Why is "Only discussing negative impacts of intensive farming in evaluate questions." a common mistake in Food Production and Crop Yield?

Why it happens: Students assume intensive farming is entirely harmful. How to avoid it: Always include the key benefit: intensive farming produces more food per hectare, which reduces land needed and helps feed the growing world population. This is a valid and important point that scores marks. Source: 0680 Examiner Reports — marks specifically reserved for acknowledging yield/food security benefits.

Why is "Saying all HYVs are genetically modified (GM)." a common mistake in Food Production and Crop Yield?

Why it happens: Students conflate selective breeding with genetic modification. How to avoid it: HYVs were originally developed through selective breeding (crossing varieties) — NOT genetic modification. GM crops are a later development. Both are HYVs, but they use different techniques. Know the distinction.

Why is "Saying pesticides 'harm crops'." a common mistake in Food Production and Crop Yield?

Why it happens: Students confuse pesticide effects on pests with effects on crops. How to avoid it: Pesticides are designed to harm pests (insects, fungi, weeds), NOT the target crop. The environmental harm is to non-target organisms — pollinators like bees, natural predators, and aquatic life if pesticides leach into waterways.

LandCambridge IGCSE Environmental Management (0680)

Food Production and Crop Yield

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Food Production and Crop Yield — Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management 0680

Feeding a growing global population requires increasing food production sustainably. This subtopic covers factors affecting crop yield, methods to increase production, and the environmental consequences of intensive agriculture.

What you’ll learn

Mapped to the Cambridge IGCSE 0680 syllabus (2027-2029).

2.2a — Describe factors that affect crop yield.
2.2b — Describe methods used to increase crop yield, including the Green Revolution.
2.2c — Evaluate the environmental impacts of intensive food production methods.
2.2d — Explain the concept of food security and the challenges of achieving it.

Factors Affecting Crop Yield

Yield depends on water, nutrients, light, temperature, pests and disease.

Crop yield is the amount of useful product (e.g. grain, fruit, vegetable) harvested per unit area of land per year.

Abiotic (non-living) factors:

Factor	Effect on yield
Water availability	Drought reduces yield; waterlogging prevents root respiration
Soil nutrients (N, P, K)	Deficiency causes poor growth, low yield
Temperature	Too cold → slow growth; too hot → heat stress, reduced photosynthesis
Light intensity	Determines photosynthesis rate; shading reduces yield
Soil pH	Affects nutrient availability (optimal 6–7 for most crops)
Carbon dioxide	Higher atmospheric CO₂ can increase photosynthesis (CO₂ fertilisation effect)

Biotic (living) factors:

Factor	Effect
Pests (insects, rodents)	Consume crops, damage roots/leaves
Diseases (fungi, bacteria, viruses)	Reduce plant health and productivity
Weeds	Compete with crops for water, light, nutrients
Pollinators (bees)	Necessary for many crops to set fruit

Limiting factors: The factor in shortest supply limits yield — even if all other conditions are optimal, the one deficient factor sets the ceiling.

Example: A crop with adequate water and nutrients but growing in low light will not produce a high yield, because light is the limiting factor.

Abiotic limits: water (drought/waterlogging), nutrients (N, P, K), temperature, light, pH.
Biotic limits: pests, diseases, weeds, lack of pollinators.
The most limiting factor determines the maximum possible yield.

Methods to Increase Crop Yield

Fertilisers, pesticides, irrigation, HYVs and mechanisation are the main tools of intensive agriculture.

Fertilisers:

Inorganic (synthetic) fertilisers: Contain N, P and K in readily available forms. Quick-acting; can be tailored to crop needs; risk of leaching into waterways.
Organic fertilisers: Animal manure, compost, green manures. Slow-release; improve soil structure; less leaching risk; may contain pathogens.
Precision fertiliser application: GPS-guided machinery applies precise quantities, reducing waste and pollution.

Pesticides:

Insecticides: Kill insects that damage crops (aphids, caterpillars, beetles).
Herbicides (weedkillers): Kill weeds that compete with crops.
Fungicides: Prevent or treat fungal diseases.
Advantages: reduce losses, increase yield.
Risks: kill non-target organisms (bees, birds, soil invertebrates); residues in food; bioaccumulation in food chains; pesticide resistance.

Irrigation:

Supplying water to crops artificially — essential in arid/semi-arid regions.
Methods: flood irrigation (wasteful); drip irrigation (very efficient — delivers water to roots); sprinkler irrigation.
About 70% of global freshwater withdrawals are for agriculture.
Problems: soil salinisation (mineral salts accumulate as water evaporates); waterlogging; depleting aquifers.

High-Yielding Varieties (HYVs):

Crop varieties selectively bred or genetically modified to produce more grain/fruit per plant.
Often have shorter stems (less lodging), disease resistance, faster maturity.
Respond better to fertiliser inputs.
Require more water and fertiliser than traditional varieties.

Mechanisation:

Tractors, harvesters, planters replace human and animal labour.
Increases speed, scale and efficiency of farming.
Requires capital investment; reduces rural employment; compacts soil.

Genetically Modified (GM) crops:

Genes inserted from other organisms to confer pest resistance (Bt crops), herbicide tolerance (Roundup Ready), drought tolerance.
Bt maize/cotton: genes from Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria produce insecticide — reduces need for spraying.
Controversial: ecological concerns (gene flow to wild relatives); corporate control of seed supply; public acceptance.

The Green Revolution (1960s–1980s): A package of agricultural technologies (HYVs, synthetic fertilisers, irrigation, pesticides) introduced to Asian and Latin American countries. Results:

Wheat yields in India doubled; rice yields in Southeast Asia tripled.
Prevented famines; supported population growth.
Criticisms: benefited larger, wealthier farmers more than smallholders; increased water and fertiliser use; reduced crop diversity; environmental impacts (pesticide pollution, aquifer depletion).

Synthetic fertilisers: fast-acting NPK; risk of leaching → eutrophication.
Pesticides: increase yield; kill non-target organisms; bioaccumulate.
Drip irrigation: most efficient; flood irrigation: wasteful and salinises soil.
HYVs: higher yield but need more water/fertiliser.
Green Revolution: doubled/tripled yields in Asia — but environmental costs.
GM crops: Bt (pest resistance), Roundup Ready (herbicide tolerance) — controversial.

Environmental Impacts of Intensive Agriculture

Intensive farming increases yield but damages ecosystems, water and soil.

Eutrophication:

Excess nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilisers and animal waste washes into rivers and lakes.
Algal blooms: rapid growth of algae on the water surface.
Algae block light reaching submerged aquatic plants → they die.
Bacteria decompose dead algae and plants; their population explodes.
Bacteria use all available dissolved oxygen in aerobic respiration → oxygen depletion (hypoxia).
Fish and other aquatic animals suffocate → dead zone forms.
Example: the Gulf of Mexico dead zone — fed by fertiliser runoff from the Mississippi River Basin.

Fertiliser runoff triggers algal blooms; light loss kills aquatic plants and decomposing bacteria strip the water of oxygen — fish die and a dead zone forms.

Pesticide pollution:

Pesticides enter waterways through runoff, drift and leaching.
Kill non-target organisms: bees (neonicotinoids), aquatic insects, birds that feed on insects.
Bioaccumulation/biomagnification: Pesticides accumulate in fatty tissue and become more concentrated up the food chain. DDT example — caused eggshell thinning in birds of prey; banned in many countries.
Pesticide-resistant 'superbugs' evolve when exposed populations develop resistance.

Habitat loss:

Hedgerows, woodlands and wetlands cleared for farmland → loss of wildlife habitat and biodiversity.
UK: ~50% of hedgerows removed since 1945.
Loss of corridors between habitats fragments animal populations.

Soil degradation:

Heavy machinery → compaction.
Leaving soil bare between crops → erosion.
Excessive ploughing → loss of soil structure and organisms.
Salinisation from irrigation → soil becomes infertile.
Monocultures (single crops over large areas) → soil organism diversity decreases.

Greenhouse gas emissions:

Cattle produce methane (CH₄) from enteric fermentation — livestock contribute ~14.5% of global GHG emissions.
Synthetic fertiliser production consumes large amounts of energy (Haber process for ammonia synthesis).
Nitrous oxide (N₂O) — 265× more potent than CO₂ — released from fertilised soils.
Deforestation to create farmland releases stored carbon.

Eutrophication: fertiliser runoff → algal bloom → O₂ depletion → fish death.
Pesticide bioaccumulation: concentrates up food chains (DDT example).
Habitat loss: hedgerow removal, wetland drainage → biodiversity loss.
Soil compaction and salinisation from machinery and irrigation.
Agriculture: ~30% of global GHG emissions (CH₄ from cattle, N₂O from fertilisers).

Food Security

Food security requires not just production but equitable distribution and freedom from poverty.

Definition: Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. — UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Four pillars of food security:

Availability: Enough food is produced or can be imported.
Access: People can afford to buy (or have land to grow) food.
Utilisation: Food is nutritious, safe, and the body can use it (clean water needed for digestion).
Stability: Access is reliable over time, not disrupted by drought, conflict or economic crises.

Causes of food insecurity:

Population growth — more mouths to feed.
Poverty — people cannot afford food even when it is available.
Conflict — disrupts farming, supply chains, and access to markets.
Climate change — droughts, floods, temperature extremes reduce yields.
Water scarcity — agriculture depends on freshwater.
Soil degradation — reduces long-term productive capacity.
Food waste — ~30% of food produced globally is lost or wasted.

Food waste:

In HICs: waste mainly at consumer level (households, restaurants throwing away food).
In LICs: waste mainly post-harvest (poor storage, lack of refrigeration, transport losses).
Reducing food waste is one of the most effective ways to improve food security without increasing production.

UN SDG 2: Zero Hunger — aims to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030.

Food security: availability, access, utilisation, stability — all four pillars needed.
Causes of insecurity: poverty, conflict, climate, soil degradation, water scarcity.
30% of food produced globally is lost or wasted.
SDG 2: Zero Hunger by 2030.

Sources: Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management 0680 syllabus 2027-2029, Section 2.2; FAO The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024; 0680/12 May/Jun 2024 — Q8 (food production and eutrophication); UN SDG 2: Zero Hunger. Last reviewed 2026-05-15.

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Step-by-step worked examples — Food Production and Crop Yield

Step-by-step solutions to past-paper-style questions on food production and crop yield, written exactly the way a tutor would explain them at the board.

1Factors that limit crop yield
Core• limiting factors, crop yield
Question
Explain how FOUR different factors can limit the yield of a crop.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Water availability — crops need water for photosynthesis, nutrient transport and cell support. Insufficient rainfall or irrigation leads to wilting, stunted growth and reduced yield. In many LICs, unreliable rainfall is the primary yield constraint.
2. Step 2
  Nutrient supply — plants need macronutrients (nitrogen for leaf/stem growth, phosphorus for roots, potassium for fruit/disease resistance) and micronutrients. Nutrient-poor soils produce smaller, weaker plants with reduced yields.
3. Step 3
  Pests and disease — insects (e.g. locusts, aphids), fungi (e.g. wheat rust), bacteria and weeds compete for resources or directly consume/damage crops. A single pest outbreak can destroy an entire harvest.
4. Step 4
  Climate / temperature — crops have optimal temperature ranges for photosynthesis and growth. Frost kills seedlings; drought stress reduces yield; extreme heat denatures enzymes. Climate change is increasing the frequency of these extreme events.
Answer
Water (needed for photosynthesis and growth), nutrients (N, P, K for different plant functions), pests and disease (damage or consume crops), temperature/climate (extreme events reduce yields).
Examiner tip
Each factor needs: name + mechanism + effect on yield. Avoid listing without explanation. 'Lack of nutrients limits growth' scores 1; 'lack of nitrogen reduces leaf growth, reducing photosynthesis, reducing yield' scores more.
2Describe intensive farming methods used to increase yield
Core• intensive farming, methods
Question
Describe FOUR methods used in intensive farming to maximise crop yield.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  High-yield variety (HYV) seeds — selectively bred or genetically modified crop varieties that produce larger grains, grow faster or resist disease. HYVs (e.g. semi-dwarf wheat and rice from the Green Revolution) can double or triple yields compared to traditional varieties.
2. Step 2
  Artificial fertilisers — inorganic NPK fertilisers supply nutrients precisely and quickly. Nitrogen in particular boosts leaf and stem growth, directly increasing photosynthesis and grain yield.
3. Step 3
  Pesticides — chemicals that kill insects (insecticides), fungi (fungicides) and unwanted plants/weeds (herbicides). Removing competition and disease protects yield. Herbicides also allow monoculture planting at high density.
4. Step 4
  Irrigation — supplying water to fields via channels, sprinklers or drip systems ensures crops receive water during dry periods. Drip irrigation is most efficient, delivering water directly to roots with minimal evaporation.
Answer
HYV seeds (bred for high yield/disease resistance), artificial fertilisers (NPK for rapid plant growth), pesticides (remove pests and competition), irrigation (reliable water supply in dry conditions).
Examiner tip
The 'Green Revolution' and HYVs are specific Cambridge content — know the term and its link to South and Southeast Asia in the 1960s–70s. Mechanisation (tractors, combine harvesters) is also a named method in the syllabus.
3Evaluate the environmental impacts of intensive farming
Extended• Adapted from 0680/22 May/Jun 2023• evaluate, intensive farming, environment
Question
Evaluate the environmental impacts of intensive farming. Discuss both positive and negative effects.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Benefit — higher yields from less land: intensive farming produces far more food per hectare than extensive methods. This reduces the area of natural habitat that must be converted to farmland, potentially preserving biodiversity elsewhere.
2. Step 2
  Disadvantage — soil degradation: monocultures deplete specific nutrients; heavy machinery compacts soil; lack of crop rotation reduces organic matter. Long-term intensive use can reduce soil fertility and productivity.
3. Step 3
  Disadvantage — water pollution (eutrophication): excess fertiliser washes (leaches) into streams and rivers, causing algal blooms, oxygen depletion and death of aquatic life — the eutrophication process.
4. Step 4
  Disadvantage — loss of biodiversity: pesticides kill non-target species (pollinators, natural predators). Hedgerow removal for large fields destroys habitat for birds and mammals. Monocultures support fewer species than diverse traditional farming.
5. Step 5
  Conclusion: intensive farming is necessary to feed a growing global population but carries serious environmental costs. Sustainable intensification — combining HYVs with precision agriculture, reduced chemical use, and crop rotation — can maximise yield while minimising harm.
Answer
Positive: higher yield per hectare spares land for nature. Negatives: soil degradation, water pollution via eutrophication, biodiversity loss from pesticides and habitat removal. Best approach: sustainable intensification.
Examiner tip
Extended evaluate questions (8+ marks) in 0680 require a structured conclusion. Don't just list pros and cons — state which outweighs the other and suggest a resolution. Mention 'eutrophication' by name as it is a recurring key term.
4Evaluate the successes and failures of the Green Revolution
Extended• Adapted from 0680/12 Oct/Nov 2023• Green Revolution, HYV, food security, evaluate
Question
The Green Revolution of the 1960s–70s introduced high-yield variety (HYV) seeds, irrigation and artificial fertilisers to South and Southeast Asia. (a) Explain how the Green Revolution increased food production. (b) Evaluate the social and environmental consequences of the Green Revolution.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  How the Green Revolution increased food production: HYV seeds — particularly semi-dwarf wheat (Norman Borlaug's varieties) and rice (IR8 'miracle rice') — were bred to: (1) produce larger grain yields per plant (2–3× traditional varieties); (2) grow faster, allowing two to three harvests per year instead of one; (3) resist certain fungal diseases that previously caused large crop losses. Combined with controlled irrigation (removing dependence on unreliable monsoon rainfall) and artificial fertilisers (providing the nutrients HYVs require to achieve their potential yields), total food production across India, Pakistan, the Philippines and Mexico increased dramatically. India went from food aid recipient to food exporter within a decade.
2. Step 2
  Social consequences — successes: Prevented predicted famines — the Green Revolution is credited with averting hundreds of millions of deaths from starvation. Food prices fell as supply increased, benefiting the poor who spend the highest proportion of income on food. Employment in agriculture increased as more intensive management was needed.
3. Step 3
  Social consequences — failures: Benefits were unequally distributed. Wealthier farmers who could afford HYV seeds, fertilisers and irrigation pumps increased yields and profits. Small subsistence farmers — who could not afford the inputs — fell further behind. Many were forced off the land as wealthier neighbours expanded, increasing rural inequality and driving urban migration. Over-reliance on a few HYV strains reduced food variety and nutritional diversity in diets.
4. Step 4
  Environmental consequences — failures: (1) Groundwater depletion: deep tube wells drilled for irrigation drew down groundwater tables in many regions (e.g. Punjab, India). Water tables in some areas have fallen several metres, threatening long-term irrigation viability. (2) Soil degradation: continuous HYV monocultures without rotation depleted soil organic matter and led to compaction (see Soils topic). (3) Pesticide and fertiliser pollution: heavy chemical use caused eutrophication of waterways, pesticide resistance in insects, and bioaccumulation of chemicals in food chains. (4) Loss of crop genetic diversity: widespread adoption of a few HYV strains replaced thousands of traditional local varieties — reducing the genetic reservoir needed to breed future disease-resistant crops.
5. Step 5
  Conclusion: The Green Revolution was an unqualified success in preventing famine and increasing aggregate food production. However, its long-term environmental costs (groundwater depletion, soil degradation, biodiversity loss) and social costs (inequality, displacement of small farmers) mean it cannot be seen as a complete solution. Future approaches must prioritise genetic diversity, sustainable soil management and equitable access to technologies.
Answer
Green Revolution: HYV + irrigation + fertilisers → 2–3× yields → famine prevention, India from importer to exporter. Social successes: prevented starvation, lower food prices. Failures: inequality (wealthy farmers benefited more), rural displacement. Environmental failures: groundwater depletion, soil degradation, eutrophication, loss of crop genetic diversity. Conclusion: great short-term success but unsustainable long-term without reform.
Examiner tip
The Green Revolution is one of the most examined case studies in 0680. For full marks: name specific HYVs (IR8, semi-dwarf wheat), name specific regions (Punjab, Philippines), and distinguish social from environmental impacts. Always present both successes and failures for an evaluate question — a one-sided answer is capped at mid-range marks.
5Evaluate the use of genetically modified (GM) crops to improve food security
Extended• GM crops, food security, biotechnology, evaluate
Question
Genetically modified (GM) crops include varieties engineered to resist herbicides, produce insecticides (Bt toxin), tolerate drought, and contain additional nutrients (e.g. Golden Rice with vitamin A). (a) Explain how GM crops could contribute to food security. (b) Evaluate the environmental and social arguments against the widespread adoption of GM crops.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  How GM crops could contribute to food security: (1) Pest resistance (Bt crops): crops engineered to produce Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin kill insect pests that feed on leaves without external pesticide application. This reduces crop losses to pests and cuts the cost of insecticide purchase for farmers — a significant benefit in LICs where pests are a major yield constraint. (2) Herbicide resistance: crops resistant to broad-spectrum herbicides (e.g. Roundup Ready maize) allow farmers to eliminate weeds with a single herbicide spray, reducing competition and increasing yield. (3) Drought tolerance: drought-tolerant GM varieties can maintain yield during water-stress periods — crucial in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions facing increased drought frequency due to climate change. (4) Nutritional enhancement: Golden Rice produces beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A) in the grain. An estimated 250 million children suffer vitamin A deficiency — Golden Rice could help address this if widely adopted.
2. Step 2
  Environmental arguments against GM crops: (1) Gene flow to wild relatives: if GM crops cross-pollinate with wild plant relatives, herbicide-resistance genes could spread to weeds, creating 'superweeds' resistant to commonly used herbicides. This has occurred (e.g. GM oilseed rape hybridising with wild mustard). (2) Harm to non-target organisms: Bt toxin in crop tissues may affect non-target insects — studies have shown impacts on monarch butterflies and beneficial insects, though the extent and significance is debated. (3) Reduction of biodiversity: widespread monocultures of GM varieties, like conventional HYVs, reduce the genetic diversity of crop populations and the biodiversity of associated farmland ecosystems. (4) Unknown long-term ecological effects: GM crops have only been commercialised since the mid-1990s — long-term ecological consequences remain uncertain.
3. Step 3
  Social arguments against GM crops: (1) Corporate control: most GM crop technology is patented by large agribusinesses (e.g. Monsanto/Bayer). Farmers must purchase new seeds each season (some GM varieties are sterile) rather than saving seeds — creating economic dependence. (2) Access inequality: GM technology primarily benefits large commercial farmers in HICs; smallholders in LICs may lack access or affordability. (3) Consumer acceptance: many consumers, particularly in Europe, reject GM food on safety or ethical grounds, creating trade barriers. (4) Regulatory costs: gaining regulatory approval for GM crops requires extensive testing — a cost that favours large corporations over public research institutions developing GM crops for LICs.
Answer
GM crops improve food security via: Bt pest resistance (less crop loss), herbicide tolerance (fewer weeds), drought tolerance (climate resilience), nutritional enhancement (Golden Rice). Environmental arguments against: gene flow to weeds ('superweeds'), non-target harm (Bt + butterflies), biodiversity loss. Social arguments: corporate seed control, access inequality, consumer rejection, regulatory costs.
Examiner tip
GM crops are an Extended-level topic that tests evaluation skills. The 'superweeds' and 'corporate seed control' points are the highest-value arguments against. Always acknowledge that many arguments are contested — science is still developing on long-term ecological effects. A conclusion that recommends case-by-case evaluation based on crop type and region earns top marks.

Key Definitions and Keywords — Food Production and Crop Yield

Definitions to memorise and the exact keywords mark schemes credit for food production and crop yield answers — sharpened from recent examiner reports for the 2026 0680 sitting.

Intensive farming
Examiner keyword
A farming system that uses large inputs of capital, machinery, labour and/or agrochemicals (fertilisers, pesticides) to achieve the maximum possible yield per unit of land.
Example
Battery chicken farms, monoculture wheat fields using HYV seeds.
Extensive farming
Examiner keyword
A farming system that uses relatively low inputs per unit of land, typically over large areas. Yields per hectare are lower but costs and environmental impacts can also be lower.
Example
Pastoral sheep farming in upland areas; subsistence farming in LICs.
High-yield variety (HYV)
Examiner keyword
Crop varieties developed through selective breeding or genetic engineering to produce higher grain yields, grow faster, resist pests/disease, or tolerate drought — the foundation of the Green Revolution.
Related: Green Revolution, intensive farming, genetic modification
Green Revolution
A period of rapid agricultural development in the 1960s–70s that introduced HYV seeds, irrigation and artificial fertilisers to developing countries (especially South and Southeast Asia), dramatically increasing food production.
Related: HYV, intensive farming, food security
Monoculture
The practice of growing a single crop species over a large area. It maximises efficiency and mechanisation but depletes specific soil nutrients, increases vulnerability to pests and disease, and reduces biodiversity.
Related: intensive farming, soil degradation, biodiversity
Food security
Examiner keyword
The condition in which all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions — Food Production and Crop Yield

The traps other students keep falling into on food production and crop yield questions — taken from recent Cambridge IGCSE 0680 examiner reports and mark schemes — and how to avoid them.

✕Only discussing negative impacts of intensive farming in evaluate questions.
0680 Examiner Reports — marks specifically reserved for acknowledging yield/food security benefits.
Why it happens
Students assume intensive farming is entirely harmful.
How to avoid it
Always include the key benefit: intensive farming produces more food per hectare, which reduces land needed and helps feed the growing world population. This is a valid and important point that scores marks.
✕Saying all HYVs are genetically modified (GM).
Why it happens
Students conflate selective breeding with genetic modification.
How to avoid it
HYVs were originally developed through selective breeding (crossing varieties) — NOT genetic modification. GM crops are a later development. Both are HYVs, but they use different techniques. Know the distinction.
✕Saying pesticides 'harm crops'.
Why it happens
Students confuse pesticide effects on pests with effects on crops.
How to avoid it
Pesticides are designed to harm pests (insects, fungi, weeds), NOT the target crop. The environmental harm is to non-target organisms — pollinators like bees, natural predators, and aquatic life if pesticides leach into waterways.

Past paper style quiz

Get a report showing which sub-topics you've nailed and which ones still need work.

Food Production and Crop Yield

Detailed Notes

What you’ll learn

1Factors that limit crop yield

2Describe intensive farming methods used to increase yield

3Evaluate the environmental impacts of intensive farming

4Evaluate the successes and failures of the Green Revolution

5Evaluate the use of genetically modified (GM) crops to improve food security

Intensive farming

Extensive farming

High-yield variety (HYV)

Green Revolution

Monoculture

Food security

✕Only discussing negative impacts of intensive farming in evaluate questions.

✕Saying all HYVs are genetically modified (GM).

✕Saying pesticides 'harm crops'.

Past paper style quiz