Agriculture Debra Troxell, NBCT

The development of agriculture led to widespread alteration of the natural environment Id major centers of domestication of plants and animals and patterns of diffusion in the 1st Ag. Revolution Early hearths Patterns of diffusion (Columbian Exchange) Explain the connection between physical geography and ag. Processes Ag. Regions are influenced by the natural environment Populations alter the landscape (terraces, irrigation, deforestation, draining wetlands) to increase food production

Major agricultural regions reflect physical geography and economic forces Id agricultural production regions associated with major bioclimatic zones Analyze the economic forces that influence agricultural forces Explain the spatial organization of large-scale commercial agriculture and agribusiness

Agricultural Hearths – 1st Agricultural Revolution

Carl Sauer’s beliefs on domestication Domestication probably did not develop in response to hunger Starving people must spend every waking hour searching for food Started by people who had enough food to remain settled in one place Did not occur in grasslands or river floodplains because of thick sod and periodic flooding Must have started in regions where many different kinds of wild plants grew Started in hilly district areas, where climates change with differing sun exposure and altitude Vegetative Planting 1st (transplanting part of actual plant) then Seed Planting

Plant Domestication Perennial wheat article

Subsistence Agriculture Commercial Agriculture Found in LDC’s Commercial Agriculture Found in MDC’s Distinguishing features Purpose of farming # of farmers in the labor force Use of machinery Farm size Relationship of farming to other businesses Rubenstein p. 330-333

Diffusion along Trade Routes Columbian Exchange Responsible for Diffusion of ideas, farming methods and crops Resulting in Globalization European Colonization Replaced Indigenous Agriculture and Spread Cash Crop Production

Arable Land Would you expect MDCs to have a lot of arable or not much? Why? LDCs? Why?

Arable Land by Country

Percent of Labor Force engaged in Agriculture Rub. Map 331

Rub. Map 331

World Regions of Primarily Subsistence Agriculture On this map, India and China are not shaded because farmers sell some produce at markets; in equatorial Africa and South America, subsistence farming allows little excess and thus little produce sold at markets.

LDC: Shifting Cultivation Characterized by Slash and burn agriculture Using field for only a few years Extensive land use Cleared land called Swidden or ladang, milpa, chena or kaingin Crops SE Asia: rice S America: maize & cassava Africa: millet & sorghum

Why is Shifting cultivation expected to diminish in the 21st century? Reason Explanation Technological Advancements fertilizers hybrid seeds pesticides Leads to increased Yields and food Quality Leads to sedentary farming Expanding / growing populations Less available land Higher Physiological and Agricultural density Reduced Soil Fertility Development of Commercial Agriculture Profit motive More Efficient Plantation and agribusiness Competing land use activities (login ranching etc. Take away from shifting cultivation Changing Gov. and environmental policies Control deforestation Restrictions on land rights or usage Limiting Carbon emissions

LDC: Pastoral Nomadism A form of subsistence agricultural Extensive land use Located in semiarid lands of: N. Africa, Middle East, Central Asia Only 15 million people are pastoral nomads but use 20% of Earth’s land area Transhumance

LDC: Intensive Subsistence Agriculture w/wet rice Intensive: farmers more work more intensively to subsist Areas of high population density resulting in less land available/farmer Some are wet rice areas Some have double cropping (2 harvests/yr) Online Simulation: http://3rdworldfarmer.com/

LDC: Intensive Subsistence Agriculture wet rice not dominant Areas with low precipitation Crops: wheat, barley, legumes, etc. Crop rotation Common in China

Role of Women Food Production Types of food prepared & consumed Food gathering 80% Rule: 80% of food eaten on African table is grown by women. Types of food prepared & consumed Produced on the farm Corn tortillas, bread, vegetables

LDC: Plantation Farming A large farm that specializes in one or two crops: cotton, sugarcane, coffee, rubber & tobacco Extensive land use Usually in subtropics Usually in areas of low population density – must import workers

LDC: Plantation Farming Rubber Trees Area 700 miles on each side of equator http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB5wdmbcI3o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOOTF8vu6ps

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/coffee/map.html

MDC: Mixed Crop & Livestock Most common form of commercial ag in US Most crops are fed to animals rather than for human consumption – corn or soybeans common Uses crop rotation Rub. Map 343

MDC: Dairy Farming Once only in MDC’s, now more common in S & E Asia – India is the #1 producer Must be close to market – milkshed Improved transportation and refrigeration have increased milkshed radius Rub. Map p. 344

MDC: Grain Farming Crops grown primarily for human consumption Grains are: wheat, corn, oats, barley, rice, millet, etc. Stores easily & transported a long distance N. Am prairies – world’s “breadbasket” Rub. Map 346

MDC: Livestock Ranching Commercial grazing of livestock over an extensive area Range wars caused by enclosures Introduction of new cattle breeds Ranching: USA, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, southern Brazil & Uruguay Rub. Map 348

MDC: Mediterranean Ag. S. Europe, N. Africa, w. Asia, California, central Chile, & sw. Australia All of the above borders seas, most on west coast off continents Mostly horticulture: fruits, vegetables, and flowers & commercial tree crops Most of world’s olives & grapes produced in Med. areas

MDC: Commercial Gardening Predominant in SE US Aka “truck farming” (truck was a Middle English word for bartering) Highly efficient large-scale operations New England has specialty farming – limited but increased demand among affluent, ex: asparagus, strawberries, etc.

Agricultural Regions By Derwent Whittlesey, 1936 11 main agricultural regions 5 in LDC’s 6 in MDC’s including 1 where ag is nonexistent

Koppen Climate System

Koppen Classification System of Climates http://www. uwsp Climate Types 1. Humid Equatorial Climates (Tropical: Class A) Af – no dry season Am – Short dry season Aw – dry winters (S.W. Florida) 2. Dry Climates (Dry: Class B) Bs – Semiarid Bw – Arid 3. Humid Temperate Climates (Temperate: Class C) Cf – no dry season Cw – dry winter Cs – dry summer 4. Humid Cold Climates (Cold: Class D) Df – no dry season Dw – dry winter 5. Cold Polar (tundra and ice) (Polar: Class E) 6. Highland Climates (Vertical)

1. Humid Equatorial Climates 2. Dry Climates 3. Humid Temperate Climates 4. Humid Cold Climates 5. Cold Polar 6. Highland Climates (Vertical)

The development of agriculture led to widespread alteration of the natural environment Explain the advances and impacts of the 2nd Ag. Revolution – (about 1750 in England) New technology and inc. food production led to better diet, longer life and more people available for factory work

2nd Agricultural Rev. 1750-1900 – with the Industrial Rev. Increased productivity More food with less farmers Esther Boserup - agric. output depends on the pop. - Anti-Malthusian 5 stages of intensification of farmland 1. forest fallow, 2. bush fallow 3. short fallow 4. annual cropping 5. multicropping (intertillage)

Would you…

End world hunger if you could?

Approve of changing farming methods to produce enough food to end world hunger?

Support a type of seed that had a much higher-yield crop?

Support a type of seed that had a shorter growing season allowing 2 crops a year?

Support technology that allowed vegetables to be more nutritious (like extra Vitamin A)?

Support technology that allowed vegetables to have longer shelf life – increasing profits for the company?

Use technology to ensure meat tainted with e-coli not be sold in stores?

Use radiation to kill e-coli?

Eat beef that had been treated with radiation?

Eat Food modified in a laboratory?

eat Food grown from seeds, when the seeds were modified in a laboratory?

feed Food grown from seeds, when the seeds were modified in a laboratory to your children?

feed Food grown from seeds, when the seeds were modified in a laboratory to your children if they were starving to death?

Eat Corn that repels pests making pesticides unnecessary?

Eat Genetically Modified vegetables?

The development of agriculture led to widespread alteration of the natural environment Analyze the consequences of the Green Rev. on food supply and the environment Began with the development of high-yield seeds resulting in the increased use of chemical and mechanized farming Positive consequences of the Gr. Rev. include inc. food production and a relative reduction in hunger at the global scale Negative consequences of the Gr. Rev. include environmental damage resulting from irrigation and chemical use and the cost of technology and seeds

Green (3rd) Revolution BUT Invention and quick diffusion of agricultural techniques during 1960’s-80’s Main techniques Genetic Engineering Higher-yield seeds – Norman Borlaug Drought/disease resistance Quicker growing season (double-cropping) Expanded use of fertilizers Need tractors, irrigation pumps & other machinery to take full advantage Replaced older grains and beans for rice and wheat NOT BUT

The Third Agricultural Revolution: 3 Phases Mechanization, chemical farming with synthetic fertilizers, and globally widespread food manufacturing

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/standard/geography/farming/agribusiness/revision/2/

Mechanization Replacement of human labor with machines Tractors, combines, reapers, pickers, since late 1800’s

Chemical Farming Application of synthetic fertilizers to the soil Also herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides Important environmental impact

Food Manufacturing Adding economic value to agricultural products through a range of treatments Processing, canning, refining, packing, packaging

The Third Agricultural Revolution The Green Revolution Began in the 1960s Scientists created IR36—an “artificial” rice plant By 1992 IR36 was the most widely grown crop on Earth

The Green Revolution New high-yield hybrid varieties of wheat and corn were developed and diffused Disastrous famines of the past have been avoided Asia saw a two-thirds increase in rice production

Define Genetically modified

GM foods or GMOs (genetically-modified organisms) is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques.

Advantages of GM Pest Resistant Drought Resistant Improved nutrition Herbicide resistant Cold tolerant Pharmaceutical inclusive Edible Vaccines in tomatoes – easier to ship than medicine

Want food packing to clearly indicate if food has been GM?

Perceived Dangers of GMs Pollen from GMs could blow onto other plants and endanger wildlife Create pesticide resistant pests Herbicide resistant GMs could crossbreed with weeds creating “super weeds” Patented GMs could increase costs for farmers creating more have and have-nots Introduce new allergens into foods http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php

Acreage and Yield Trends

Acreage and Yield Trends

Acreage and Yield Trends

Negatives of the Green Revolution New hybrids required use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides Can lead to reduction of organic matter in the soil Many small-scale farmers lack resources to acquire these chemicals and the seed

Organic Movement No chemical pesticides, fertilizers Natural solutions – sustainable Locavore movement http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2LBICPEK6w&safe=active Store Wars Happy Cows Meatrix Corn Producers Small Scale https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjD8URaGe88

Role of Women http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/am307e/am307e00.pdf

Blue Revolution New technology (motorized boats, processing technology, etc.) affecting fisheries … Aquaculture – the growing of aquatic creatures in ponds on shore or in pens suspended in water

Agribusiness is when agricultural activities are integrated into the food production industry, so farmers have close ties with other businesses.   They do this through the use of modern communication and information technology.   Industrial agriculture is sometimes called factory farming because it more closely resembles manufacturing than farming.   Crops and livestock are standardized so that growing time is minimized, but yields and therefore profits are maximized.   The standard size allows for mechanization of processing at large scale (mass production) using assembly line concepts (reducing labor as well).  This is particularly true for poultry production which is no longer closely tied to the land.  

or Industrial agriculture refers to how the crops and animals are raised (like a factory...therefore they are called factory farms). Agribusiness refers to the structure of the farming industry or sometimes called corporate farming.

Debt – for – Nature Swap The concept of debt-for-nature swaps was first conceived by Thomas Lovejoy of the World Wildlife Fund in 1984 as an opportunity to deal with the problems of developing-nation indebtedness and its consequent deleterious effect on the environment

Issues Related to Changing Nature of Contemporary Ag.

Large-scale Agribusiness Resulting in complex commodity chains linking production and consumption of agricultural products

Changes in food production and consumption present challenges and opportunities Interdependence among regions of food production and consumption Explain issues related to the changing nature of contemporary ag. Explain issues related to the location of food-production facilities Explain the changing role of women in food production and consumption

Technological improvements have changed the economies of scale in the ag. sector

Food is part of global supply chain; products from less developed low-latitude regions (e.g. coffee, bananas) are often consumed globally

No alcohol and pork production in Middle East Patterns of Global food distribution are affected by political systems, infrastructure, and patterns of world trade No alcohol and pork production in Middle East Brazil nut production in Bolivia European Union standard for safe consumption Starvation caused more by distribution issues than total production Sub-Saharan Africa vs. N. Korea

https://challengedkidsinternational.wordpress.com/category/africa/

Food Miles 100 yrs ago – it took 1 calorie of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 calorie of food. Now 10 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 calorie of food http://www.pbs.org/e2/teachers/teacher_309.html

Food Deserts

Food Desert