What are three options to increase food | Class 12 Biology Chapter Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production, Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production NCERT Solutions

Traditional farming can only yield a limited biomass as food for humans and animals. Better management practices and increase agricultural land can increase yield, but only to a limited extent.

Following are the three options to increase food production:

a. Single cell protein The biomass obtained from microorganisms can be treated or processed in industry to be used as food and is called single cell protein.

Merits of single cell protein:

1. Its production reduces pollution as it uses organic waste and industrial effluents.
2. It provides a protein rich diet.
3. It fulfills the demand of protein for human diet and takes off the pressure in agricultural system.

Demerits of single cell protein:

1. Sometimes as the microbial biomass when taken as diet supplement may lead to allergic reactions.
2. Manu types of microorganisms produce substances which are toxic to the humans and also to the animals.   

b. Biofortification It is the method for developing crops with higher levels of vitamins, minerals proteins and healthier fats to improve public health.

Merits of Biofortification:

1. It can increase yields grown in the same or less acreage.
2. It can potentially improve nutritional value or other health benefits.

Demerits of Biofortification:  

1. Its successful implementation into society required safe delivery systems, stable policies appropriate social infrastructures.
2. It continued by financial support also.

c. Tissue culture It is an technique for regeneration of a whole plant from any part of a plant by growing it on culture medium under aseptic conditions.

Merits of tissue culture:

1. A large number of plants can be grown in short time.
2. Disease free plants can be multiplied.
3. Seedless plants can be multiplied.
4. The plants where sexual reproduction is absent may undergo somatic hybridization.

Demerits of tissue culture:  

1. It requires great expanses because it needs latest techniques in the laboratory.
2. It requires acclimatization of plants grown by tissue culture to the external environment.
3. It requires special expertise.