Strategies and Large-Scale Schemes to Increase Food Supply

Increasing production in different ways

Increasing food supply is not simply a matter of bringing more land into farming. Farmers can also increase crop yield: the amount produced per unit area. They might supply missing water, control growing conditions, improve crop varieties or protect the soil on which future harvests depend.

The most suitable strategy varies between places. A costly, carefully controlled growing system may suit a commercial producer, while a small farm may benefit more from an affordable method that uses local skills. Each strategy needs to be judged by both the extra food it produces and its costs.

Irrigation: supplying water when rainfall is insufficient

Irrigation means artificially supplying water to crops. It allows farming in dry areas and helps crops continue growing when rainfall is unreliable, increasing yields.

With surface irrigation, water is spread over the ground. Some may evaporate before crops can use it. Drip irrigation delivers small amounts directly to the roots, reducing water waste.

However, irrigation can put pressure on rivers and groundwater supplies. It can also cause salinisation: when irrigation water evaporates, dissolved salts can be left behind and build up in the soil. This reduces crop growth. Increasing production therefore depends on managing water carefully, not just supplying more of it.

Hydroponics and aeroponics: growing without soil

Plants need water and mineral nutrients, but these do not have to come from soil. Two strategies supply them directly to roots in controlled growing conditions.

In hydroponics, roots receive a nutrient-enriched water solution. In aeroponics, roots hang in air and are sprayed with nutrient-rich mist. Both methods grow plants without soil; the difference is how water and nutrients reach the roots.

These systems can increase yields by controlling the supply of water and nutrients. They also avoid pests and diseases found in soil. Hydroponic systems can recycle water, which is particularly useful where water is scarce.

The main limitations are cost and expertise. Equipment and carefully managed conditions make these methods expensive, and growers need specialist knowledge. Avoiding soil-borne pests does not mean that all crop pests and diseases disappear.

Biotechnology and the New Green Revolution

Biotechnology uses technology to modify living organisms or biological processes. One application is genetic modification: changing a crop's genetic material to give it useful characteristics, such as resistance to drought, pests or disease, or a higher yield.

A pest-resistant crop may lose less of its harvest to damage and may need fewer pesticide treatments. A drought-resistant variety can help maintain production in dry conditions. These benefits depend on the crop and the characteristic introduced; there are also concerns about environmental effects.

The original Green Revolution, during the second half of the twentieth century, increased production using hybrid crop varieties and chemicals such as pesticides. It did not depend on genetically modified crops.

The New Green Revolution aims to increase production while protecting the environment and reaching poorer farmers who benefited less from earlier changes. Methods include improved seeds and livestock, crop rotation, water harvesting and soil conservation. Rather than relying on a single invention, it combines improvements suited to farming communities and their environments.

Appropriate technology: matching methods to local needs

Appropriate technology is suited to local people's resources and skills. It need not be advanced or expensive to be effective.

For example, contour ploughing follows the contours of a slope rather than running straight downhill. This slows surface runoff, allowing more water to soak into the soil and reducing soil erosion. Retaining water and fertile soil helps crops grow.

Intercropping means growing different crops together on the same land. It can help maintain ground cover and reduce erosion. These approaches show how increasing food production can involve better land management rather than costly machinery alone.

Almería: a large-scale greenhouse development

Almería is in south-east Spain, where low rainfall makes water supply a major challenge. Its warm, sunny climate nevertheless allows fruit and vegetables to grow in greenhouses without artificial heating, including during the winter when demand for out-of-season produce exists elsewhere in Europe.

The first greenhouse was erected in 1963, followed by rapid expansion during the 1980s. By 2021, greenhouses covered around 40,000 hectares, giving the area its nickname, the ‘sea of plastic’. The development includes individual farmers and large agricultural businesses.

Plastic greenhouses, hydroponics and drip irrigation support intensive production. Efficient transport links allow produce such as tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce to reach overseas markets.

Benefits and costs of the Almería development

The development increases the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the year. Warm conditions reduce heating costs, while drip irrigation and water recycling help limit water use in this dry region.

There are major economic benefits. Agriculture supports around 15,000 family farmers and 40,000 additional jobs. Related work includes packing produce, making greenhouse materials and agricultural research. This is a multiplier effect: activity in farming creates demand and employment in other businesses.

However, these benefits are not shared equally. Many migrant workers receive low wages and live or work in poor conditions. Pesticide exposure has also been linked to ill health among workers.

Water-saving techniques do not remove the pressure created by production on such a large scale. Even with a desalination plant supplying freshwater from seawater, demand on groundwater remains high and groundwater sources are being depleted.

The development also has environmental costs. Greenhouse construction has destroyed habitats. Discarded plastic can reach rivers and the Mediterranean Sea, damaging habitats, while pesticides and fertilisers can contaminate soil and water.

Reaching a balanced judgement

Almería demonstrates that large-scale agriculture can substantially increase food supply and support a regional economy. Its warm climate and water-saving technologies make intensive production possible despite low rainfall.

However, producing more food is not the same as solving every problem. Water depletion, pollution and poor working conditions weaken the development's long-term benefits. Overall, Almería is successful at increasing supply, but its wider success depends on protecting water resources, controlling waste and improving conditions for workers.

Strategies: recall the mechanism

• Irrigation: supplies water where rainfall is insufficient. Drip systems reduce waste; drawbacks include water pressure and salinisation.
• Hydroponics: roots receive nutrient-enriched water without soil.
• Aeroponics: exposed roots receive nutrient-rich mist without soil.