Unit 3: Case Studies

Theories

Believed finite optimum population size in relation to food supply (resources)
Any increase in population beyond carrying capacity will lead to decline (positive checks)
Positive and preventive checks are the two main ways to curb the population once the carrying capacity has been reached
- Preventive: abstinence, delay marriage – these would reduce the fertility rate
- Positive: lack of food, disease, war
Optimum population exists related to resources and level of technology

People have resources and technology ro increase food production; when the need arises, someone will find a solution
Population growth has enabled agricultural development to occur

neo-Malthusian model based on 5 factors:
- Population
- Agricultural production
- Natural resources
- Industrial production
- Pollution
There is a very short period of time to take a corrective action as population growth is exponential
[more points coming soon page 506]

Vietnam has transitioned from one of the world’s poorest countries into a middle-income country
In 1990, economic growth averaged 6% per year

Vietnamese government used a series of 5-year development plans to guide its development
Invested in education: spent 6.3% of the GDP, 2% more than most LICs and MICs
Vietnam is a member of the Trans-Pacific Partnerships (TPP), a 12-country trade including USA and Japan (USA only joined so that it can get the resources and benefits from LICs after providing job security)

South Asia faces the challenge of providing enough water to grow enough food for the growing population
The Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) ecosystem is vital for the promotion of food, water, and energy security downstream
Issues and challenges in food, water, energy sector are interrelated and must be managed together
There is high degree of dependency of downstream communities on upstream ecosystem services such as water for irrigation, HEP, and drinking water

Himalayan ecosystem services
Provisioning	Regulating	Supporting	Cultural
Food, fodder, fuel Freshwater Mineral Raw materials Pollination Genetic resources	Climate regulation Water regulation Biological control Disturbance regulation Regulating precipitation, monsoon	Recharging groundwater Soil formation Erosion control Water retention Nutrient cycling, movement	Traditional knowledge practices of conservation Recreation agro-biodiversity

[need to complete; can someone help in explaining?]

Climate change leads to impacts on maize prediction in South Africa
10% reduction in rainfall is likely to lead to a 4% reduction in maize yields, whereas an increase in rainfall is likely to cause an increase in maize yields
Increased temperatures would lead to decrease in potato production, and farmers have taken measures to adapt to these changes

Diversification of crops
Substitution of crops (rotations): so no fallow periods
Greater use of shade crops such as rocket, beetroot, broccoli
Changing from flood to sprinkler irrigation to save water: to save water; this has been the most favored adoption, was water is the main limiting factor for agriculture in South Africa

Impacts of climate change	Direct consequences
Impacts on crop productivity	Increase in temperature, changes in timing, amount, frequency of rainfall Crop production becoming marginal in dry areas Uncertainty on declines in sustainability
Impacts on food production	Yields potentially increase for rice and groundnuts Sugar cane likely to be the most resilient to climate change Barley: yield reductions of 20–50% predicted for warmer regions Sorghum likely to benefit warmer temperatures and higher atmospheric CO2 Certain soil types (vertisols, xerodold) are less productive and therefore affect crops negatives in climate change, while others (acrisols, arensols) have positive impact on corps and control adverse effects
Impacts on food quality	Rising min temperatures are a problem for the fruit industry (apple farming on apple farming in fruit quality) Also leads to reduced fruit quality though sunburn and heat stress Heatwaves leads to smaller fruit sizes
Impacts on livestock	Greater water required due to heat stress If climate change exacerbates water shortage in desert or arid zones, livestock farming will be affected

People in developing countries make a living collecting, sorting, recycling, and selling materials recovered from waste dumps
1% of global urban population earn a living from waste collection and recycling
They tend to have low social status, face public scorn, harassment, and violence
They are vulnerable to exploitation by middlemen who buy their recovered material
In Colombia, India, Mexico, waste pickers can receive as little as 5 the price that industry pays for the recyclables, rest going to middlemen

Tend to live in deplorable conditions, leaking water and sanitation, other basic infrastructure
Vulnerable to health and safety risks including exposure to dangerous waste, illness, and diseases
Low life expectancy