Technological solutions: irrigation, GM crops, farming systems: Practice Questions

Which of the following is a primary advantage of using a sprinkler irrigation system over traditional flood irrigation in certain agricultural landscapes?

Beyond direct health and economic impacts, what is a significant ecological concern regarding the widespread and prolonged use of herbicide-tolerant genetically modified (GM) crops?

The adoption of precision agriculture, which integrates technologies like GPS, sensors, and data analytics into farming, is often hindered in developing countries primarily due to:

Which of the following is a common reason for developing genetically modified (GM) crops?

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA), such as vertical farms or greenhouses, represents a technological solution to farming constraints. Which of the following climate-related challenges is CEA primarily designed to overcome?

Identify one way irrigation can help prevent crop failure in regions with high seasonal rainfall variability.

Explain how the widespread adoption of monoculture farming systems, often associated with genetically modified (GM) crops, can lead to a reduction in agricultural biodiversity.

Analyse how the introduction of high-intensity farming systems, while increasing food production, can inadvertently exacerbate social inequalities and potential conflict in regions with existing governance weaknesses.

Modern farming systems rely on various technological solutions to increase food output and ensure reliability.

(a) Identify two physical constraints related to climate or soil that irrigation is specifically designed to overcome. (2 points)

(b) Distinguish between an intensive farming system and an extensive farming system in terms of capital input and labor intensity. (2 points)

Technological solutions are often proposed to address food security challenges.

(a) Identify and briefly explain two potential benefits of adopting Genetically Modified (GM) crops in terms of increasing food production and food security.
(b) Explain one significant environmental concern associated with the widespread practice of monoculture farming systems that often accompany the large-scale cultivation of GM crops.