Food
Food is any substance whether it is liquid or solid, that is eaten to provide us with energy and nourishment
Why we need it?
Food is necessary for human health and life. Food is essential as it helps us grow, remain active and keeps us healthy. When we do not have access to food this is known as ‘food deprivation’. This can lead to malnutrition and ultimately starvation as is the case in many countries in the world through famine and poverty.
Where does food come from?
Food and its production is a crucial element of the rural economy in Northern Ireland.
Food is obtained by the following means: farming, fishing and processing.
Farming is an efficient method of growing or raising the food we want to eat. Farming can be arable ie ploughing the land and growing crops such as wheat or corn; or pastoral which is raising animals on the land for their meat, milk or eggs.
Fishing was traditionally an important source of food particularly for people living near rivers, lakes and coastal regions. Throughout the years consumption of fish has increased and fishermen who want to stay in business need to catch fish on a large scale to meet costs. This is what is known as industrial fishing. Over-fishing occurs when too many fish are removed from our rivers, lakes and oceans. Over-fishing has occurred in many cases and fish stocks have diminished leading the Governments of various countries no other choice but to set limits as to what can be caught and adopt management measures to control the industry. Over fishing can cause problems with ecosystems within certain areas, if all the fish are removed then other animals will suffer. With their food source gone they will either starve or be forced to relocate to a different place.
Processing is the set of methods and techniques used to transform raw ingredients into food for consumption by humans or animals. Processing occurs in nearly all foods or ingredients that we eat.
The global impact of food
Food is traded and marketed globally. This has meant that the variety and availability of food has greatly increased. The consumer therefore benefits from increased choice.
It used to be common practice to eat according to what food produce was in season, but due to improved global transportation and food production techniques, many ‘out of season’ foods are available all year round eg strawberries.
This has led to increased concerns over ‘food miles’. This is the distance that food travels from producer to consumer. With increased food production and transport, there are growing concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and the associated effects on the planet.
What is sustainable food?
This is food that is produced, processed and traded in ways which:
- Provide social benefits
- Contribute to local communities or economies
- Protect and not harm plants and wildlife in the surrounding countryside.
As a consumer, making sustainable food choices means buying locally sourced produce that is in season. This produce should be from farms/producers that have very minimal impact on the environment, are humane to animals, provide fair wages to farmers, are ethical and benefit people.