3.2 Food Production Flashcards
Sedentary farming
When a farm is based in the same location all the time.
Nomadic farming
When a farmer moves from one place to another. This is common in some LEDCs.
Subsistence farming
When crops and animals are produced by a farmer to feed their family, rather than to take to the market.
Most common form of farming in LEDC’s.
Some of them are nomadic. (Shifting cultivation)
Commercial farming
When crops and animals are produced to sell at market for a profit.
These farms can be arable, pastoral or mixed.
Most farms in MEDC’s are commercial farms of one type or another.
Arable farms
Grow crops. Crops are plants that are harvested from the ground to be eaten or sold.
Pastoral farms
Rear animals. Either for animal by-products such as milk, eggs or wool, or for meat.
Mixed farms
Grow crops and rear animals.
Extensive farming
Where a relatively small amount of produce is generated from a large area of farmland.
Eg. Cattle ranches in central australia. Only a few farm workers are responsible for thousands of acres of farmland.
Intensive farming
Where a large amount of produce is generated from a relatively small area of land.
Inputs will be high to achieve a high yield per hectare. Inputs could be either fertilizers, machines or labour.
These farms use machines + new technologies to become as efficient and cost-effective as possible.
Shifting cultivation
A type of nomadic subsistence farming. (Traditional tribes in Amazon use this)
Allows soil + vegetation to recover after animals eat plants.
(Comes back to same area after a while –> differs from nomadic farming where farmers never return to same area)
Factors affecting farming
Capital
Choice
Climate
Labour
Market
Politics
Relief
Soils
Farming as a system
Inputs (Physical/Human inputs)
–>
Processes
–>
Outputs (Positive/Negative outputs)
–>
Feedback
–>
Inputs - Farming as a system
Physical inputs - Land, soil, climate, relief, water, drainage
Human/Cultural inputs - Labour, Capital, Transport, Buildings, Fertiliser, Electricity, Money, Skills
Processes - Farming as a system
Milking, Seeding, Harvesting, Ploughing, Feeding, Shearing, Digging
Outputs - Farming as a system
Positive outputs - Milk, Meat, Eggs, Wool, Fruits, Vegetables, Cereals
Negative outputs - Soil erosion, Water pollution, From pesticides, Dead animals
Feedback - Farming as a system
Profits, Manure, Animal feed, Seeds, Knowledge
Fair Oaks Farm - Farming System
Inputs
-72 Cow carousel (for efficiency when milking)
-25,000 acres
-Flat terrain + Fertile soil + 163 day growing season
Outputs
- Produces enough milk for 8 million people
- Biogas (methane) from manure
Processes
- Manure converted into energy (reduces waste + pollution)
Fair Oaks Farm
- A large commercial diary farm found within the Corn Belt (Region good for farming bc of deep fertile soil.
- There is a long growing season there (163 days)
- Tourist center –> educates about milk/calcium (Shows cheese + ice cream production)
(Diversification) - Found in Indiana, USA
Sahel Region
- Sahel is a strip of semi-arid land, stretching across Northern Africa (east to west coast)
- Located between Sahara deserts to the north +Savanna environments to the south
- Sahel is found in Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Algeria, Niger, Nigeria
Natural/physical causes of food shortages - Sahel region
Drought - Lower than average rainfall = common since mid 1970’s. Rainfall rates = 100mm/ year
Flooding - Extreme flooding destroys crops.
Pests - Attacks on crops by birds, pests and locusts –> reduces food production (Eg. Locusts eat up crops)
Conflict - Human causes of food shortages
Conflict - Limits food production + distribution + forces people to migrate.
Relief food aid
Delivered directly to people in times of crisis.
Programme food aid
Provided directly to the government of a country for sale in local markets.
(This usually comes with conditions from the donor country)
Project food aid
Targeted at specific groups of people as part of longer-term development work
Why is food aid not the best option?
- Does little to solve long term problems + many countries become too dependent on hand-outs.
- Also impossible for local farmers to compete with free food-aid handouts –> bankruptcy
- Gov. needs to help countries to improve their agriculture to maintain their food security –> makes them less dependent on imports/help
Reducing desertification
- Planting more trees - roots of trees hold the soil together + reduce soil erosion from wind and rain
- Not cutting down trees - Find better fuel options/ more fuel efficient wood stoves.
- Improving the quality of the soil - Managed by encouraging people to reduce no. of grazing animals + grow crops instead (protects against erosion + holds together soil) (Animal manure can be used to fertilise crops)
- Water management - Water stored in earth dams in wet season + used to irrigate crops during dry season. (example of using appropriate technology to manage water supplies in desert environment)
- Magic stones (or bunds) - Circles of stones placed on ground to hold water on soil rather than letting it run quickly over surface.
- Drip irrigation - Water drips slowly onto ground from pin-sized holes in a hose lying on top of the soil. (Minimises water loss, maximises effectiveness + can be delivered via solar pump)
- Terracing - Terraces on hills prevent rainfall run-off on sloping land –> keeps soil fertility high.
Great green wall
- Plan to grow vegetation in 8,000 km strip across Sahel region
- Reduces desertification + wind soil erosion
- Increases food security + jobs (planting trees) + stability in lives (less unpredictable droughts)
- Roots of trees also hold moisture in soil + increase humidity (transpiration + respiration)
Overcultivation - Human causes of food shortages
Decreases soil fertility bc nutrients are used up –> decreases crop yield –> can result in desertification
Overpopulation - Human causes of food shortages
High population growth in Sahel –> More people to eat.
Overgrazing - Human causes of drought
Results in erosion –> When vegetation is eaten away/ killed by droughts, exposed topsoil becomes baked by sun.
Political boundaries may also stop nomadic groups from wandering –> thus causing overgrazing.
Climate Change - Human causes of food shortages
80% of agricultural areas in Sahel affected by climate change –> drougts etc.
Access to markets/ poor infrastructure development - Human causes of food shortages
Lack of access to market to buy food + no infrastructure to distribute food
Desertification
The process of land turning into desert as the quality of the soil declines over time.
Many countries around the world suffer from the problems caused by desertification but it is the Sahel region of Africa where the effects are greatest.
Main causes of desertification
Population - Increased popuilation causes growth strain on resources (water, wood)
Deforestation - (Wood used for cooking + warmth) No trees = more erosion + less rainfall bc trees give off moisture (photosynthesis)
Overgrazing - Increased population = more farming –> erosion (erosion - also primarily caused by overpopulation)
Cliamte change - Warmer + dryer –> less rainfall –> less vegetation
Marasmus
Disease caused by malnutrition found in Sahel region.
Caused by a energy deficiency. Child with marasmus looks emacuated –> body weight reduced to less than 60% expected body weight for age.
Kwashiorkor
Type of malnutrition found in the Sahel region.
A type of protein defiency characterised by edema, irritability, anorexia, ulcerating dermatoses, and an enlarged liver with fatty infiltrates.
(sufficient calorie intake bu with insufficient protein consumption)
Consequences of malnutrition
- Reduces peoples capacity to work –> thus decreasing peoples income –> thus decreasing their standard of living (endless cycle)
- Makes them more susceptible to diseases
Factors affecting farming - Capital
Capital - Money. Subisidies + gov. policies sometimes help but sometimes force farming to become more efficient + tech to survive.
Prices fall for products –> farmers profits also fall –> less money to employ + buy seeds next year.
Factors affecting farming - Choice
Choice - Farmers begin to choose crops / animals that bring more money instead of what is appropriate for area.
Factors affecting farming - Climate
Climate - What type of farming might occur in a certain area. Affected by rainfall + sunshine in area.
Factors affecting farming - Labour
Labour - Farmers are becoming more capital-intensive for efficiency + saving money.
Factors affecting farming - Market
Market - Farmers have to be aware of price –> need to know that they will get profit from products. Quotas + subsidies –> used to help farmers to survive.
Factors affecting farming - Politics
Politics - Gov. + international farming policies –> huge impact around the world. Eg. EU protects farmers by making sure their produce will be bought. –> Means farmers may have to change to suit new regulations.
Factors affecting farming - Relief
Relief - Flat sheltered areas –> crops grown which use machines. Steep slopes –> terraced for rice growth or used for goats or sheep.
Factors affecting farming - Soil
Soils - Thick, well-irrigated, often alluvial (deposited by a river) soil is usually the best for crop farming. Hilly areas –> thinner + less fertile soil –> pastural farming.
Case study - Food shortages - Sudan (Sahel) - Physical factors
- Low rainfall in South Sudan
- Increased rainfall variability (uncertain)
- Increased use of marginal land (little to no possible agricultural usage) leading to degradation
- Flooding
Case study - Food shortages - Sudan (Sahel) - Agricultural factors
- Food production per capita –> highly variable + unchanging trend
- Unchanging or falling crop yields
- Low and falling fertiliser use
- Lack of a food surplus for use in crisis
- Conflict in Darfur reduces food production + distribution
- (Limited access to markets to buy food or infrastructure to distribute it)
