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IB ESS HL 5.2 Agriculture and Food Question Bank

Practise IB ESS HL 5.2 by analysing food-footprint data and evaluating farming systems, inputs and regenerative strategies against environmental and social trade-offs.

Syllabus
First assessment 2026
Course
ESS HL
Level
HL

Exam points

  • Analyse food systems by output, scale, purpose, irrigation and chemical inputs.
  • Evaluate land-use and production evidence using soil, climate, culture and development context.
  • Relate diet and food-footprint data to trophic level, food miles, farming methods and greenhouse emissions.
  • Evaluate agroforestry, regenerative and traditional farming against soil recovery, yield and global food needs.

Covered syllabus points

5.2.1—Land as finite resource5.2.2—Marginalized groups vulnerability5.2.3—Food production and distribution5.2.4—Agricultural system variation5.2.5—Agricultural system classification5.2.6—Traditional techniques5.2.7—Green Revolution (1950s-1960s)5.2.8—Synthetic fertilizers5.2.9—Soil conservation techniques5.2.10—Diet trophic level and sustainability5.2.11—Sustainable food supply strategies5.2.12—Food security5.2.13 (HL)—Local agricultural choices5.2.14 (HL)—Alternative farming approaches5.2.15 (HL)—Regenerative farming and permaculture5.2.16 (HL)—Technological improvements5.2.17 (HL)—Diet sustainability variations5.2.18 (HL)—Harvesting wild species5.2.19 (HL)—Traditional vs. global food needs5.2.20 (HL)—Food distribution and quality

5.2 Agriculture and food question 1

[Maximum number: 1]
Land used in Costa Rica for pineapple production between 1961 and 2013

Figure:Land used in Costa Rica for pineapple production between 1961 and 2013

Conversion to cropland from other land uses in north-eastern Costa Rica (1986-2011)

Figure:Conversion to cropland from other land uses in north-eastern Costa Rica (1986-2011)

cash crops
- Agriculture includes pineapples, bananas, coffee and beef.
- Pineapple production expanded between 1961 and 2013 and cropland expansion converted other land uses.

With reference to Figure: Conversion to cropland from other land uses in north-eastern Costa Rica (1986-2011), identify where most of the additional land for growing crops came from between 1986 and 2011.

5.2 Agriculture and food question 2

[Maximum number: 5]
Figure Food loss and waste (in million tonnes per year) in a North American food production system

Figure Food loss and waste (in million tonnes per year) in a North American food production system

127 million tonnes

Question (a)

(a)

With reference to Figure, identify the stage that represents the greatest food loss and waste in North America.

[ 1 ]

Question (b)

(b)

Outline two strategies to reduce food waste at the use stage (stage 5) in North America.

[ 2 ]

Question (c)

(c)

With reference to a stage in Figure, describe one reason for a difference between food loss and waste in a less economically developed country (LEDC).

[ 2 ]

5.2 Agriculture and food question 3

[Maximum number: 1]
Figure Dam storage, urban and agricultural water use, and rainfall in the Western Cape, 2014-2018

Figure Dam storage, urban and agricultural water use, and rainfall in the Western Cape, 2014-2018

Outline one reason for the variation in agricultural water use, as shown in Figure.

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