Introduction to Food Insecurity
What are the requirements you must meet in order to take home your system?
Attend 7 out of 9 of the sessions and attend at least 1 technical session.
What is the definition of hydroponics?
The technique of growing plants using a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil
During the farm simulation activity, which crop carried the highest risk?
Strawberries
List two of the six takeaways from Professor Xiao's talk.
1. Focus on whole fruits.
2. Vary your veggies.
3. Make half your grains whole grains.
4. Vary your protein routine.
5. Move to low-fat or fat-free cow's milk or yogurt.
6. Less added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium
Which company is the largest vertical hydroponic grower in the world?
Bustanica
What is a food desert?
An area where there is little to no access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
East Hartford is one of the 5 biggest food deserts in the United States.
List at least two reasons that a hydroponic system might fail.
Underestimating initial cost
Too low/high pH
Plants/Fish get disease
Air pump stops working/ Power goes out
Water falls below wick level
Too much/little nutrients
Too much/little light
Fogger falls into the reservoir
Grow plant in a too small container
Unchecked algae growing in system
Ignore plants for too long
Only used white light, needs red and blue too
Which three crops are produced the most in the world? These are considered the "Big Three".
Rice
Corn
Wheat
How much of your plate should be fruits and vegetables?
Half
When was the first hydroponic garden invented?
Between the 8th and 6th Century BCE (The Hanging Gardens of Babylon)
What are the two types of food insecurity and their definition?
Low food security- struggles to get enough nutritious food.
Very low food security- struggles to get enough food at all.
Name two different growing mediums.
Clay Pellets
Rock Wool Cubes
Coconut Coir
Peat Moss
Spongy Soil Replacement (AeroGarden)
What major shift occurred during the 1900s when it comes to food-insecurity?
before 1950, the primary issue people faced was starvation. Since the 1950s, the issue has shifted towards being malnutrition.
What are the five main food groups?
Protein
Vegetables
Fruits
Grains
Dairy
Which plant is used in saltwater hydroponic farming to capture the saltwater?
Sea Beans
What percentage of US households in 2021 were food insecure?
13.5%
17.9% is also an acceptable answer. The chart that showed this number was from 2023.
What are the five things that every plant needs?
Water
Nutrients
Oxygen
Sunlight
Space to Grow
Describe Silvopasture farming.
Silvopasture farming utilizes existing geography such as woods and fields to create a miniature ecosystem. It relies more on raising animals, foraging vegetables such as mushrooms, and utilizing pre-existing crops. It is a more sustainable farming method because it essentially is not changing the land at all.
What are the three top diseases associated with poor nutrition?
Heart Disease
Diabetes
Obesity
By what percent is the Indoor Farming Market expected to grow by 2032?
10.9 % or roughly 11%
How many people worldwide could not afford a healthy diet in 2023?
3.1 Billion People
What are the differences between the following three types of hydroponic systems?
Aquaponics
Aeroponics
Fogponics
Aquaponics: Fish provide nutrients that the plants take in. Plants discard things that the fish can eat.
Aeroponics: The roots hang directly into air. Water is added at regular intervals.
Fogponics: A fog machine creates a nutrient dense fog in the area between the roots and the reservoir.
China produces more of 7 different crops than any other country in the world. Name at least 5 of these crops.
Pork
Rice
Wheat
Eggs
Apples
Potatoes
Green Beans
What are the three different forms of fruit and what advantages/disadvantages does each have?
Juice- fewer nutrients because they often add a lot of sugar to supplement the juice.
Frozen- Be careful of added sugar and preservatives, but otherwise they are just fine.
Fresh- Make sure that the fruit is still good.
How much is the hydroponic industry projected to be worth in 2032?
1,565.41 Million USD or roughly 1.6 Billion USD