Grade 5 Chapter 12: Food for All

Topics covered: Importance of agriculture, Food security, Modern farming methods, Organic farming, Food storage, Balanced diet, Food waste.

Importance of Agriculture

Can you tell?

• From where do we get the food we eat?
• What are the different types of food grains?
• What is a farmer's main work?

All living things need food to grow and stay healthy. Most of the food we eat comes from plants, and some from animals. The process of growing crops and raising animals for food is called agriculture. Agriculture is the most important occupation in our country, India.

Farmers work very hard to produce food grains, vegetables, and fruits for us. Their hard work ensures that there is "food for all."

Think about it:

1. Why is farming considered a very important job?
2. What would happen if farmers stopped growing food?

Food Security

Let’s try this (Activity):

1. Visit a local grocery store or market.
2. List the different types of food grains, vegetables, and fruits you see.
3. Discuss with your family how these foods reach the market.

Food security means that enough food is available for everyone, and people have the means to buy it. Our country aims to achieve food security so that no one goes hungry. This involves producing enough food and also ensuring that it can be distributed to all parts of the country.

To ensure food security, it's important to use good farming practices and to store food properly so it doesn't get wasted.

Use your brain power!

1. Why is it important for food to be available to everyone at all times?

   Answer: To prevent hunger, malnutrition, and ensure everyone can lead a healthy and productive life.

2. How does the government help farmers to grow more food?

   Answer: By providing loans, good quality seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation facilities.

Always remember: Food is a basic need, and ensuring 'food for all' is a big responsibility for our society.

Modern Farming Methods

Can you recall?

1. What are some tools farmers use?
2. How do farmers water their fields?

In olden days, farmers used simple tools and depended on rain for watering their crops. But now, with new knowledge and technology, farming methods have improved a lot. These are called modern farming methods:

• Improved Seeds: Farmers use high-quality seeds that give more yield (more crop production).
• Better Fertilizers: Special substances called fertilizers are used to make the soil richer and help plants grow better.
• Pesticides: These are used to protect crops from pests and diseases.
• Modern Irrigation: Instead of just relying on rain, farmers use wells, canals, and sprinklers to water their fields regularly.
• Modern Machinery: Tractors, harvesters, and other machines are used for ploughing, sowing, and harvesting, which saves time and effort.

These modern methods have helped to increase food production significantly, ensuring enough food for the growing population.

Think about it:

1. How does using a tractor help a farmer compared to using bullocks?
2. What are the benefits of using modern irrigation systems?

Organic Farming

Let’s try this (Activity):

1. Collect some vegetable peels and fruit scraps at home.
2. Learn how to make compost from them with the help of an elder.

While modern methods help produce more food, sometimes the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides can harm the soil and the environment. To avoid this, many farmers are now practicing organic farming.

In organic farming, farmers use natural methods to grow crops, such as:

• Manure and Compost: Instead of chemical fertilizers, they use natural manure (from animal waste) and compost (from decaying plant and food waste) to make the soil fertile.
• Natural Pest Control: They use natural ways to control pests, like using certain plants that keep pests away, or introducing insects that eat harmful pests.
• Crop Rotation: They grow different crops in the same field in different seasons to keep the soil healthy.

Organic farming helps keep the soil healthy, protects the environment, and produces food that is free from harmful chemicals.

Use your brain power!

1. Why is organic food considered healthier by some people?

   Answer: Because it is grown without synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

2. How does making compost help the environment?

   Answer: It reduces waste and provides natural nutrients for the soil, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.

Food Storage

Can you recall?

1. What happens to food if it is left open for a long time?
2. How do your parents store rice and wheat at home?

After harvesting, it is very important to store food grains properly to prevent them from getting spoiled by moisture, insects, or rats. Farmers store grains in dry places, often in large bags or silos. In big godowns (warehouses), special care is taken to protect the grains from pests and moisture.

Proper storage ensures that food remains available throughout the year, even after the harvesting season.

Think about it:

1. Why is it important to keep food grains dry during storage?
2. What are some ways to protect stored food from rats and insects?

Balanced Diet and Avoiding Food Waste

Let’s try this (Activity):

1. Make a list of all the food items you ate yesterday.
2. Discuss with your teacher or parents if your diet was balanced.

For us to be healthy, it is not enough to just eat food; we need to eat a balanced diet. A balanced diet includes all the necessary nutrients in the right amounts, such as carbohydrates (from grains), proteins (from pulses, milk, eggs), fats, vitamins, and minerals (from fruits and vegetables).

It is also very important to avoid wasting food. Many people in the world do not get enough food. When we waste food, we are not only wasting the food itself but also the hard work of farmers, water, and energy used to produce it.

• Take only as much food as you can eat.
• Do not throw away leftover food; save it for later if possible.
• Be mindful of food expiry dates.

What’s the solution?

You are at a wedding reception. There is a lot of food, and you see many people taking more than they can eat and then throwing it away. What would you do?

Always remember: Food is precious. We must respect the food we eat and avoid wasting it.

What We Have Learnt

• Agriculture is the main occupation in India, providing food for all.
• Food security ensures enough food is available and accessible to everyone.
• Modern farming methods (improved seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, machinery) help increase food production.
• Organic farming uses natural methods to grow healthy food and protect the environment.
• Proper food storage is important to prevent spoilage.
• Eating a balanced diet is essential for health.
• We must avoid wasting food to ensure 'food for all' and respect the resources used in its production.

Exercises

1. Fill in the blanks.
   1. The main occupation in our country is __________.
   2. Using chemical fertilizers and pesticides excessively can harm the __________ and the __________.
   3. In organic farming, farmers use __________ and __________ instead of chemical fertilizers.
   4. A __________ includes all the necessary nutrients in the right amounts.
2. Answer the following questions.
   1. What is food security?
   2. List any three modern farming methods.
   3. What are the benefits of organic farming?
   4. Why should we not waste food?
3. Match the following:

   Column A	Column B
   1. Organic farming	a. Protects crops from pests
   2. Modern irrigation	b. Uses natural manure
   3. Pesticides	c. Supplies water to fields

Activities

1. Visit a farm (if possible) and observe the farming practices.
2. Prepare a poster on 'Say No to Food Waste'.
3. Collect information about different types of food grains grown in your state.