AGRICULTURE The Future of Food

The Beginning O Neolithic Revolution O Changes to life include: O Reliable food supplies, Increase in total human population, Job Specialization, Patriarchy O Vegetative Planting-cloning existing plants (stems and roots) O Southeast Asia O Seed Agriculture-planting with seeds (typical now) O Ethiopia, Western India

Columbian Exchange O Remember what happened? O Trade diffused crops but topography and climate determined success of transplants O Food in the Western Hemisphere was completely different from Eastern Hemisphere until the Exchange O Potatoes from Andes of South America to Ireland O Rice still more common in Asia, Beans, Squash, Corn in the Americas

Second Agricultural Revolution O Pre-Industrialization in England and Western Europe O Use of fertilizers, improved collars for plow animals, crop rotation, bred better livestock, Seed Drill O Enclosure-blocking off, fencing in land

Different Agriculture O Commercial Agriculture: production of food surplus, most crops destined for sale to people outside farmer’s family. Practiced mostly in MDC’s-farmers rarely sell directly to consumer but sell to food processing companies-called AGRIBUSINESS O Subsistence Agriculture: production of only enough food to feed the farmer’s family, with little or no surplus to sell. Practiced mostly in LDC’s.

Compare Subsistence to Commercial O Percentage of Farmers in the Labor Force O Use of Machinery O Farm Size

Subsistence Farming O Intensive Subsistence: Yields a large output per acre but still only subsistence. O Almost half the world’s population engaged in this type of farming. O Most prevalent in East and South Asia in wet or lowlands producing rice, wheat (China), maize, millet, peas and beans. O Labor intensive type of Agriculture-lot of people, little capital, work by hand

Subsistence Farming O Shifting Cultivation (Slash and Burn): Destroys environment, farmers continually moving to slash/burn new land. Burned land is fertile at first but then rapidly depletes. O Practiced in rain forest zones of Central and South America, West Africa by people of small villages who are guided by a village chief or council O Farming all done by hand

Subsistence Farming O Pastoral Nomadism: Follows a herd, not sedentary. O Herds are domesticated sheep, goats, cows, reindeer, cows, camels, and horses O Nomadism is dictated by herds need for pasture (food) O Found in Central Eurasia, desert areas of Arabian Peninsula O Animals provide primary subsistence

Subsistence Agriculture-More! O Extensive Subsistence Agriculture: large areas of land, minimal labor per land unit O Pastoral Nomadism and Slash and Burn O Intensive Subsistence Agriculture: cultivation of small land plots, lots of labor, yields per unit and population densities high

Commercial Agriculture- Finally! O Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming: most common form of agriculture in the US-farmers grow crops and raise livestock and feed crops to animals (beef, milk, eggs) O Practice Crop Rotation (cycles-cereal grains, to corn, to soybeans) O Dairy Farming: close to urban areas (have to be close-called the milkshed) sell to wholesalers not directly to consumers O Labor intensive farming-feeding and milking cows

Commercial Agriculture-More! O Grain Farming: 3 most important regions in USA- “World’s Breadbasket” O Winter wheat areas of Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma O Spring wheat areas of N.& S.Dakota, Montana O Palouse region Washington State O Other grain countries-Canada, Australia, Argentina, France, UK O Grown on large farms, machines employed

Commercial Agriculture O Livestock Ranching: commercial grazing of livestock over a large area (practiced where crop growing is difficult) South American pampas (prairie) O Mediterranean Agriculture: not just Mediterranean (California, Chile) olives, grapes, fruits, vegetables. O Commercial gardening/fruit farming: southeast US-long growing seasons, called “truck” farming- apples, cherries, lettuce, tomatoes

Commercial Agriculture- last one! O Plantation Farming: large farm that specializes in 1 or 2 crops O Found in Latin America, Africa, Asia O Cotton, sugarcane, coffee, rubber, tobacco O Mostly import wokers O Corporate units

Von Thunen’s Model