Peka Folio
Name : Tan Lay Yin
Class : 4C
Title : The ways to improve the quality and quantity of food production.
Aim : To study the ways to improve the quality and quantity of food production
Problem Statement : What are the ways to improve the quality and quantity of food production?
Materials : Paper, pens, newspapers, ink
Apparatus : Computer, Printer
Technique used : 1. A group of four students carried out a discussion while gathering information on the ways to improve the quality and quantity of food production.
2. Get in groups again to discuss the main points.
Procedure :
1. A group of 4 people is formed. Pens and papers are prepared.
2. A discussion on the ways to improve the quality and quantity of food production is carried out. Information is gathered.
3. Internet connection is used to search up information on the ways to improve the quality and quantity of food production.
4. Another discussion is carried out to gather main points.
5. Elaboration is added and information is recorded, typed out and printed.
Presentation of data :
Many ways have been carried out by the Agriculture Ministry of Malaysia to develop a higher quality and quantity of food products in our country. Many methods have been used as the population of Malaysian citizens grows.
1. Biological control is used in many agricultural industries to produce food products of a higher quality and quantity. Biological control is the control of pests by biological means. A natural enemy of the pest is used such as a predator or a parasite to kill the pests. For example, in Malaysia, owls and snakes have been used to control the rat population in oil palm plantations. This method of pest control is highly beneficial as it avoids the usage of chemical control such as pesticides, thus improving the quality of the food as it does not contain harmful substances. As pests decreases, quantity increases. An example of biological control being used is how oil palm plantations rare owls, eagles and snakes to decrease the population of rats which will harm the plantation. Therefore the quantity of a better quality oil palm increases as harmful pesticides were not used. Malaysian Oil Palm Council (Renamed Malaysian Palm Oil Board in2000) finds more pros than cons in this technique.
2. Genetic engineering is a very efficient way to improve quality and quantity of food to meet the needs of an increasing world population. The genetic composition of the organism is altered hence resulting in a change of the characteristics of the organism. This technique enables the transfer of beneficial genes from one organism to another. Genes from plants can be inserted into the DNA of animal cells and vice versa. The transgenic organism will have an improved quality and a higher productivity rate. A good example is the Honey Sweet plums. Honey Sweet plums are genetically engineered to resist the plum pox virus are slated to become deregulated by USDA-APHIS after which growers will be allowed to cross breed the plums with other varieties. Hence it is proven that genetic engineering not only improves the quantity of a food product but also the quality of it.
3. Direct seeding is carried out by sowing the seeds directly into the soil. This method can be carried out using special machines. Direct seeding avoids the need to transplant seedlings therefore the plants achieve faster growth and this increases the yield. Less water is also needed to irrigate the fields. This technique is widely used in the planting of paddy to obtain higher yield of rice to meet the demands from the growing population of the world. Malaysia has many commercialized paddy plantations such as in Alor Setar, Tanjung Karang(Selangor) and Kedah. If direct seeding is used in every plantation, the quantity and quality of Malaysian paddy rice will definitely improve a mile.
4. Tissue culture involves the regeneration of plants from cells or tissues of a parent plant. Tissue culture of plant tissues enables commercial propagation of clones which have all the beneficial characteristics of the parent plant. A few examples of plants in Malaysia using this method are papayas, pineapples, bananas and starfruits. Established in 1910, CABI is a not for profit organization, owned by over 40 Member Countries. Through partnership with these countries and their international network of people, they address local needs worldwide. Their activities encompass scientific publishing, research and communication, and their aim is to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and its application to real life. Vegetative propagation of oil palms has been achieved using tissue culture methods by CABI, and several hundred plants are now established in a polybag nursery in Malaysia.
In 2020, the world population will most likely reach 7.6 billion, an increase of 31% over the mid-1996 population of 5.8 billion. Approximately 98% of the projected population growth over this period will take place in developing countries. It has also been estimated that between the years 1995 and 2020 the developing world's urban population will double, reaching 3.4 billion. This overall increase in population and in the urban population in particular, poses great challenges to food systems. Intensification of agriculture and animal husbandry; improved quality and quantity of food products; introduction of newer technologies including appropriate application of biotechnology will all have to be exploited to increase food availability to meet the needs of growing populations. Some of these practices and technologies may also pose potential problems of food safety and nutritional quality and call for special attention in order to ensure consumer protection.
To sum it all, a rapid increase in Malaysia’s population gives rise to a greater demand on food supply. Thus, there is a need to improve the quality and quantity of food production to meet the demands of the ever-growing population. Therefore the need to improve the quality and quantity of food is crucial. There are many ways to improve the quality and quantity of food products. Methods include biological control, genetic engineering, direct seeding and tissue culture.
Layin
Over and out.
RSS Feed (xml)
