IB Environmental systems and societies 5.2I Uneven Distribution of Food Notes

Uneven Food Distribution: The World Grows Enough, Yet Millions Go Hungry

1. The world produces enough calories to feed everyone, so hunger is mainly a problem of distribution, not production.
2. Food reaches people unevenly because economic power, politics, conflict and climate decide who eats well and who goes without.

The Global Food Supply Industry: A Chain From Farm to Plate

1. The global food supply industry includes production, processing, storage, distribution and retail.
2. Food moves through international trade routes, and many countries import large shares of their food.
3. Food distribution depends heavily on infrastructure, political stability, trade policies and economic resources.
4. The global food system produces enough calories to feed the world, yet distribution problems cause widespread hunger.
5. Food availability reflects economic power, not only agricultural productivity.
6. HICs typically have constant access to diverse, high-quality food, while LICs face scarcity, high prices and unreliable supply chains.

HICs, MICs and LICs: Wealth Shapes Who Can Reach Food

1. HICs have advanced infrastructure that supports rapid transport, cold storage and long-distance imports.
2. MICs and LICs often lack good roads, refrigeration, market access and stable supply chains.
3. Food production in LICs frequently focuses on cash crops for export, reducing the food available for local populations.
4. Protectionist measures in HICs, such as import tariffs and agricultural subsidies, disrupt global food markets and disadvantage farmers in LICs.

Economic Drivers: Markets Pull Food Toward Wealth

1. HIC subsidies, such as US rice and corn subsidies, reduce global prices and make LIC farmers uncompetitive.
2. Rising wealth in HICs and MICs (including NICs) drives higher meat and dairy consumption, which diverts grain from human food to livestock feed.
3. Rising oil prices push up fertiliser and transport costs, raising global food prices.
4. Expanding land use for biofuels in HICs reduces the land available for food production.

Political and Environmental Barriers: Conflict and Climate Break the Chain

1. Conflict disrupts agricultural production, blocks market access and increases food insecurity.
2. Climate change increases the frequency of droughts, floods, heatwaves, crop disease and crop failure, especially in LICs.
3. Weak governance reduces the ability to manage supply chains, protect farmers and support vulnerable populations.
4. Displacement of communities during conflict cuts household access to food.

Food Quality vs Quantity: Full Stomachs Are Not the Same as Good Nutrition

1. Food quality is set by nutrient content, not by appearance or quantity.
2. Many diets in LICs rely heavily on starchy staples, which provide calories but lack essential nutrients.