BSCLMR196920

VICTOR CHERUIYOT BETT

“As the quality of life increases, the demand on natural resources also rises.” Explain the impact
of development on natural resources.
Deforestation
It refer to cutting down of tree without replanting for various reasons eg. using the wood for the timber,
using the land for industrial production on grazing etc. Forest are responsible for carbon dioxide (CO2)
absorption and the production of oxygen. Deforestation affect the climate in many ways, forest are
know to be lungs of our planet. It takes in carbon-dioxide and release oxygen. It also provide shade for
the soil moist. Cutting of tress leads to the imbalance in the atmosphere temperature and drier climate.
Loss of trees give rooms for flooding, soil erosion, desertification and higher temperature.
Pollution
Air and water are forms of pollution. This due to increasing number of manufacturing and production
facilities in these developing countries. Pollution cause a lot of impact which include; global warming
due to increase temperature worldwide, acid rain cause by harmful gases like nitrogen oxides and sulfur
release into the atmosphere and cause great damage to humans, animals and crops. Acid rain also
affect wildlife .i.e toxic chemicals present in the air can force wildlife to move to new places. Toxic
pollutant deposit over the surface of the water and can also affect sea species. Depletion of ozone layer
makes another effect of pollution.

Desertification
Sociologists argue that farmers in developing countries are forced to over-farm certain crops, due to the
imbalance in trade with the West. Food aid sent from developed countries also reduces the prices of
local food items in the developing world. This means that farmers must produce and sell more items, at
increasingly lower prices, to make a living. This process exhausts the land which becomes infertile.

Example
Africa’s Sahel desert was ‘created’ through desertification. It is also important to note that while in the
1970s Africa’s population was self-sufficient in terms of food, just 14 years later, in 1984, one-fourth of
the people in Africa were dependent on food aid.
Extinction of species
When species lose their natural habitat or have no access to clean water and food supplies, they
eventually go extinct. According to ecologists, 816 species have gone extinct in the past 500 years.
They claim that while the rate of extinction was relatively low decades ago, an average of 1.6 species
go extinct each year today.

Example
Snow leopards are one of the best-known species in danger of extinction.

Explain the following terms in relation to sustainable development

Equity
Its involves the need for fairness in the distribution of gains and losses and entitlement of everyone to
an acceptable quality and standard of living. There are two types of equity; intergenerational equity
which is about moral obligation to future generations as the unborn have no say on decision made
today that affect them. Its actually the idea of reducing the ability of future generation to meet their
needs. Intragenerational equity involves equity across communities and nations with a generation.

Food Security
It include both physical and economic access to food that meets people’s dietary needs and preferences.
It important for global reduction of hunger and poverty.

Economic growth
Is economic development that attempts to satisfy the needs of humans but in a manner that sustains
natural resources and the environment for future generations. Its also an increase in living standards,
improvement in self-esteem needs and freedom from oppression as well as a greater choice (by
Michael Todaro).
Factors that threaten food security in Kenya

Deforestation: its involves cutting down of trees without replanting. It has led to reduction to
unpredictable rainfall pattern which has greatly affected food production.
Natural calamities: Drought affects food production contributing to vulnerability to food insecurity.
Famine leads to crop failure and death of livestock making the community and nation to depend on
foreign food aids.
Expansion of Cities: people are interested in building cities in areas which were initially used for
farming thus reducing food production. For example in Kiambu and Kisii.
Government Policies: Road changes trigger transportation of food from high potential area to low
potential areas.