1. PRT 2008 Lecture 6

2. Basic agricultural resources

3. Resources Water Water Soil Soil Air Air Genetic resources Genetic resources

4. Agriculture Crop production, animal husbandry, aquaculture

5. Requirement Plant, animal and fish require enough water to survive. Agriculture expands in areas where the climate is suitable.

6. Climate It includes water and temperature. Crops and animals survive in area where water is available and temperature is suitable.

7. Tropical Water and temperature are high. Plant can grow throughout the year. Water is available and temperature is suitable for agriculture. Here we can have oil palm, rubber, cocoa, aquaculture.

8. Temperate Have summer and winter. Crops are usually grown in summer. Wheat and corn are grown in temperate region. But crop can be produced in greenhouse in winter.

9. Tundra Very cold areas of the world. Near the poles. Plenty of water. Agriculture is limited by low temperature.

10. Desert Water is scarce. Temperature is high. Soils contain too much salt. Irrigation is necessary. But desert can be turned into good agriculture land if properly managed. Can produce date, orange.

11. Agricultural production Agriculture needs water. Water can be obtained via rainfall or irrigation. Without sufficient water, crops and animals cannot survive. Water is needed for germination. It is also needed for growth.

12. Cont. In the old days people could go to war to get water. Agriculture thrives in the plains where water is available (Tigris, Nile). These are the centers of civilization of the past era.

13. Malaysia Crop pattern depends on water availability. In the south the rainfall is about 3000 mm/year. This is good for oil palm.

14. Cont. In Kedah-Perlis, the rainfall < 2000 mm/year. This is good for rubber and mango.

15. Cont. Paddy need a lot of water. Most of the time irrigation is needed, e.g. MADA, KADA and Tanjung Karang

16. Impact of climatic change and pollution When climate changes, plants and animal change. In other words, agriculture depends on climate.

17. Climatic change Desertification is for real. Desert increases in size. Human is being blamed for this calamity. Areas for agriculture then decreases (Africa).

18. Cont. Global warming. Due to industrialization and excessive use of fossil fuel. Greenhouse gas (methane) can be produced by agriculture. Temperature rises. Weather changes. We have typhoon and hurricane. Ice in the polar regions melt, flooding lowland areas of the world.

19. Environmental pollution Acid rain. Due to industrialization. Water from the rain fall contains acid. These destroy crops and animals.

20. Cont. Heavy metal. Phosphate rock contains some cadmium. Can accumulate in soils and plants. This heavy metal is toxic to human being.

21. Cont. Excessive use of pesticides. Happens to vegetables in Cameron Highlands. Bad for human consumption.

22. Cont. Nitrate and nitrite pollution. Happens in areas under intensive agriculture. Not serious in Malaysia. It does happen in The Netherlands. Groundwater in that area is not fit for drinking.

23. Human requirement Agriculture need workers Agriculture need workers The need for labor can be reduced by using machinery The need for labor can be reduced by using machinery In Malaysia, mechanization is limited by the lack of money. Also due to terrain (sloping land). In Malaysia, mechanization is limited by the lack of money. Also due to terrain (sloping land). Thus, we have to import labor – loss of foreign exchange Thus, we have to import labor – loss of foreign exchange Agriculture can expand in areas where they are heavily populated Agriculture can expand in areas where they are heavily populated We also need people to work in far distant places (plantations in remote areas) We also need people to work in far distant places (plantations in remote areas)