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The Conversation: agriculture

Text The Conversation: agriculture

TLF ID M017619

This resource consists of a multitude of news articles and analytical pieces under the topic of agriculture. Eight articles address the many challenges of world food security, five explore the impact of predicted water and phosphorus shortages on crop yields and one article analyses the broader impact of organic farming systems on environmental health. These articles are typically two pages in length and provide background and context before developing a key point.

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Direct alignments

Geography / Year 9 / Geographical Knowledge and Understanding
Curriculum content descriptions

Environmental, economic and technological factors that influence crop yields in Australia and across the world (ACHGK062)

Elaborations
  • describing how environmental factors (for example, climate, soil, landform and water), can support higher crop yields and investigating the environmental constraints on agricultural production in Australia (for example, soil moisture, water resources and soils)
  • investigating how high crop yields (for example, from wheat, rice and maize) around the world are related to factors such as irrigation, accessibility, labour supply, landforms and agricultural technologies (for example, high-yielding varieties)
  • evaluating the ways that agricultural innovations have changed some of the environmental limitations on and impacts of food production in Australia
General capabilities
  • Numeracy Numeracy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms
  • Crop yields
View on Australian Curriculum website
Geography 7-10 / Year 9 / Knowledge and understanding
Curriculum content descriptions

the environmental, economic and technological factors that impact agricultural productivity, in Australia and a country in Asia (AC9HG9K03)

Elaborations
  • examining how environmental factors, such as climate, soil, landform, water and hazards, support higher agricultural production, such as wheat, rice and maize, in Australia and a country in Asia
  • examining how economic factors such as available land, labour, finance and enterprise, and technological factors such as biotechnology and use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software, affect agricultural production in Australia and a country in Asia; for example, increased labour supply or access to storage, transportation and markets
  • examining how agricultural innovations have reduced environmental limitations on food production in Australia and a country in Asia; for example, increased food production due to research into and development of high-yielding and genetically engineered pest resistant varieties, construction of drip irrigation systems, and the use of stubble mulching, intercropping, agroforestry and crop rotation
  • explaining the impact of the interconnections between environmental, economic and technological factors on the yield of a particular crop, such as wheat, rice or maize, in Australia
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
ScOT terms
  • Environmental influences
  • Crop yields
  • Asia
  • Food technology
  • Australia
View on Australian Curriculum website
Geography / Year 9 / Geographical Knowledge and Understanding
Curriculum content descriptions

The capacity of the world’s environments to sustainably feed the projected future global population (ACHGK064)

Elaborations
  • examining the effects of anticipated future population growth on global food production and security, and its implications for agriculture and agricultural innovation
  • researching the potential of agricultural production in northern Australia
  • identifying how poverty, food wastage, government policies or trade barriers could affect future food security
  • applying understanding of the functioning of natural and agricultural ecosystems to investigate ways of making Australian agriculture more sustainable
General capabilities
  • Numeracy Numeracy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
ScOT terms
  • Sustainable development
  • Food availability
View on Australian Curriculum website
Geography 7-10 / Year 9 / Knowledge and understanding
Curriculum content descriptions

challenges to sustainable food production and food security in Australia and appropriate management strategies (AC9HG9K04)

Elaborations
  • examining environmental impacts of changes to food production causing a decline in the capacity of the land to provide agricultural products; for example, land and water degradation such as soil erosion, salinity and desertification, shortage of fresh water, competing land uses, climate change and pollution contribute to a decrease in food production
  • examining economic and social impacts of changes to food production; for example, competing land uses such as urban and industrial uses, and recreation activities
  • examining the impacts of modifications to biomes on the productivity and availability of staple resources for First Nations Australians; for example, reduced access to bush food such as myrrnong (yam daisy) in Victoria or cycads, bunya nuts and wongi plums in northern Australia
  • examining management strategies that improve food security; for example, efforts to reduce food wastage, government policies or trade barriers
  • explaining management strategies that restore the quality or diversity of agriculture in Australia; for example, improving the function of natural biomes and anthropogenic biomes, monitoring land management practices, improving the condition of the soil or building the capability of farmers
  • generating ideas for a strategy to expand agricultural production in Australia; for example, market bush food such as herbs and wattle seed, invest in research, support farm innovations or develop the expertise of farmers
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
ScOT terms
  • Sustainable development
  • Environmental management
  • Climate change
  • Soil degradation
  • Food availability
  • Water resources
View on Australian Curriculum website
Design and technologies / Year 7 and 8 / Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding
Curriculum content descriptions

Analyse how food and fibre are produced when designing managed environments and how these can become more sustainable (ACTDEK032)

Elaborations
  • comparing land and water management methods in contemporary Australian food and fibre production with traditional Aboriginal systems and countries of Asia, for example minimum-tillage cropping, water-efficient irrigation
  • investigating the management of plant and animal growth through natural means and with the use of chemical products like herbicides and medicines when producing food and fibre products
  • recognising the need to increase food production using cost efficient, ethical and sustainable production techniques
  • describing physical and chemical characteristics of soil and their effects on plant growth when producing food and fibre products
  • investigating different animal feeding strategies such as grazing and supplementary feeding, and their effects on product quality, for example meat tenderness, wool fibre diameter (micron), milk fat and protein content when producing food and fibre products
  • recognising the importance of food and fibre production to Australia’s food security and economy including exports and imports to and from Asia when critiquing and exploring food and fibre production
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
ScOT terms
  • Farming systems
  • Human settlements
  • Food miles
  • Fibres (Materials)
  • Farms
View on Australian Curriculum website
Design and Technologies / Year 7 and 8 / Knowledge and understanding
Curriculum content descriptions

analyse how food and fibre are produced in managed environments and how these can become sustainable (AC9TDE8K04)

Elaborations
  • analysing traditional First Nations Australians’ food and fibre sources for potential species that offer benefits in sustainability, such as conserving water use and resources needed for processing
  • comparing land and water management methods in contemporary Australian food and fibre production with a country in Asia, for example comparing the use of robotics, drones, global positioning system (GPS) technologies, minimum-tillage cropping, water-efficient irrigation and smart farm monitoring and controlling systems for increasing efficiency of farm operations and crop protection, and the impact of cash crops versus staples on social sustainability
  • investigating how animal and plant crops are grown and the ethical and sustainable techniques used to increase food production, for example comparing the use of herbicides or medicines when producing food and fibre products and recognising the need to increase food production using cost-efficient, ethical and sustainable production techniques
  • outlining physical and chemical characteristics of soil and their effects on plant growth when producing food and fibre products, for example comparing the effect on soil characteristics of different farming practices
  • investigating different animal nutrition strategies such as grazing and supplementary feeding, and their effects on quality when producing food and fibre products, for example meat tenderness, wool-fibre diameter (micron), milk fat and protein content
  • recognising the importance of food and fibre production to Australia’s food security and economy, including exports and imports to and from countries across Asia, for example exports of Tasmanian Candy Abalone (wild-caught dried abalone)
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
ScOT terms
  • Food miles
  • Fibres (Materials)
  • Human settlements
  • Farming systems
  • Farms
View on Australian Curriculum website

Indirect alignments

Economics and business / Year 8 / Economics and Business Skills
Curriculum content descriptions

Develop questions about an economic or business issue or event, and plan and conduct an investigation or project (ACHES032)

Elaborations
  • developing targeted questions to form the basis of an investigation of an economic or business issue or event (for example, ‘How are the prices of products determined through the interaction of participants in the market?’, How should a business respond to an opportunity in the Australian market?, How are consumers rights and responsibilities protected when they make purchasing decisions?)
  • devising the steps needed for an investigation and modifying as required
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms
  • Research questions
  • Business and enterprise
View on Australian Curriculum website
Economics and business / Year 9 / Economics and Business Skills
Curriculum content descriptions

Present reasoned arguments and evidence-based conclusions in a range of appropriate formats using economics and business conventions, language and concepts (ACHES048)

Elaborations
  • representing data in different forms such as charts, tables and graphs, maps or models to communicate findings
  • developing texts for different audiences such as peers, businesses, the public, and for different purposes (for example, to persuade or inform)
  • using economics and business terms and concepts such as interdependence, trade, comparative advantage, globalisation, supply chain, insurance, savings buffer, intrapreneur, competitive advantage, costs, benefits
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms
  • Data representation
  • Business and enterprise
View on Australian Curriculum website
Economics and business / Year 7 / Economics and Business Skills
Curriculum content descriptions

Develop questions about an economic or business issue or event, and plan and conduct an investigation or project (ACHES021)

Elaborations
  • developing questions to form the basis of an economic or business investigation (for example, ‘Why do people work?’, ‘Why is it important to plan ways to achieve personal financial objectives?’, Why are consumers and producers reliant on each other?, How can a business achieve success in the market?)
  • identifying the steps needed for an investigation and the resources needed
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms
  • Research questions
  • Business and enterprise
View on Australian Curriculum website
Economics and business / Year 9 / Economics and Business Skills
Curriculum content descriptions

Develop questions and hypotheses about an economic or business issue or event, and plan and conduct an investigation (ACHES043)

Elaborations
  • establishing questions and/or hypotheses to form the basis of an investigation into a selected issue or event (for example, by asking questions about why it is increasingly important for businesses to seek a competitive advantage or establishing a hypothesis such as: ‘The export of locally made products will greatly benefit the local community’)
  • devising the steps needed for an investigation and modifying the questions and the plan to respond to changing circumstances
  • generating ideas about possible class or school projects and collaboratively developing a plan to guide the project
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • Personal and social capability Personal and social capability
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
ScOT terms
  • Hypotheses
  • Research questions
  • Business and enterprise
View on Australian Curriculum website