Factors affecting food security: The cost of agricultural inputs.

The idea

Agricultural inputs are the resources farmers need to produce food, such as seeds, fertiliser, pesticides, animal feed, fuel, water and labour. If these inputs become more expensive, the cost of producing food rises. Farmers may respond by using less fertiliser or pesticide, which can lower yields, or by increasing prices, which can make food less affordable. In poorer regions, farmers may not be able to afford inputs at all, so they grow less food. Higher fuel costs also increase the cost of transporting food and running machinery. Therefore the cost of agricultural inputs affects both how much food is produced and whether people can afford to buy it, making it an important factor in food security.

What earns the marks

• Identify agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertiliser, pesticides, animal feed, fuel, water and labour.
• Explain that higher input costs increase the cost of food production.
• Describe how farmers may reduce inputs such as fertiliser or pesticide, which can lower crop yields.
• Explain that higher production costs can lead to higher food prices, making food less affordable.
• Recognise that farmers in poorer regions may be unable to afford inputs, reducing the amount of food they can produce.
• Link the cost of inputs to food security by stating that less food may be available or that people may struggle to afford it.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Listing inputs without explaining their effect.

  Put it right by adding the consequence for yield, price or availability.

• Assuming higher input costs always mean farmers use more inputs.

  Put it right by explaining both possible responses.

• Confusing agricultural inputs with agricultural outputs.

  Put it right by defining each term clearly.

Exam tips

• Give at least two named inputs and explain how the cost of each could affect food production or price.
• Use an economic chain such as higher fuel costs → higher transport costs → higher food prices → less affordable food.
• Mention a specific farming context, such as a farmer in a low-income country who cannot afford fertiliser, to make the answer precise.