Fountainhead Press, 2010. 175-187. Print Salatin promotes the independence and support of farmers in order to increase more safe food production and distribution. Read More