Increase in Food Supplies - Essay Example

- The breeding methods have improved from mere selection in the field to crossing or mating plants and then selection of superior lines, and currently, the use of molecular techniques to genetically engineer crops for increased yield performance.
- Availability of irrigation facilities and diversion of water resources to agricultural fields.
- Use of better and highly effective fertilization strategies to improve soil fertility that contribute to higher yields.
- Better pest and disease management strategies that include the use of contact pesticides to kill pests instantly, and insertion of toxin genes in plants to kill feeding insects or larvae (as in the case of genetically modified crops like Bt corn).
- Development of herbicides and herbicide-tolerant crops that decrease the incidence of weeds that compete with soil, water, and light resources.
- Modern machinery that increases the efficiency of land preparation and other farm operations.
- Better postharvest and food storage facilities to keep crops and animal-based products fresher for longer periods.

There are some significant effects of modern agriculture on the environment. Extensive use of pesticides pollutes the air and causes respiratory and other health problems in humans and animals. These effects can be fatal in extreme cases of pesticide poisoning. The prolonged use of fertilizer, especially nitrogen, results in a decrease in soil pH. This means the soil becomes acidic, and therefore this will lead to subsequent yield reduction until such time that the soil becomes unfavorable for productive crop growing. Growing genetically modified herbicide-tolerant crops (which is coupled with extensive herbicide use) may alter the weed population and microfauna in areas where they are cultivated. Extensive land preparation also has effects on the soil texture, soil microflora, and fauna.

Agricultural pests can be insects, microbes, rodents, fungi, and weeds. The primary effect of pests in agriculture is to decrease by some degree, the economically important yield. An extreme pest infestation can lead to famines. As an example, the potato blight, a fungus responsible for the Ireland famine in the 1800s, has resurfaced in the Andes region lately, seriously affecting potato yields (Barclay) and causing fear of famine. Locust infestation is devastating and has been responsible for famines even during biblical times. In rice growing areas, the major pests are rodents and snails that cut rice stems therefore reducing the number of productive tillers and diseases like blast and tungro.

Livestock also has pests that can cause epidemics; like the bird flu which is caused by a virus. Chicken with, or suspected to have bird flu, are killed and this results in a shortage of chicken and eggs, and consequently, an increase in the prices of these commodities. Another notable disease is the mad cow disease which led to the banning of the importation of beef products in most countries. Other minor pests are ticks, fleas, and parasites. Read More