Every time you turn on a tap, boil a kettle, or buy groceries, you are relying on a complex national supply chain—yet the UK struggles to secure enough of these essential resources domestically.
The UK imports 89–95% of its fruit and 50% of its vegetables to satisfy modern consumer habits.
Every time you buy green beans from Kenya, they have travelled over 6,400 km to reach your plate.
The Tomato Paradox It is easy to assume that importing food is always worse for the environment, but this is not always true.
You can easily spot the difference between traditional farming and modern commercial farming by looking at the size of the fields and the presence of hedgerows.
Students often confuse physical water scarcity with economic water scarcity. The UK South East suffers from physical scarcity relative to its high population, not a lack of infrastructure.
When evaluating the environmental impacts of agribusiness in a 6 or 9-mark question, always explicitly mention 'hedgerow removal' as a specific cause of biodiversity loss to secure higher marks.
'Food miles' is a limited measure; examiners prefer you to use the term 'carbon footprint' because it includes the energy used in production (like heating greenhouses) as well as transport.
When discussing the UK's changing food demand, make sure to explicitly connect the consumer desire for year-round non-seasonal products to the increase in import dependency and higher food miles.
Resource security
Having a reliable, uninterrupted, and affordable supply of food, water, and energy.
National demand
The total quantity of a resource required by a country's population and economy.
Import dependency
When a country relies heavily on importing goods or resources produced in other countries to meet its domestic needs.
Inequality of supply
An imbalance in the availability of resources across different geographical areas.
Resource distribution
The geographical spread or natural location of resources across an area.
Water surplus
An area where the supply of water exceeds the demand from the local population.
Water deficit
An area where the demand for water exceeds the available supply.
Water stress
Occurs when the demand for water exceeds the available amount or when poor quality restricts its use.
Energy gap
The difference between a country's energy demand and its ability to produce that energy from its own domestic resources.
Non-seasonal products
Food that is not in its natural harvest season in the country where it is consumed, necessitating imports or specialized growing conditions.
Seasonal demand
The desire from consumers for specific products year-round, which drives the import of out-of-season produce.
LICs (Low-Income Countries)
Countries with a low Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, often with economies reliant on agriculture and exporting primary resources.
Cash crops
Crops grown specifically to be sold for profit or exported, rather than to feed the local population.
Food security
When all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to maintain a healthy life.
Food miles
The distance food travels from the producer (the farm) to the consumer (the plate).
Carbon footprint
A measure of the total greenhouse gases produced during the growing, processing, and transporting of food.
Agribusiness
Large-scale, capital-intensive commercial farming run as a business to maximize productivity and profit.
Eutrophication
When excess nutrients (from agricultural fertilisers) wash into water bodies, causing algae blooms that deplete oxygen and kill aquatic life.
Monocultures
The agricultural practice of growing a single crop species in a large area over consecutive years.
Hydroponics
A method of growing plants in nutrient-rich water instead of soil, often used in large-scale greenhouse agribusinesses.
Organic farming
A method of farming that relies on natural processes, avoiding the use of artificial chemicals, pesticides, or fertilisers to protect the environment.
Put your knowledge into practice — try past paper questions for Geography
Resource security
Having a reliable, uninterrupted, and affordable supply of food, water, and energy.
National demand
The total quantity of a resource required by a country's population and economy.
Import dependency
When a country relies heavily on importing goods or resources produced in other countries to meet its domestic needs.
Inequality of supply
An imbalance in the availability of resources across different geographical areas.
Resource distribution
The geographical spread or natural location of resources across an area.
Water surplus
An area where the supply of water exceeds the demand from the local population.
Water deficit
An area where the demand for water exceeds the available supply.
Water stress
Occurs when the demand for water exceeds the available amount or when poor quality restricts its use.
Energy gap
The difference between a country's energy demand and its ability to produce that energy from its own domestic resources.
Non-seasonal products
Food that is not in its natural harvest season in the country where it is consumed, necessitating imports or specialized growing conditions.
Seasonal demand
The desire from consumers for specific products year-round, which drives the import of out-of-season produce.
LICs (Low-Income Countries)
Countries with a low Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, often with economies reliant on agriculture and exporting primary resources.
Cash crops
Crops grown specifically to be sold for profit or exported, rather than to feed the local population.
Food security
When all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to maintain a healthy life.
Food miles
The distance food travels from the producer (the farm) to the consumer (the plate).
Carbon footprint
A measure of the total greenhouse gases produced during the growing, processing, and transporting of food.
Agribusiness
Large-scale, capital-intensive commercial farming run as a business to maximize productivity and profit.
Eutrophication
When excess nutrients (from agricultural fertilisers) wash into water bodies, causing algae blooms that deplete oxygen and kill aquatic life.
Monocultures
The agricultural practice of growing a single crop species in a large area over consecutive years.
Hydroponics
A method of growing plants in nutrient-rich water instead of soil, often used in large-scale greenhouse agribusinesses.
Organic farming
A method of farming that relies on natural processes, avoiding the use of artificial chemicals, pesticides, or fertilisers to protect the environment.