Key Idea: Most marks in topic 5.2 come from farming systems and farmers' choices, then soil conservation and sustainable food supply. At HL, also learn regenerative and high-tech farming and the global food system.
1. Farming systems (most marks)
- Intensive farming uses many inputs per hectare; extensive uses more land and fewer inputs.
- Commercial farms sell their produce; subsistence farms feed the family.
- Choices depend on soil, climate, culture and money.
2. Soil conservation
- Cover crops and mulch protect bare soil from rain and wind.
- Terraces and contour ploughing slow water on slopes.
- Windbreaks, no-till and crop rotation keep soil in place and fertile.
3. Food supply and HL ideas
- Eating lower in the food chain needs far less land: plants feed more people per hectare than meat.
- Cutting waste, plant-based foods and better nitrogen use make food supply more sustainable.
- At HL: regenerative farming, high-tech farming, how sustainable diets are, and the global food system.
How it is examined:
| Question | How to score |
|---|---|
| [1] to [2] Identify an input or output of a farm system | Name it and say what it does. |
| [2] to [4] Outline soil conservation methods | Name the method and how it stops erosion. |
| [3] to [4] Explain why diets differ in their footprint | Trophic levels, land and emissions per kg. |
| [7] Compare two named food production systems | Inputs, outputs, impacts, both named. |
| [9] Discuss strategies for a sustainable food supply | Several strategies, named examples, a judgement. |
Key terms, one line each:
| Term | In one line |
|---|---|
| Intensive farming | high inputs and high yields on a small area |
| Extensive farming | low inputs over a large area |
| Subsistence farming | growing food mainly to feed the family |
| Food security | everyone can get enough safe, nutritious food |
| Crop rotation | growing different crops in turn to keep soil fertile |
| Regenerative farming | farming that rebuilds soil health and biodiversity |
| Food miles | the distance food travels from farm to plate |
Last-minute check: answer, then tap to see.
Name one regenerative technique. Cover crops, no-till or rotational grazing.
One limit of vertical farming? High energy use for light and climate control.
Why can local food still have a big footprint? How it is produced often matters more than food miles.
Why is there hunger when there is enough food? Food is unevenly distributed and some cannot afford it.
Some farmers are switching to regenerative methods such as cover crops, no-till and rotational grazing. Discuss whether regenerative farming can feed the world.
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Exam tips
- For a farm system, name its inputs and outputs.
- For soil conservation, say what each method stops: wind, water or nutrient loss.
- In a [9], give several strategies with named examples, then a judgement.
- For regenerative or high-tech farming, give both benefits and limits.