P5 Exhibition – Inquiry into animal welfare and food production. – Andre

Inquiry into animal welfare and food production.

Hi my name is Andre and I am a P5 learner. My inquiry is about animal welfare and food production. I chose my inquiry because one day I was coming back from school and I saw chickens hanging upside down from a bike. From that day two years ago I decided to never eat chicken again.

My central idea is:

  • Knowing and understanding food production can lead to informed lifestyle choices.

My lines of inquiry are:

  • Animal welfare and large scale food production (connection)
  • Effect of food production on animals and humans (causation)
  • Sustainable ethical and healthy food production (responsibility)

My transdisciplinary theme is How the world works.

The learner profile attributes I developed are knowledgeable and caring and the ATLs are thinking skills and social skills.    

My UN Sustainable development goal is: Goal 2 – Zero hunger

2.1 UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO SAFE AND NUTRITIOUS FOOD: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.

2.5 MAINTAIN THE GENETIC DIVERSITY IN FOOD PRODUCTION: By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed.

During my research I found out that animals on food farms were being abused and mistreated. They were kept in unhygienic conditions and are forgotten about. Their welfare was being compromised.

As a primary source of information, I had interviewed a former DP student who too inquired about animals specifically cows and a boy who was studying animal rights. I had also looked at many websites as secondary information.

Did you know animals have rights? Well just as humans have rights, animals have rights too. Those rights are called the five freedoms made by the Farm Animal Welfare Council in 1979. They are:

  1. Freedom from hunger or thirst – by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour
  2. Freedom from discomfort – by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area
  • Freedom from pain, injury or disease – by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment
  • Freedom to express (most) normal behaviour – by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind
  • Freedom from fear and distress – by ensuring conditions and treatment

   which avoid mental suffering

Sentience of Animals

The concept of sentience is important because it provides a foundation for the animal welfare movement. Because of the problem of animal cruelty most countries in the world have animal protection laws in place.

Many animals are sentient—they experience feelings such as happiness, joy, pain, and suffering. This common-sense view is increasingly supported by science and provides a powerful tool through which humans can advocate for animals.

Animal welfare refers to the physical and emotional state that is impacted by the environment in which the animal lives and works”.

Food production and processing  is when you take a raw material and turn it into a material to use. For example from vanilla beans we make vanilla extract and bottle it. Food production is when we grow vanilla beans on a farm.

Here is the link to my Website

Here is the link to my Google Slides

Please note:  slides and website will only be accessible via an MISP email id.

Here are some of the posters I made for my exhibition

My Action

I have taken personal action by going vegetarian 3 years ago.  I am not promoting veganism or vegetarianism but what I am proposing is to take responsible action by each one of us. This could be in the form of giving more thought to our food choices by taking responsible and ethical decisions in what we choose to eat for our physical, mental and spiritual well being.

You can take action by reducing your intake of meat to reduce the demand of the products, Try to incorporate more vegetarian protein sources like tofu, beans, nuts, chickpeas and lentils in your diet, and Consume more organic and free range products.

References/Credits are available on my website HERE