Agriculture Flashcards
What is the difference between commercial and subsistence farming?
commercial; large-scale in order to sell and make profits
subsistence; smaller-scale for individuals and local communities
What is the difference between intensive and extensive farming?
intensive; large amounts of crops/livestock in a smaller area, harsh farming techniques used
extensive; smaller amounts in a larger area with fewer harsh farming techniques used
What is meant by the term agricultural productivity?
a measure of the economic performance of agriculture, the ratio between outputs and inputs
How is agricultural productivity measured?
using yield
(eg, kg grain/ha)
What is Total Factor Productivity?
ratio of outputs to inputs to measure agricultural productivity
What are 3 human inputs into agricultural systems?
- labour
- capital
- machinery
What can be assumed regarding quality of inputs?
high quality inputs lead to higher quality outputs
What are 3 physical inputs into agricultural systems?
- climate (rainfall, sunlight)
- topography
- soil quality
What are 3 processes in an agricultural systems?
- sowing
- ploughing
- harvesting
What are the outputs of an agricultural system?
- crops
- meat
- profits
What short-term factors impact agricultural productivity?
- fertilisers
- weather
- diseases and pests
- economic conditions
What long-term factors impact agricultural productivity?
- crop rotation
- climate
- quality of labour
- policy changes
What would arable farmers focus on to improve productivity?
- disease resistant crops
- more efficient harvesting
- technology and fertilisers
What would pastoral farmers focus on to improve productivity?
- selective breeding
- better disease management
- high quality feed
Why has TFP in HICs increased?
- more investment in to farms
- better technology and fertilisers
- therefore quality of inputs is improved (not necessarily quantity) so more outputs and higher TFP
