Feeding the human race

B6.2 Feeding the human race

Summary The human population is increasing rapidly and with this comes a need for more food. Biologists are seeking to tackle this increased demand, which will lead to an improvement in the lives of many people around the world. However, there are many things to consider in achieving this aim, not least the impact on ecosystems. There is much debate surrounding the use of gene technology as a potential solution to the problem of food security. Underlying knowledge and understanding Learners should be familiar with the content of a healthy human diet and the consequences of imbalances in a healthy daily diet. Their knowledge and understanding from topics 1, 4 and 5 will also be drawn together in this topic.

This includes the organisation of DNA, what plants require enabling them to photosynthesise, interactions between species and the idea of variability within species and subsequent selection of characteristics. Common misconceptions Learners can often think that genetic engineering leads to the increased use of pesticides.