Proficiency B - Day 20, Unit 10

An Informal Conversation About food Production It's the 21st century.It's a time in history in which technology and society have come forward many steps into a better future for everyone. But while we can find advanced technology at the tip of our fingers, and we have done incredible things like growing food without land (vertical farms) and modify our food's genetic code, we still live in a complicated reality. Food becomes more and more expensive for the ones who can pay it, and as many people cannot afford to eat, millions go hungry at a life-threatening level.According to The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), around 10.7% of the people around the world suffered from chronic undernourishment in 2016. That it's actually a huge number: it's around 815 million people.The reasons behind this are actually very complicated. In this informal conversation, two people are going to talk about one side of the problem: how land for crops is distributed and what those crops are used for. Before you listen Take a look at the picture (taken from p. 196), read the description below, and answer the questions. 1) The line graph shows the change over time. This graph describes how much grain production has evolved through decades since 1962. The starting year, 1962, was at low point, but then it rose steadily in the next few years. Then it declined, and on 2002 there was a low point again. Experts predict that 2050 will see the lowest production.2) The pie chart represents the world's land area that regularly produced food in 2003. A percentage of that area was declining in output.3) The line graph shows the change in hectares of land that grow grains around the world. In the 1960s, it was around 2.9%, and it declines throughout the years. According to the previous graphs and interpretations:- the annual rate of the world grain output (or production) will decline 630 points in 2050,- the wold's land was output declining in 2003 by a 24%, and- around 0.8% of the hectares of land will be dedicated to growing grains in the 2040s. Vocabulary - Meaning from contextRead and focus on the words in blue to complete the next activities. Use the correct form of the words in blue from the previous step to complete the text below. output coincided presume the norm apparent inclination scenarios policy scope primarily While you listen Listen to the conversation and take notes. Complete the following notes. Problem: Rise in food prices over the past 5 to 10 years quicker than the norm. Most available land is already being farmed.Reasons for problem: -Developed countries have more money to spend and eat more meat and dairy. -Feeding farm animals requires a lot of grain. -Supply and demand: if only a little food, but many want it, the price goes up. -Some government policies restrict grain exports. -Some experts predict that areas of planet will become desert.Solutions to problem: increase amount of food grown on land. -Increase output with better water management and fertilizer management, using GM crops. Listen again and choose the best answer to each question. Write only the letter that represents the answer (a, b, c) c b c a What is the every day situation that sparked a conversation about food between these two people? In other words, how do these people have interacted with the problem in their lives? After you listen Answer to the following questions. Which of the possible solutions to global food crisis that you have learned about in this unit would be the most effective to fight world hunger? Why would this option be the best one? Some scientists are predicting what they call a "perpetual food crisis" for the world. What do you think this means?