What risk does heavy reliance on cash crops pose to food security?

What risk does heavy reliance on cash crops pose to food security?

• A. It guarantees domestic food self-sufficiency.
• B. It eliminates exposure to global price fluctuations.
• C. It reduces the need for agricultural diversification.
• D. It can reduce food self-sufficiency and increase vulnerability to price shocks and climate shocks.

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that growing mostly cash crops for export can undermine food security. When farmers focus on crops meant for international markets, less land, labor, and investment go into producing staple foods for local consumption. This reduces domestic food self-sufficiency because the country becomes more dependent on imports or on volatile export incomes to buy food. Global price swings for cash crops mean farmers’ earnings can jump up or down dramatically, so household access to food becomes unstable. Climate shocks or pests that affect cash crops can wipe out a major income stream, leaving families with less money to buy food even if staple crops are growing elsewhere. Diversifying with food crops helps buffer against both price shocks and climate variability, strengthening food security.

The main idea is that growing mostly cash crops for export can undermine food security. When farmers focus on crops meant for international markets, less land, labor, and investment go into producing staple foods for local consumption. This reduces domestic food self-sufficiency because the country becomes more dependent on imports or on volatile export incomes to buy food. Global price swings for cash crops mean farmers’ earnings can jump up or down dramatically, so household access to food becomes unstable. Climate shocks or pests that affect cash crops can wipe out a major income stream, leaving families with less money to buy food even if staple crops are growing elsewhere. Diversifying with food crops helps buffer against both price shocks and climate variability, strengthening food security.