5.2 Terrestrial food production

Question 1

What is the definition of “agriculture”?

Answer 1

Growing of food plants and husbandry of animals for food

Question 2

What are the 3 types of agriculture?

Answer 2

• Pastoral:
  Raising animals, usually on grass and on land not suitable for crops
• Arable:
  Growing crops on good soils to eat directly or to feed to animals
• Mixed:
  Both crops and animals. Animal waste is used to fertilise crops and improve soil structure.

Question 3

What is “pastoral” agriculture?

Answer 3

Raising animals, usually on grass and on land not suitable for crops

Question 4

What is “arable” agriculture?

Answer 4

Growing crops on good soils to eat directly or to feed to animals

Question 5

What is “mixed” agriculture?

Answer 5

Both crops and animals. Animal waste is used to fertilise crops and improve soil structure.

Question 6

What are the “storages” in a farms system?

Answer 6

Storages:
- Biomass
- Soil
- Water

Question 7

What are the “inputs” in a farms system?

Answer 7

Inputs:
- Water (irrigation)
- Sunlight
- Nutrients
- Food for livestock

Question 8

What are the “outputs” in a farms system?

Answer 8

Outputs:
- Animal products (milk, eggs..)
- Gases (methane from cows)
- Runoff of nutrients
- Soil degradation

Question 9

What is “subsistence” agriculture?

Answer 9

Provision of food by farmers for their own families or the local community; no surplus to sell.
- Low technology.
- Low input.
- Minimal environmental impact but can be unsustainable in densely populated areas.
- Occurs mostly in Africa, Asia and South America.

eg. nomadic herding
–> Once their cattle grazed an area they move to another area

Question 10

What is “industrialized” agriculture?

Answer 10

High yield per unit of land at cheaper prices to the consumer. There is a very large environmental impact
High input as well - energy, fertilisers, pesticides…..

eg. wheat production in developed countries
–> High water, fertiliser and pesticide use
–> Also lots of machinery is required (capital intensive)

Question 11

What is “plantation” agriculture?

Answer 11

Growing crops for the market, not to eat yourself.
–> Mainly occurs in tropical values solely for production of a high value cash crop for sale in developed countries

eg. palm oil, banana, coffee, cocoa..

Question 12

What are the two types of agriculture systems?

Answer 12

• Intensive farming
• Extensive farming

Question 13

What is “intensive farming”?

Answer 13

Intensive farming:
Very capital intensive (lots of machinery)
–> substantial energy and fuel costs

Requires less land than extensive farming
–> Higher productivity –> So low unit costs

Make use of chemicals (pesticides, growth hormones, fertilisers)

Generally a greater environmental impact

Question 14

What is “extensive farming”?

Answer 14

Extensive farming:
Less machinery
–> less fuel and energy wasted

Animals have more space to graze
–> Can be more ethical

No real use of pesticides

Less profitable

Generally used in LEDCs

Ecocentric!

Question 15

What are agricultural systems like in “MEDCs”?

Answer 15

• Cost of food relatively cheap
• No seasonality of produce
• Average intake is 3314 calories per person per day
• More meat and fish is consumed

Question 16

What are agricultural systems like in “LEDCs”?

Answer 16

• Populations struggle to produce food to sustain them
• Environment may limit production
• Average intake is 2666 calories (few protein however!)
• Cereal based diet

Question 17

What are some future limitations on food production?

Answer 17

• Increased growth of crops for biofuels
• Land is more degraded
• More demand for meat (meat production is less efficient)
• Climate change
• Increased energy costs
• Loss of ecological services