Page 88 - Volt Elevate The World Around Us Book 4

Food and Its Importance

Food is one of the most important needs of life. It gives us the energy to do everything
we do in a day like running, playing, studying, working and even sleeping. When we eat

the right kind of food, our body grows well, our muscles become strong and our bones
become healthy.

Food also helps us fight against illnesses by building resistance in our body. Without

food, no living being, whether human, animal or bird can survive. Just like fuel is needed
for vehicles to move, food is the fuel for our body. That is why we must eat food every
day.

Journey of Food from Farm to Home

We eat food to grow, get energy, stay fit and to develop strength to fight diseases. The

food we eat travels a long distance before it reaches our tables.

A farmer grows fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses, oilseeds or spices in farms. He ploughs
the fields before sowing the seeds. Ploughing is done either by a tractor or by bulls

to make the soil soft. Then, he adds fertiliser or manure to the soil to make it rich in
nutrients. Once the soil is ready, the farmer selects the seeds of the plant suitable for
growing in that particular season. He then sows them in the soil and irrigates the field

regularly. Gradually, the seeds grow into saplings and then into crops. To protect the crop
from pests like rats and birds, and insects Smart Stack
like locusts, he uses various pesticides and

insecticides. He also makes and puts figures The longest meal ever recorded lasted for
called scarecrows in the field to scare the 24 hours in France.
birds away. Remember

Different crops take different periods of time to become ripe. Once the crops are ripe,
the farmer harvests them and packs them to sell in the market.

y Grains like cereals and pulses are packed in gunny bags.
y Commodities like fruits and vegetables that get spoilt easily are packed in boxes

made of cardboard or wood.
The packed food items are transported to the wholesale market commonly called mandi

for selling. They are transported by carts, trucks, tractors or trains.

Resistance: The act of using force to oppose somebody or something
Fertiliser: A substance added to soil to make plants grow more successfully
Manure: The waste matter from animals that is spread over or mixed with the soil to help plants and crops grow
Pesticide (or insecticide): A chemical used for killing pests, especially insects

78