scholarly journals Energy and the food system

2010 ◽  
Vol 365 (1554) ◽  
pp. 2991-3006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy Woods ◽  
Adrian Williams ◽  
John K. Hughes ◽  
Mairi Black ◽  
Richard Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Food System ◽  
Crop Management ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Energy Prices ◽  
Energy Inputs ◽  
The 1960S

Modern agriculture is heavily dependent on fossil resources. Both direct energy use for crop management and indirect energy use for fertilizers, pesticides and machinery production have contributed to the major increases in food production seen since the 1960s. However, the relationship between energy inputs and yields is not linear. Low-energy inputs can lead to lower yields and perversely to higher energy demands per tonne of harvested product. At the other extreme, increasing energy inputs can lead to ever-smaller yield gains. Although fossil fuels remain the dominant source of energy for agriculture, the mix of fuels used differs owing to the different fertilization and cultivation requirements of individual crops. Nitrogen fertilizer production uses large amounts of natural gas and some coal, and can account for more than 50 per cent of total energy use in commercial agriculture. Oil accounts for between 30 and 75 per cent of energy inputs of UK agriculture, depending on the cropping system. While agriculture remains dependent on fossil sources of energy, food prices will couple to fossil energy prices and food production will remain a significant contributor to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Technological developments, changes in crop management, and renewable energy will all play important roles in increasing the energy efficiency of agriculture and reducing its reliance of fossil resources.

Food, Water and the Consequences of Society Not Valuing the Environment

2019 ◽  
pp. 858-878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Allan
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Food System ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
The Political ◽  
Environmental Services ◽  
Accounting Systems ◽  
The Impact

The first purpose of this chapter is to highlight the impact of the food system on environmental and human health. The delivery of secure affordable food is a political imperative. Unfortunately, the food system that delivers it is environmentally blind. Food prices do not effectively reflect the value of food and often seriously mislead on the costs and impacts of food production. For example, actual food production takes place in a failed market—the value of environmental services such as water and the supporting ecosystems are not taken into account. The second purpose is to summarize and expose the political economy of the different ‘market’ modes of the food system. It is shown that there are weak players such as underrewarded and undervalued farmers who support society by producing food and stewarding our unvalued environment. The inadequacies of accounting systems are also critiqued.

scholarly journals Foodshed analysis and its relevance to sustainability

2008 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian J. Peters ◽  
Nelson L. Bills ◽  
Jennifer L. Wilkins ◽  
Gary W. Fick
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Food System ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Biofuel Production ◽  
Energy Prices ◽  
Critical Question ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Adequate Food

AbstractProviding a wholesome and adequate food supply is the most basic tenet of agricultural sustainability. However, sharp increases in global food prices have occurred in the past 2 years, bringing the real price of food to the highest level seen in 30 years (FAO, 2008). This dramatic shift is a fundamental concern. The role of ‘local food’ in contributing to the solution of underlying problems is currently being debated, and the debate raises a critical question: To what degree can society continue to rely on large-scale, long-distance transportation of food? Growing concerns about climate change, the longevity of fossil fuel supplies and attempts to produce energy from agriculture suggest that energy efficiency will be critical to adapting to resource constraints and mitigating climate impacts. Moreover, these problems are urgent because energy prices, biofuel production and weather-related crop failures are partially responsible for the current world food price situation. Tools are needed to determine how the environmental impact and vulnerability of the food system are related to where food is produced in relation to where it is consumed. To this end, analyses of foodsheds, the geographic areas that feed population centers, can provide useful and unique insights.

Energy use in horticulture.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynette Morgan
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Efficient Production ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Human Labour ◽  
Increase Food Production

Abstract Horticultural production requires the use of many different forms of energy. These energy sources range from natural energy such as light, heat and human labour to the widespread use of fossil fuels, electricity and natural gas, which dominate large scale, modern agriculture systems. Energy has been a vital input for efficient production ever since man first began to cultivate crops. Initially, the only energy sources available were human labour to cultivate, sow, weed, fertilize, irrigate, maintain and harvest crops. However, domesticated animals became a major energy source, replacing some of the heavy work required in early horticultural systems. With the development of modern horticultural systems, machinery and equipment, new, energy-intensive technologies in the post-World War II era began to dramatically increase food production (Pelletier et al., 2011). In the second half of the 20th century global food production more than doubled (Khan and Hanjra, 2009). It is projected to continue to increase until 2050 to meet the demands of continued growing populations. This requirement for ever-increasing volumes of food production, coupled with growing societal affluence and demand for a wide and diverse range of horticultural products exported around the globe, will see energy use become even more of a significant factor within the horticultural industry.

scholarly journals Role of Agriculture in ensuring Food Security

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Malati Kaini
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Development Strategy ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Food System ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Poor People ◽  
Food And Nutrition Security ◽  
Nutrition Security ◽  
Structural Problems ◽  
Food And Nutrition

The 2007-2008 food crises and the renewed surge in food prices in 2010-2011 have exposed deep structural problems in the global food system and the need to increase food production. The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing "when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life". Despite Nepal has no worse food and nutrition security situation among SAARC countries, there are some districts where food is always in shortage. The explicit constitutional recognition of the right to food and other related provisions in articles 36 and 42 of the new constitution will be instrumental for implementing food security programs in the country. Food security for poor people is based on sustainable food production. Many proven technologies and improved practices have the promise to boost agricultural production and ensure food security in developing countries like Nepal. Food and Nutrition security program (FANUSEP) is one of the flagship programs of Agriculture Development Strategy 2015-2035 (ADS), which is in the first phase of its implementation. It aims at improving the food and nutrition security of the most disadvantaged groups of the population.

scholarly journals GREEN ENERGY: AN ANALYTICAL DISCOURSE

2015 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Baluch ◽  
S. Mohtar ◽  
A. S. Ariffin
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Green Energy ◽  
Energy Prices ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Energy Needs ◽  
To Come

The climate change, the global warming, the population growth and the continuous demand on energy and electricity in specific made renewable energy one of the most appropriate and fitting to answer all these changes of our environment. However, the vested interested groups belonging to the fossil fuel cartel continue working tirelessly to discourage the use of renewable energy and renewable energy solutions in the world. Despite the recusant efforts of the Oil Cartel, renewable energy use has grown much faster than anyone anticipated. This paper: defines green and renewable energy; highlights its benefits; and illustrates that clean energy technologies are prepared for accelerated and widespread expansion in the global power sector. The paper critically examines the recusant efforts of the Oil Cartel undermining green renewable energy sector by bankrolling the production of unconventional oil and gas; and demonstrates that over-reliance on fossil fuels for power generation has significant health, environmental, and economic risks and is not a long-term solution to our energy needs. The paper concludes that a global transition to renewable energy is already underway. Renewable Energy offers an alternative to conventional sources and grants us greater control over future energy prices and supply. The energy choices we make during this pivotal moment will have huge consequences for our health, our climate, and our economy for decades to come.

scholarly journals Food Security

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 227
Author(s):  
Aparna Nayak
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Productivity Growth ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Green Revolution ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
World Population ◽  
Developing Regions

Global food security is one of the most unrelenting issues for humanity, and agricultural production is not sufficient in accomplishing this. However, earlier analyses of agricultural food production barely ever bring out the contrasts associated with economic development and different climatic zones. The world population is increasing day by day and climate change will be causing more extreme weather, higher temperatures and changed precipitation. The crop contributes about 20 % of the total dietary calories and proteins globally. There is 1% annual growth in food demand in the developing regions. The developing regions (including China and Central Asia) account for roughly 53 % of the total harvested area and 50 % of the production. Although, unmatched productivity growth from the Green Revolution since the 1960s dramatically transformed world food production, benefitting both producers and consumers through low production costs and low food prices. One of the key challenges today is to replace today’s food system with new ones for better sustainability. While the Green Revolution freed essential ecosystems from conversion to agriculture, it also created its own ecological problems. Moreover productivity increase is now slow or stagnant. Attaining the productivity gains needed to ensure food security will therefore require more than a repeat performance of the Green Revolution of the past. Future demand will need to be achieved through sustainable intensification that combines better crop resistance plants, adaptation to warmer climates, and less use of water, fuel, fertilizer, and labor. Meeting these challenges will require concerted efforts in research and innovation to develop and set up feasible solutions. Necessary investment will be required to realize sustainable productivity growth through better technologies and policy and institutional innovations that facilitate farmer adoption and adaptation. The persistent lessons from the Green Revolution and the recent efforts for sustainable escalation of food systems in South Asia and other developing nations will definitely providing useful insights for the future.

Diversified Energy Use in Twentieth-Century Japanese Households

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-138
Author(s):  
Tomoki Shimanishi
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Interwar Period ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Industrial Sector ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
The 1960S

Abstract This article examines the popularization process of rentan and mametan (cylindrical anthracite briquettes and anthracite briquette balls) in Japanese households. It points out that the scarcity of wood and charcoal and the supply of anthracite and molasses (used as an adhesive) from Asian countries encouraged the invention and implementation of such new types of fuels in the interwar period. They were widely accepted because they did not change conventional energy use habits. The study also shows that until the diffusion of imported fluid fossil fuels such as oil and gas in the 1960s, those kinds of briquettes had been supporting the energy consumption of family units as transitional energy. In other words, while Japan was experiencing a so-called “energy revolution” from coal to oil in the industrial sector, the use of diverse energy sources continued in the household sector. These two different paths of energy consumption played a role in mitigating overall energy constraints and concurrently sustaining a high economic growth.

scholarly journals EDU-AGRIKULTURAL DI CENGKARENG

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 1469
Author(s):  
Abiel Kristianto ◽  
Tatang H. Pangestu
Keyword(s):  
Baby Boomers ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Food System ◽  
Organic Food ◽  
Market Potential ◽  
Internet Technology ◽  
Vertical Farming ◽  
Space Programs ◽  
And Behavior

The development of increasingly sophisticated internet technology makes the spread of information faster, this makes it easy for people to know many things, one of which is the danger of the "industrial food system" for climate and human health. Industrial food uses fossil fuels that are post-use harmful to our atmosphere and lack nutrition in industrial food. this made people aware, especially millenials, of consuming more organic food than baby boomers. The highest population in this era is millenials, it can be concluded that the demand for organic food will increase. This phenomenon opens opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs to do business, but cities are growing and land for farming is also decreasing. Edu-Agriculture in Cengkareng is a place for farmers and millennial generation entrepreneurs to learn about agriculture both in production, technology / research, and learning about the business of the agricultural model itself. with the approach of paying attention to millennial characteristics and behavior for this case is a way of learning. so that it produces space programs that are in accordance with the characteristics and behavior of millenials. The presence of this project is expected that cities can continue to develop without having to disrupt the power of food production, urban farmers can maximize their production on limited land. entrepreneurs can maximize market potential in this field, and are expected to cultivate a "real food" system that is good for the environment, farmers and consumers.AbstrakPerkembangan teknologi internet semakin canggih membuat penyebaran informasi semakin cepat hal ini membuat orang mudah mengetahui banyak hal, salah satunya adalah  bahaya nya “industrial food system” bagi iklim maupun kesehatan manusia. Industrial food menggunakan bahan bakar fosil yang pasca penggunaannya berbahaya bagi atmosphere kita serta kurangnya gizi pada makanan industrial food. hal ini menyadarkan masyarakat khususnya millenials sehingga lebih banyak mengkonsumsi makanan organik ketimbang baby boomers. Populasi tertingi di jaman ini adalah millenials, dapat disimpulkan demand makanan organik akan semakin meningkat. Fenomena ini membuka peluang bagi para petani dan entrepreneur untuk berbisnis, namun kota semakin berkembang dan lahan untuk bercocok tanam semakin berkurang juga. oleh karena itu perlu adanya teknologi di bidang agrikultur seperti teknologi vertical farming, pencahayaan buatan, nutrisi, dan sebagainya  untuk mengatasi perluasan wilayah kota tanpa menggangu daya produksi pangan. dengan demikian diperlukan wadah untuk mengedukasi  petani/masyarakat yang mayoritasnya millenials untuk menangapi peluang tersebut. baik secara bisnis model maupun teknologi seputar agrikultural. Edu-Agrikultural di Cengkareng merupakan wadah bagi para petani dan para entrepreneur generasi millenial untuk belajar seputar perihal agrikultur baik secara produksi, teknolgi/riset, hingga pembelajaran mengenai bisnis model agrikultur itu sendiri. dengan pendekatan memperhatikan karakteristik dan tingkah laku millenial untuk kasus ini adalah cara belajar. sehinga menghasilkan program ruang yang sesuai dengan karakteristik dan tingkah laku millenials. Hadirnya proyek ini diharapkan kota dapat terus berkembang tanpa harus mengganggu daya produksi pangan, urban farmers dapat memaksimalkan hasil produksinya di lahan yang terbatas. para entrepreneur dapat memaksimalkan potensi pasar dibidang ini, serta diharapkan dapat membudayakan “real food” system yang baik bagi lingkungan, petani, serta konsumen.

Needed Research with Respect to Energy Use in Agricultural Production

1977 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Havlicek ◽  
Oral Capps
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Oil Price ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Energy Prices ◽  
Agricultural Industry ◽  
Energy Demands ◽  
Price Increases

The agricultural industry, like other industries, has become increasingly dependent upon energy resources such as electricity, fossil fuels, chemicals and fertilizers, largely due to relatively low energy prices. In the middle 1970s, however, energy prices rose sharply as a result of continuously rightward shifting energy demands and leftward shifting energy supplies due to dwindling domestic reserves and oil price increases by OPEC nations. Although the rapidly rising energy prices may have been viewed initially as a temporary phenomenon, most now agree that we are in an era of high energy prices. Carter and Youde [2] have discussed some impacts of the changing energy situation on U.S. agriculture.

scholarly journals ANALYSIS OF ENERGY PRICES OF BIOMASS FUEL IN UKRAINE

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-82
Author(s):  
V.G. Kramar
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Price Change ◽  
Biomass Energy ◽  
Biomass Fuel ◽  
Energy Price ◽  
Energy Prices ◽  
Local Conditions

The purpose of this work is to analyze the energy price change for different kinds of biomass and for natural gas from 2016 to 2020 and to compare it with the relevant trends for countries with a longer experience and  more developed market of fuel biomass. The study revealed that during the significant increase of natural gas price (from June 2016 to December 2018), the energy price of biomass increased at the same or even higher rate than the energy price of natural gas. During the declining natural gas prices (December 2018 to February 2020), when its price almost returned to the situation in mid-2016, the energy price of biomass decreased slightly, but still remains too high, and to date for pellets it is practically equal to the energy price of natural gas. This kind of energy price change for biomass compared to its change for fossil fuels in Ukraine differs significantly from the trends inherent to countries with longer experience of biomass energy use and developed market mechanisms for its pricing (in particular, Austria, Lithuania, Germany, Finland, Sweden). The imperfection of market pricing mechanisms for biomass fuel in Ukraine can be evidenced by the fact that most purchases of biomass in the Prozorro system involve only one supplier. Possible ways to improve the current situation are to promote the creation of more biofuel producers and to improve the conditions for access to raw materials for them, to create a biofuel exchange based on the organizational structure of the Lithuanian biofuel exchange Baltpool, taking into account local conditions.

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