1. Agriculture

2. Agriculture
deliberate modification of Earth’s surface through the cultivation of plants and/or rearing of animals
Cultivate = “to care for”
Crop = any plant cultivated by people

3. Agriculture (terms to know)
Subsistence:
production of food primarily for the family (in LDCs).
Commercial:
production of food primarily for sale off of the farm (MDCs and growing in LDCs).
Intensive
requires lots of labor or is focused on a small plot of land or both. High agricultural density.
Extensive
requires limited input of labor or is spread across a large area of land or both. Low agricultural density

4. Commercial Farming ALL farming in MDCs
Increasing in LDCs
began w/2nd Agricultural Rev. and Industrial Rev.
Aided by (see guided reading)
mechanization
transportation
scientific advances
electronics
Consolidation
largest 5% = 75% of output
fewer farms and farmers
60% less farms, 85% less farmers
Integration with “agribusiness”
System of farming where the farm is no longer isolated but part of a larger food-processing industry.
Commercial Farming

5. MDC Farmers Face Economic Difficulties
Green Revolution, machines, tech. science, etc.
Overproduction
leads to lower prices
demand remains relatively constant in MDCs (stage 4/5)
consequence: incomes for farmers are low
susceptible to acquisition (Industrial farms)
ECONOMIES OF SCALE
govt policies (subsidies) to support agriculture
suburbanization
“Urban sprawl” vs. prime agricultural land
Both want land that is flat and well-drained (near markets)

6. Loss of Productive Farmland
danger of being “suburbanized” as cities expand

7. Subsistence Farming Difficulties
Have we reached a point where food production is unable to match population growth? Why?
Land often held in common, individual success at expense of group frowned upon
Low incentive to increase production

8. Subsistence Farming Difficulties
Is agricultural land in LDCs maxed out?
desertification from overgrazing, soil erosion, excessive farming, etc. decreases arable land

9. Agricultural Land and Population

10. Subsistence Farming Difficulties
Have we reached a point where food production is unable to match population growth? Why?
Agricultural land maxed out?
Desertification decreases arable land
LDC dilemma?
Achieve development with w/switch to cash crops
International trade model of development
deforestation from switch to ranching, logging etc.
food must be purchased
most lucrative cash crop?
drugs
See “Opposition to Green Revolution” under History of Agriculture (later in this powerpoint).

12. Strategies to increase food supply
Expanding agricultural land
better irrigation to reduce stress on water supplies
drip irrigation
Identifying new food sources
cultivating oceans
But 3/4ths of fish stocks are overfished or fully utitlized
developing higher-protein cereals
Ineffective in areas that don’t rely on processed foods
improving palatability of foods
Krill is now abundant due to whale overfishing and the collapse of the USSR, but nasty tasting!
Increasing trade
Ship global overproduction to areas in need
Where most food is produced is not where it is most needed (unbalanced production/consumption)

13. Origins of agriculture
Hunter-gatherers
Perhaps 250,000 remaining today
San in Southern Africa, Aborigine in Australia
Invention of agriculture
When it began = unclear, diffused from many hearths

15. The First Agricultural Revolution
Southeast Asia: Root crops, up to 14,000 years ago (Sauer)
Southwest Asia (the Fertile Crescent): Seed crops, about 10,000 years ago → Neolithic Revolution = “1st Agricultural Revolution”

16. The Fertile Crescent

17. The Fertile Crescent 1st cultivation of seed crops
Enlargement of plants from seed selection
Generated a surplus of wheat and barley
Leads to?
CIVILIZATION!!!!
Animal domestication
Began in Fertile Crescent (c years ago)
pigs, sheep, goats, dogs, cattle
Relatively few domesticated animals
Continuing efforts not very successful
1st integration of plant growing and animal raising
Crops used to feed livestock
Use fallow fields to graze
Livestock to help crops
Dung is fertilizer, clear stalks etc.
Used for milk, hides,
beasts of burden

18. Animal Hearths

19. Second Agricultural Revolution
series of innovations, improvements, and techniques used to improve the output of agricultural surpluses
17th and 18th centuries (linked to Scientific Rev.)
Enclosure Act = larger farms
Somewhat changes English landscape from clustered to dispersed
Allows experimentation
New tools (seed drill, water wheel, etc.)
Advances in livestock breeding (selective)
New fertilizers (non-chemical)
More efficient crop rotation
Closely connected to the Industrial Revolution
displaced farmers → factory workers
Urbanization (so also connected to the 2nd Urban Revolution)
increased food supply
Feeds urban factory workers,
lowers CDR
help move UK into stage 2

20. Agricultural density Calculated as: High density = ?
# of farmers/arable land
High density = ?
LDCs, Why?
Low farming efficiency
Farming done by hand

21. High Agricultural Density

22. Agricultural density Low density = ? Advanced technology and finance
MDCs, Why?
Advanced technology and finance
Corporate or large scale farming
Farms are getting bigger!

23. Low Agricultural Density

24. Green Revolution (3rd Agriculture Rev.)
Began in U.S. Midwest (1930s → )
Norman Borlaug “the man who saved a billion lives”
diffusion to LDCs (1960s → )
shift from subsistence to commercial methods in LDCs
adoption of a western farming model
Use of chemical fertilizers/pesticides & machinery
invention of high-yield grains (hybridization, crossbreeding) with goal of reducing hunger
increased production of rice
Impact on hunger greatest where rice is produced
new varieties of wheat and corn
GMOs = genetically modified organisms (4th Rev. ???)
“biotechnology”
Famines reduced!
Most famines today are due to political problems

25. Average Daily Calorie Consumption per Capita

26. Has the Green Revolution run its course?

27. Opposition to Green Revolution
Environmental concerns (overuse)
soil erosion and water shortages
dependency on chemicals for production
pollution, dangerous to ingest, bee colony collapse
growth of “monocultures” lessens biodiversity
“superpests” could develop resistance
are Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) safe?
probably, but????
health problems???? (antibiotics, allergens)
EU strictly regulates (has approved only 48 organisms)
labelling required, why labelling resistance in the US?
Economic dependence on transnational corps
$$$$$$ → Western agribusiness (Monsanto)
life becomes “intellectual property” = “terminator seeds”
loss of control over seeds → wind → → contamination

28. Von Thünen’s Model Produce only what’s profitable
Products vary by distance from the market (town). Factors:
Cost of land (bid-rent theory)
Use of land governed by cost/ease of transport to market
Perishability and weight
First effort to analyze the spatial character of economic activity
Modified for physical features

29. FIGURE 10-24

30. $ rent (land cost) someone is willing to pay is based on their business realities
For example, per von Thunen’s dairy farmers/vegetable growers (X) would be willing to pay more for land in order to be close to market, Why?
Transportation costs are high
perishability.
per von Thunen, lumber (Y) would then outbid grains etc. Why?
Trans. costs are high due to weight.
Pattern continues outward forming concentric rings. Until you get to extensive activities like grazing. Why?
Need to pay less for land because their activity is extensive (uses a lot of land)
Bid-rent Theory

31. Application of Von Thünen Model
Wealthy countries
Underlying principles on larger scale (NYC/Megalopolis = center)
dairy farming, vegetables located close to population centers/markets
Market gardening in SE
milkshed in NE
Wisconsin cheese b/c it is further away
Extensive activities (grain, ranching) located farther west.

32. von Thunen and the USA

33. Application of Von Thünen Model
Wealthy countries
Underlying principles on larger scale (NYC/Megalopolis = center)
dairy farming, vegetables located close to population centers/markets
Market gardening in SE
milkshed in NE
Wisconsin cheese b/c it is further away
Extensive activities (grain, ranching) located farther west.
But modernity breaks model down
multiple markets, expanded trade
Not a single market in a small region
Use of faster, higher capacity, refrigerated transportation