economic and political influences on agriculture

Question 1

give some examples of economic and political influences on agriculture

Answer 1

1) food aid
2) grants
3) guaranteed market
4) food surpluses

Question 2

outline food aid

Answer 2

the provision of food from other countries to reduce famine and food shortages, for example after the war Europe couldn’t produce enough food to feed everyone leading to food shortages, the USA provided food to reduce these problems

Question 3

outline grants

Answer 3

financial assistance from the government promoting the investment of new technology which would improve productivity of farming, this occurred as originally farmers could not afford to invest in these methods as they were unsure if they could repay loans
allowed methods such as removal of hedgerows and darinage of wet fields

Question 4

outline a garenteed market

Answer 4

1) if the output exceeds demand then food prices will drop so farmers could make a loss despite high yields
2) greater financial security was provided by the government, if there was a surplus the government would buy it to create an artificial market shortage causing prices to rise
3) surplus can then be stored and used if there is ever a shortage

Question 5

outline food surplus

Answer 5

1) farmers continued to grow food as they had a guaranteed market
2) the government wouldn’t be able to sell the products to LEDC as it would undercut local producers and put them out of business reducing long term food production
3) couldn’t be sold to HEDC as they also produce surplus
therefore methods needed to be put in place to reduce production

Question 6

list methods to reduce foods surplus

Answer 6

1) quotas
2) farm diversification
3) alternative crops and livestock
4) set-asides
5) agri-environemtnal schemes

Question 7

outline quotas

Answer 7

a set of limits on what farmers are allowed to produce and sell

Question 8

outline farm diversification

Answer 8

farmers are encouraged to concentrate less on products being over-produced and more on new products and non-food products such as recreation, public visits and specialised dairy production such as ice cream or cheese

Question 9

outline alternative crops and livestock

Answer 9

• biofuels

- pharmaceutical crops

Question 10

outline set asides

Answer 10

farmers of crops in surplus have been paid for taking farmland out of use and keeping it in a condition where it can be farmed again if needed

Question 11

outline agri-environmental schemes

Answer 11

a range of schemes given to farmers where they can be paid for farming in ways which benefit the environment eg

• the planting of hedgerows
• protection of drystone was
• provision of nesting plots
• the planting of wild flowers
• beetle banks