:)

1 Link/Resource Explore the Questions

following
topics
Aqueduct Commodities 1. Canola 1. How much water
http://www.wri.org/applications/ma 2. Coffee does each crop
ps/agriculturemap/#x=0.00&y=0.0 3. Soy: consume?
0&l=2&v=home&d=rice
Canola:​ “​This crop
consumes 2,271 m³ of
water per ton of yield”

Coffee:​ “​This crop

consumes 15,897 m³ of
water per ton of yield”

Soy:​ “​This crop consumes

2,145 m³ of water per ton
of yield”

2. Which crop is
mostly grown in
water stressed
regions?

Soy:​ Out of all three

resources: canola,
coffee, and soybeans,
soybeans are grown in
the most water stress
regions.

1. Which crop is most

water efficient?

Sugarcane:
-31% in areas of high to
extremely high stress
-​This crop consumes
210m³ of water per ton of
yield
Oranges:
-18.1% in areas of high to
extremely high stress
 -​This crop consumes
560m³ of water per ton of
yield
-0.8% ARLD low water
use
Rice:
-29% in areas of high to
extremely high stress
-​This crop consumes
1,673 m³ of water per ton
of yield.

Based on statistics for

sugarcane, oranges, and
rice, our group determined
that sugarcanes are the
most water efficient out of
the three crops.

2. Which is least water

efficient?
Cocoa beans are least
water efficient, the crop
requires ​19,928 m³ per
ton of yield.
https://newatlas.com/cro
ps-engineered-need-less
-water/53712/

Any crop Which crop should we

eat more of to reduce
our carbon footprint?
We should grow more or
sugar cane crops
because they require the
least amount of water.
This crop consumes
210m³ of water per ton of
yi

2 Link/Resource Explore the Questions

following
topics
http://storymaps.esri.com/s 1 - 4 1. Can agriculture
meet future demands?
tories/feedingtheworld/
 Slide the bar It may be difficult as
population increases and
left and right
water resources
and move decrease. In addition, the
the map by potential yield may not
clicking and succeed.
dragging 2. Which regions
are most irrigated?
your mouse. India/South Asia/East
Asia have high irrigation
but high crop yields may
get a lot of rain or may
grow gmo seeds.

3. Which nations
have low comparative
yields?

4. Do we need to
focus more on one
kind of food and less
on another to be
sustainable?

3 Link/Resource Explore the Questions

following
topics
http://wdi.worldbank.org/ta Focus on 1. Which nation uses the
Fertilizer and most fertilizer?
ble/3.2#
Precipitation Singapore use the
columns. most fertilizer.

Employment 2. Which nation has the

Column most precipitation
(rain)? Sao tome and
principe.

3. Is there a correlation
between the two?
Singapore has low
rainfall. Sao Tome and
Principe banned the
use of fertilizer
 because their volcanic
land is fertile and does
no require fertilizer.

4. What are the top three

nations that employ
the most agricultural
workers?
-​The top three nations to
employee the most
agricultural workers are
Burundi with the
employment of 91.3,
second is Burkina Faso
with the employment of
80.1, and the third one is
Lao PDR with the
employment of 79.0.

GMO 1. Where are GMOs

banned from being
https://gmo.geneticliteracy
grown? Algeria,
project.org/FAQ/where-are- Azerbaijan, Belize,
gmos-grown-and-banned/ Bhutan, Bosnia,
Ecuador, Kyrgyzstan,
https://gmo.geneticliteracy Madagascar,
Moldova, Peru,
project.org/wp-content/upl Russia, Saudi Arabia,
oads/2016/02/gmo_world_ Serbia, Switzerland,
map_large.jpg Turkey, Ukraine,
Venezuela, Zimbabwe

2.Where are their bans

on GMO imports for
livestock or human
consumption? Algeria,
Kenya, Kyrgyzstan,
Madagascar, Russia,
Venezuela, Zimbabwe.

2. What are the major

GMO crops?
Soybeans, corn and
cotton

4 Link/Resource Explore the Questions

following
 topics
https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/a Livestock and What is the main kind of
livestock feed livestock raised in North
ssets/4565291/animals2007
America?
_big.png ● Chicken is the
main kind of
https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/a livestock in North
ssets/4565283/crops_by_c America.
● In the U.S, there
ounty.png are over 2 billion
livestock of
chickens.

What is a monoculture
and what crops are
monocultures in the
USA?
● Monoculture is
producing or
growing a single
crop in a given
area.
● Crops that are
monocultures in
the US are corn
with over 60% of
county land,
followed by 55%
of land devoted to
soybeans, then
cotton with 48%,
44% wheat, 38%
of fruits and
vegetables, and
lastly, 26% of
hay/silage.
●

https://www.vox.com/a/expl What did you discover

about crop usage and its
ain-food-america
connection to livestock?
● Several areas
https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/a today give their
ssets/4565331/cashcropmo attention to only
one crop and this
ney.png
practice is called
monoculture.
Corn is the most
used crop and
covers more land
than any other
crops. Next to
corn, soybean is
the second most
grown crop.
Surprisingly, it is
also used to feed
livestock.
●

Which crop makes the

most money in the USA
each year?
● Corn (84%,
$63.9)

https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/a Meat Which countries include

more meat in their diets?
ssets/4565427/meat_2.png
● The United
http://static.ewg.o States, Australia,
http://static.ewg.org/report rg/reports/2011/m New Zealand,
s/2011/meateaters/pdf/meth eateaters/pdf/met Spain and France
odology_ewg_meat_eaters hodology_ewg_m consumes about
eat_eaters_guide 103-137 kg of
_guide_to_health_and_clim _to_health_and_c meat per capita.
ate_2011.pdf limate_2011.pdf ● Canada,
Argentina,
France, Italy and
Portugal
consumes 88-103
kg of meat per
capita.
● Brazil, Chile,
Germany,
Sweden, Poland
and the United
Kingdom
consumes 74-88
kg per capita.
Critical Questions

1. The ​globalization of the economy​ means that​ ​nations​ are​ no longer​ just ​producing crops
and ​products for their own benefit​,​ rather​, they are​ specializing in specific products and
crops​ and then​ exporting​ these ​to other regions​. ​Trade means​ that ​nations can grow
their economies by feeding the world​. Is this an ​opportunity or a challenge​ for the world?
 

Group 1:
Question: Does production of trade to “feed the world” act as a challenge or 
opportunity for the world? 
According to the quote, globalization of the economy is not just about 
“producing crops” for one's “benefit”, but to create for trade among other regions​: 
“ Trade means that nations can grow their economies by feeding the world”. Using 
the quote, and our knowledge of agriculture within economic globalization, our 
group feels that trade provides both opportunities and challenges for the world. 
From what we are aware of, in economic globalization, specifically, the 
production of GMO (genetically modified organism) for crops, GMO crops have 
benefited the world in trade with its use of altered genes to adapt to the 
environmental conditions they face. When GMO crops are able to withstand the 
environmental conditions that are destined to them, crops are able to survive, 
they can then, be used for trade, thus, encourages the economy, by granting the 
demands of resources of regions whom do not have these materials, or want it at 
a cheaper price. GMOs increases the production of goods for trade that helps 
promote economic expansion. Unfortunately though, agricultural trade has also 
been challenging to the world. When GMO production concocts faster produce, it 
also acts as a challenge to the world by impacting the health of consumers, the 
environment, and increases child labour. In a world where demand and 
population continues to increase tremendously, the businesses, such as 
agricultural industries like many companies, want to make money, so, they 
expand their business in order to meet the needs of consumer demands. For 
huge yields of crops to flourish, plenty of workers are required for it to succeed. 
In most but not all, nations of the global south, child labour tend to occur when 
work forces are needed to fulfil duties in jobs such as agriculture. The reason 
child labour occurs so oftenly, is because, child labour provides cheap pay 
wages for children labourers and forces them to work under unpleasant 
conditions, meaning the children who work in industries that do child labour, do 
not get reasonable pay wages under bad work conditions, compared to people 
working under fair trade, and also, the company take most of the profits they 
earn. Trade encourages child labour. In the world, there are some but not all, 
GMO industries, non-GMO corporations work to produce only organic products 
for consumers, unfortunately, GMO companies that do generate GMO crops, has 
been known to impact the environment through pollen drifts and cross 
pollination, which can permanently alter the environment. Another challenge that 
trade provides, is human health issue from agriculture, specifically GMO 
agriculture. In GMO agriculture studies have shown that GMO crops that have 
herbicide or pesticide tolerances, encourage farmers to use more herbicides and 
pesticides on crops. According to studies, these plants that are genetically 
tolerant to chemical sprays that are meant to eliminate pests, can cause cancer 
and many other deadly health issues. 

 
PA PICKLESSSS MUHAHAHHAHA

-u need to be stopped
 
Group 3- It is both a challenge and opportunity- it is opportunity because it gives 
people a chance to improve the economy and allows for new experiences and 
techniques. It's a challenge because there are many issues that can arise with 
economic globalization such as regulations on what crops you can grow, and 
farming traditions.  
 
 
Group 2 - The globalization of food can be a challenge because there is already enough food to feed people; all we 
need to do is change the methods of distribution. Trade can have many negative effects on the food and the 
environment. It is also problematic for local farmers as people choose to buy, cheaper, imported and foreign foods. 

Group 4​ - ​It could be taken as an opportunity because it could be a 

solution for world hunger and poverty and in turn they would benefit 
by creating profit. Trade with other nations builds a long-term 
relationship between these countries and it also promotes economic 
stability because…….However, it could also be a challenge as it  
 
2. The European Union has banned GMO crops from being grown in member nations.
Read
the following quote and discuss the contradiction with a partner.

"Hypocrisy rules: Europe imports over 30 million tons per year of 
corn and soy-based animal feeds, the vast majority of which are 
genetically modified, for its livestock industry. 
Mark Lynas, political director for the Cornell Alliance for Science
 
Group 1:
According to the information given, the contradiction presented in this 
issue, is that, though the EU (European Union) “banned GMO crops” to be grown 
in “member nations”, Europe is buying GMO products to feed and raise animals 
for the livestock industry with GMO products. People are confused as to why 
Europe is using the very thing, the EU banned: GMO crops. 

  
This is a pickle

Group 2- The livestock is produced for profit. Even though the people themselves​ ​don't eat it, it's
all about money. GMO is a cheaper alternative than natural crops and so there is enough for
large amounts of livestock. In return, they get what they want, money.

Group 3- The European’s banning GMO crops, is not taking very seriously because even
though they banned it, they are still using it for their livestocks. It will make people think they are
just in it for the money.

Group 4 -​The contradiction presented in the information given is that, even though European 
Union banned GMO crops from being grown in member nations, they are still importing 
genetically modified crops for their livestocks. 

3. Read the following excerpt from Trading Futures:

“For example, from an environmental mitigation perspective, it appears absurd that in

2010 Canada exported 216 tonnes of breakfast cereal to Australia and imported 84 tonnes
of breakfast cereal from Australia. Furthermore, Canada exported 209,182 tonnes of
soybeans to China and imported 2887 tonnes from China, while also receiving 1611
tonnes of processed soybean cakes from China.

In 2010, Canada was the world’s top bread exporter in terms of value, distributing 239,031
tonnes of bread worldwide to over 65 countries (FAO, 2010a), but it was also the top
importer in terms of both value and quantity, importing 150,915tonnes of bread from over
70 countries.
Environmental damage caused by transport is often considered an externality and is not
typically reflected in the price of goods, despite the fact that shipping is a significant
source of environmentally damaging emissions, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen
oxides, and volatile organic compounds.

As such, thousands of tonnes of ‘unnecessary’ trading across thousands of kilometers

will produce thousands of tonnes of emissions for economic profit brokered on absent
environmental accountability. These emissions contribute to anthropogenic climate
change, which in turn has dramatic effects on food systems and the everyday lives of
]food producers.”

Is the globalization of our diet an opportunity or a challenge? What can we do to alleviate the
risks of carbon emissions while continuing to trade globally and prosper? Is this even possible?
Group 1: POOPY :)   
 
Based on the article, the author wanted to alert us that the majority of 
Canada’s exports and imports seem to be unnecessary and also, damages the 
environment. For example, in the article, the author states that in “2010 Canada 
exported 216 tonnes of breakfast cereal to Australia and imported 84 tonnes of 
breakfast cereal from Australia”. The author also mentions that through these 
“unnecessary” trades between nations, the process of transporting these 
resources requires transportations, such as ships, emit CO2 gases: gases that 
deplete the earth’s ozone layer, which contributes to climate change and impacts 
the future for all farmers. Using this knowledge, our group feels that our “diet”, or 
demands in the globalizing world, stands as a challenge. We feel that demand 
has encourage destruction of the environment and agricultural industries 
thorough climate change, than it does keep the environment and the economy 
sustainable. Though, we feel that demand has acted as challenge to the world, we 
can also reduce these issues through our diet, our demand, our choice, as 
consumers and global citizens. We can be global citizens and reduce carbon 
emissions through small actions such as reducing our ecological footprint with 
the strategy of the three R’s: recycle, reduce, and reuse. For example, instead of 
buying multiples of plastic bottles and using a new one each time, reuse your 
bottles by buying a reusable water bottle for your beverages. You can reduce by 
doing things like turning off the water of the sink while you are brushing your 
teeth or choosing to not drive your car to alleviate gas pollution. You can recycle 
by keeping old clothes and not throwing it away but find another use for it, such 
as using a old shirt to make teddy bears. As you can see, by recycling, reducing, 
and reusing, you are helping to reduce carbon emissions, and climate change. 
Unfortunately though, with the world advancing in technology, and climate 
change still deemed an issue in the world today, it would seem as though, that 
not many people are aware of climate change and its impacts. Yes, It is possible 
to reduce carbon emissions, but until we as consumers use our choice to tackle 
climate change, demand is above all. 
 
Based on the article above, the author is saying that there is no need to 
trade and export goods to different countries, when your country is the provider 
of that resource. For example in 2010 Canada exported 216 tonnes of breakfast to 
Australia and then Australia exported 84 tonnes of breakfast cereal to Canada, 
this is unnecessary because if Canada is producing large amounts of breakfast 
cereal to [begin with, why are the importing cereal from different countries. This 
negatively impacts our environment because if we continue to practice this 
method we will increase the amount of C02 emissions which then leads to global 
warming, rising sea levels, and melting glaciers    
 
2010 Canada exported 216 tonnes of breakfast cereal to Australia and imported 84 tonnes
of breakfast cereal from Australia 
  
Group 2 - There are a lot of different components that affect this issue. To some 
people it may seem like an opportunity to connect with other countries, but it is a 
challenge for the environment. There are a lot more ways to be transporting 
these products that are more efficient. On the other hand, food can be 
purchased locally to promote the food producers of one’s nation. However food 
that is bought from a different country will promote globalization which can have 
different perspectives, depending on the topic. Stopping the trade of food ends 
fair trade and can cost many farmers their income. To continue an 
environmentally safe way of trading, the use of non-renewable energy sources for 
transport can help reduce the environmental consequences. This from of trading 
can occur due to consumption/ sales restrictions in their own country. Because 
of these restrictions, countries may seek to sell them in other places. 
 
Group 3- I think that it is a challenge because even though importing and 
exporting products with other countries is a good thing because it brings new 
cultures and traditions, the environment suffers the effects of the transportation 
that we use in the environment because it causes pollution and climate change 
which can affect the farmers in a bad way. It also depend on a person's 
perspective because some people find it easy to adapt to it. But the way can 
solve the way we transport our product is that w can use more environment 
friendly machines.   
 
Group 4 - The globalization of our diet is a challenge towards the environment because of the carbon
emissions that we produce while trading the products. In the article it mentioned that there are
“unnecessary” trading across thousands of kilometers, this is increasing the amount of emissions to
the environment which could lead problems to for the producers and the food systems. However,
there is an opportunity for the economic of the industries that are producing their crops and
products and exporting it to the countries, this also relates with the farmers that are working within
the industries that are harvesting crops and turning them into products. There are other ways of
shipping products that includes less carbon emissions by being efficient of how much products are to
be exported and imported from other countries. We could also decrease our own carbon footprints
by decreasing the amount of food we consume in our diet.
 
4. Based on your exploration, do we need GMO to feed the world sustainable? What other
solutions are available to us besides changing the dna of our plants?
 
 
Group 1: 
Throughout our exploration of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), our 
group concluded that GMOs are not required to sustain the world. Through our 
research, we found that there are many ways to substitute GMO such as... 
 
1.  
Green farming: GMO’s tend to grow on bigger landscapes to produce more crop, 
that usually leads to all the crop being infected with GMO’s. If we move the crop 
to a smaller part of land and grow it naturally it would regulate the flow of the 
crop and the crop would be more healthy.  
2.  
rotation: farmers can grow similar or different crops in the same patch of land 
but switch it during the seasons in order to keep the nutrients in the soil and 
pass it onto different crops. 

Stop the Crop. (2018). ​Sustainable alternatives​. [online] Available at:

http://www.stopthecrop.org/sustainable-alternatives [Accessed 6 Jun. 2018]. 
 
 

Group 2 - There's already enough food to feed everybody, and there is secondary health risks
involved. To fix this problem we should support bicott fair trade and local farmers to continue
supporting them and their income. There are many ways to conquer hunger without altering
food sources. Money can be saved by reducing GMO intake and reducing the health risks
involved. Because the GMO crops are immune to herbicides, farmers will not have to worry
about the amounts they use to irrigate their land, so they will use more. This is dangerous when
consuming the crops. In addition, no-GMO crops can be put at risk of transgenic contamination.
Many farmers choose to leave their plants unaltered, but this can become difficult with the
increase of GMO crops. However, the method that the way food is sold and dispersed should
change. We should support fair trade to aid communities in need of resources instead of
contributing to the Monsanto monopoly.

Group 3- some poor country need the GMO plants to survive. Since there are plant like corn can
multiple, they can plant more to make money and eat sometimes. When you can not do
anything about the dna problem, the easiest solution is to stop buying any GMO produces and if
you can’t than plant your own food or eat natural food.
Group 4- ​Based on our exploration, GMOs in our opinion it is not 
necessarily the right choice for sustainability. We can say that from 
the film we watched, that GMOs are not used to address world hunger 
rather, for large company owners to make huge profit from it. GMOs 
don’t increase the income of farmers,and mass producing the crops 
doesn’t necessarily mean you can make a more money from it or feed a 
lot of people because a huge percentage of GM crops are used for 
animal feed. Therefore, it would be better to grow food traditionally 
as it is because GMOs can pose many risks such as your health and can 
cause contamination towards crops which can also lead to harming the 
environment. The issue of world hunger doesn’t come from the lack of 
food being produced because we excess a lot of food waste and yet we 
can still get more food if we want to. From our perspective, world 
hunger is caused by poverty and economic inequality within a 
country.People who lack a good income or aren’t financially stable 
don’t have much to be able to buy food which results them into hunger 
and in today’s world, people with high income are more favored by the 
politicians. As a solution, the government should try to change and 
improve our food/agriculture systems, make better trade agreements and 
for us to take action in supporting food sovereignty.