Feedback Loops and Systems Thinking- Food Security-1
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Dec 6, 2023
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Feedback Loops and Systems Thinking: The Wicked Problem of Global Food Security
1.
Reading: The Wicked Problem of Global Food Security
There are many problems facing humankind that are both global in scope and have the potential
to rapidly escalate into severe situations with life-threatening consequences. These problems
have been termed
wicked problems
because they have, “cause and effect relationships that are
difficult or impossible to define, cannot be framed and solved without creating controversies
among stakeholders and require collective action among societal groups with strongly held
conflicting beliefs and values,” (Dentoni et al.
2012:1).
Due to the size, scale and complex
interconnections of wicked problems, they are difficult if not impossible to completely solve.
One of these wicked problems is global food security.
According to the UN,
food security exists
when all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and
nutritious food (UN 2010).
Food insecurity is linked to a myriad of socioeconomic problems,
including poverty, social inequality, poor health resources, poor working conditions and
inadequate education. These in turn, result in a lack of access to the resources needed to
produce or purchase food.
In addition to socioeconomic factors, environmental degradation,
loss of biodiversity, and unsustainable land use practices contribute significantly to the problem
of global food security.
Global food security shares several characteristics with other wicked problems. The problem
involves a large number of people and resolving the problem would come at an enormous
economic investment.
Because the problem has to be addressed at many spatial and temporal
scales, a single overarching solution is not viable. While there are different opinions about how
specific aspects of the problem could be mitigated, our understanding of both the problem and
potential solutions are incomplete.
Because wicked problems involve interconnected cultural,
socio-economic and political systems, attempts to mitigate or solve a problem in one part of the
system can propagate unexpected or unwanted change in the other parts.
Wicked problems cannot be fully solved, but they can be addressed, managed and mitigated.
Addressing a complex problem like global food security requires using systems thinking and
applying an interdisciplinary approach that identifies and addresses phenomena taking place in
a variety of action arenas: sociology, economics, political systems, technology and science, to
name a few.
This module provides you with an introduction to tools you can use to developing
conceptual frameworks for solving wicked problems.
References
Dentoni, D., Hospes, O., and Ross, R. 2012 Managing Wicked Problems in Agribusiness: The
Role of Multi-Stakeholder Engagements in Value Creation. Special Issue, International Food
and Agribusiness Management Review, 15(B): 1-165.
UN High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis 2010
Updated Comprehensive
Framework for Action.
http://un-foodsecurity.org/sites/default/files/UCFA_English.pdf
2.
Go through the Earth System Tutorial (Powerpoint file) and complete the following
(you may annotate all in Word, you may print and fill out and scan; but it must be
legible!):
a.
Slide 13: These terms are important to understand. Think about each of these and
give an example in the Earth system based on what you have learned so far in the
class.
These should be different examples than the ones given in the powerpoint.
Reservoir-
Coal or fossil fuels are reservoirs for carbon.
Fluxes-
Flow of water in a river.
Cycles-
Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycle (nutrient cycles)
Positive Feedback Loop-
Exponential population growth.
Negative Feedback Loop-
Increase in temperature increases the amount of
cloud cover.
Residence time-
Amount of water in a reservoir.
b.
Slide 17: What does Steve Esterbrook say about social systems and Earth systems?
a.
Steve Esterbrook says that ESMs, or Earth System Models capture “some of
the most complex systems interactions ever described in a computational
model- on a planetary scale.” ESMs explore how processes at a microscopic
scale are the catalyst to “emergent properties” on a global scale. By
connecting social systems and Earth systems, Esterbrook says that they’re
used to probe questions of stability of the system, being our Earth as a
whole.
c.
Slide 19. Label this photo and turn it into a system diagram
Identify the following parts of the Earth system: Biosphere, lithosphere,
atmosphere, hydrosphere
Identify 3 carbon reservoirs shown in this photo (see slide 16 for hints)
With arrows, show one example of how the cattle impact the atmosphere,
biosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere.
d.
Slides 22-23: Fill in the blanks: energy
circulates
and matter
circulates
.
Give an
example of how matter moves in a soil profile.
a.
In a soil profile, when a soil is near saturation, the large pores are filled and
water moves rapidly through them.
Carbon Reservoir
Livestock
produce CH4
Carbon
Reservoir
Carbon
Reservoir
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Lithosphere
Biosphere
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e.
Slide 42: Revisit the system from question c:
Label the Earth system spheres. Use arrows to identify 3 feedbacks between the
spheres.
Identify a change or event that could take place within the Earth system at the
location in the photograph (examples: fire, increased population, climate change,
sea level rise, hurricane, etc.).
Using arrows, identify how this event would propagate change in the components
of the Earth’s system: atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere,
In one sentence, indicate how this event could impact food production, distribution,
or access.
This event would impact food production
negatively, by destroying the food source
for the cattle, and making the ground
infertile.
Depletes
organic topsoil
Biosphere
Lithosphere
Atmosphere
Release C into
hydrosphere
Release CO2 into atmosphere
Burn
biosphere
CHANGE:
Fire