(i) Define the term food miles.

(ii) State the fruit or vegetable that ranks sixth in terms of the highest number of food miles.

(iii) Estimate the average (mean) food miles for the fruit and vegetables shown in the graph above.

Suggest one advantage and two disadvantages of using food miles as an indicator of the environmental impacts associated with food production.

To what extent are food availability, malnutrition and diseases of poverty connected with one another?

(i) Food miles are a measure of the distance that food travels from its source (farm) to the consumer [1], either in units of actual distance or energy consumed during transport [1].

[2 marks]

(ii) garlic [1]

[1 mark]

(iii) 1500 miles (accept 1400–1600 inclusive) [1]

[1 mark]

Award [1] for each advantage/disadvantage and [1] for further development.

Advantages include:

• they are relatively easy to quantify [1], and therefore simple to state and explain [1]
• they provide an indication of the carbon footprint [1] from farm gate to retail location [1]
• they give consumers information about the origin of the food they consume [1] and the likely form of transportation used [1].

Disadvantages include:

• they do not take account of the carbon footprint of the food production methods used [1], or of the energy/water requirements [1] of different kinds of farming systems
• they do not give any indication of the farming system employed [1] , organic/free-range [1]
• they do not give a reliable indication of other environmental aspects [1], such as sustainability, the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides [1].

[6 marks]

There is a range of possible different approaches.

None of the three concepts is restricted to economically less wealthy countries.

In general, diseases of poverty and some forms of malnutrition (including under-nutrition) tend to overlap in distribution with areas where food may not always be readily available.

Malnutrition includes both under and over-nutrition and is therefore also found in many areas where diseases of poverty are absent and food is available.

Individuals suffering from under-nutrition, which may be due to poor food availability, may have weakened immune systems and less resistance to catching and suffering from diseases of poverty, such as malaria, tuberculosis and intestinal parasites. Equally, subsistence farmers and others suffering from diseases of poverty may be unable to work as productively as necessary to produce the food they need, thereby causing a lack of food availability and subsequent malnutrition.

Good answers may recognise the links between food availability, malnutrition and diseases of poverty, and provide a structured examination of these links. Diseases of poverty and some forms of malnutrition tend to overlap in distribution with areas where food may not be always readily available. There may be recognition that these areas may be in less economically wealthy countries, or in poorer sectors of the population within more wealthy countries. Another approach might be to challenge the links between food availability and the other concepts.

At band D, expect a description of two links/connections between the concepts/problems.

At band E, expect either a more detailed explanation of some simple linkages or a more thoughtful examination of more complicated connections/interrelations.

At band F, expect both.

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.

[10 marks]