Farming Flashcards
Define an arable
Cultivation of crops
Define a pastoral farm
Livestock farming
Define a commercial farm
Crops or livestock to sell for profit
Define a subsistence farm
Food or livestock to feed family
Define an extensive farm
Farm with low input/yield per hectare
Define an intensive farm
high input/yield per hectare
Define a nomadic farm
farmers move seasonally with livestock
Define a sedentary farm
same area all year round, year after year
Define a mixed farm
Farm with both livestock and crops
What are some physical factors that influences the type of agriculture grown?
Temp:
Crops have a minimum temp to produce a good yield
Growing season:
Length of growing season affect the type of crop
Precipitation:
Annual rainfall and distribution of rain over the year
Relief and slope aspect:
Altitude (Effects steepness, Temp, Suitability for crop)
Soil type and fertility:
Thin, infertile soil -> grazing
deeper , fertile soil -> crops
Drainage:
Crops to grow -> well drained land -> no waterlogged roots
What are some human factors that influences the type of agriculture grown?
Tradition:
On land that has been in the family for generations
Subsidies:
Could change crops/livestock depending on money available from government
Transport:
Cost of transporting products can affect what is produced
Livestock transport > crop transport
Farm size:
Larger farms able to afford more feed, fertilisers, machinery etc -> affects what they produce
Market demand:
Changing demand for product
Capital:
Amount of money farmer has to invest
Affect amount of supplies they can afford
What are inputs (+examples)?
raw materials used in the creation of the output
Ex:
Physical -> climate, soil, relief
Human -> subsidies, machinery, labor, pesticides/fertilizers, seeds
What are outputs (+examples)?
finished products and waste from manufacturing
Ex: cereal, crops, hay/straw, milk, meat, manure, vegetables, eggs
What are some processes (+examples)?
actions that take raw materials -> finished goods
Ex: ploughing, milking, sowing, sheep shearing, pest control, fertilizing, harvesting, feeding
How do farms impact the ecosystem?
Monoculture (cultivating one crop in one area):
Reduces diversity
Animals don’t have access to a wide range of foods
Fertilizers:
Nutrient cycle -> depends on fertilisers
Natural or artificial -> artificial could damage environment
Input of seeds:
Modifies ecosystem
Results in the use of fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, machines
Food web:
Food web destroyed or disrupted
Biomass reduced
What are some natural causes of food shortages?
Note: natural factors can usually be made worse because of human factors
Flooding:
Waterlogged crops
Death of livestock
Drought/unreliable rainfall:
Reduce yield
Disease:
Reduce yield
Kill livestock
Pest:
Locust -> destroy entire fields
Tropical cyclones:
Heavy snowfall -> waterlogged plants
Strong winds -> destroy crops
What are some human causes of food shortages?
War and conflict:
Unable to farm
Disrupt supply line (input) and movement of food (output)
Rising food prices:
People cannot afford food
Human induced global warming:
Changing weather patterns
Increased temps
Rising sea levels
Lack of investment:
LEDC -> poor transport systems, no fund to invest into agriculture
Corruption:
Investment into rural and agricultural area -> no
Result of politician pocketing the money
Rapid population growth:
Food avalible shared between more people -> less food per person
Soil erosion and desertification;
Overgrazing + over cultivation -> decrease in soil fertility -> less/no plants grow -> yield decreases
What are the effects of food shortages?
Undernutrition:
People don’t consume enough calories -> linked to 45% of child deaths
Malnutrition:
Diets lack correct nutrients
Wasting:
People have low weight compared to height -> affect 45 million children under the age of 5
Rising food prices:
Increased demand + reduced supply -> price increase
Underdevelopment (and loss of productivity):
Workforce suffers from shortage -> less production -> development slows (or reverses)
Soil erosion and desertification:
Farmer over cultivate and overgraze in attempt to increase yield
Social unrest:
Food shortage -> riots and stealing
Migration:
People migrate to places where food supply is better -> illegal settlements
Possible solutions to food shortage:
Food aid -> how does it work, advantages, disadvantages
Given right after a disaster by MEDC to organizations and NGOs
Advantage:
Save lives during crisis
Disadvantage:
Increased dependency on food aid
Reduces sales of local crops
Expensive to transport
Not a long term solution
Possible solutions to food shortage:
Irrigation -> how does it work, advantages, disadvantages
Artificial watering of crops
Surface irrigation: gravity creates water flow
Drip irrigation: pipes with holes deliver water to root (efficient, can be on or below surface)
Advantages:
Increase crop yield in areas of low rainfall
Disadvantages:
Loss of water via evaporation
Increased salinity of water -> affect growth
Increased pressure on water sources
Possible solutions to food shortage:
Genetically modified crops -> how does it work, advantages and disadvantages
Crops genetic material altered -> disease/pest/drought resistant and higher yield
Advantages:
Increases yield
Disadvantages:
Impact on the environment
Possible solutions to food shortage:
Green revolution/high yield varieties -> how does it work, advantages and disadvantages
Development of high yield crop varieties
Advantages:
Increased yield
Larger farm -> larger income
Disadvantages:
High input of fertilizers and pesticides
Increased mechanisation -> fewer jobs
Possible solutions to food shortage:
Eduction of farmers -> how does it work, advantages, disadvantages
Education on sustainable farming methods
Advantages:
Low cost
Increased knowledge and yield
More sustainable
Disadvantages:
‘None’
Possible solutions to food shortage:
Mechanisation -> how does it work, advantages and disadvantages
Tractors and other machines complete farming task
Advantages:
increase yield
More efficient
Less labor
Disadvantages:
Reduced jobs
Machines are expensive (to buy and maintain)
Possible solutions to food shortage:
Fertilizers and pesticides -> how does it work, advantages and disadvantages
Fertilizers: increase yield (adds nitrogen)
Pesticides: kill and deter pest
Advantages:
Increase yield
Reduced losses from pest
Disadvantages:
Damage to environment
Concerns about human health
Possible solutions to food shortage:
Appropriate technology -> how does it work, advantages and disadvantages
Methods like:
Contour ploughing -> plough along contour and not up + down, reduces soil erosion and runoff
Intercropping -> alternating rows of crops, reduces pest + disease + runoff
Advantages:
Increased yield -> more water infiltration and less soil erosion
