Farming

Question 1

Define an arable

Answer 1

Cultivation of crops

Question 2

Define a pastoral farm

Answer 2

Livestock farming

Question 3

Define a commercial farm

Answer 3

Crops or livestock to sell for profit

Question 4

Define a subsistence farm

Answer 4

Food or livestock to feed family

Question 5

Define an extensive farm

Answer 5

Farm with low input/yield per hectare

Question 6

Define an intensive farm

Answer 6

high input/yield per hectare

Question 7

Define a nomadic farm

Answer 7

farmers move seasonally with livestock

Question 8

Define a sedentary farm

Answer 8

same area all year round, year after year

Question 9

Define a mixed farm

Answer 9

Farm with both livestock and crops

Question 10

What are some physical factors that influences the type of agriculture grown?

Answer 10

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

Question 11

What are some human factors that influences the type of agriculture grown?

Answer 11

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

Question 12

What are inputs (+examples)?

Answer 12

raw materials used in the creation of the output

Ex:
Physical -> climate, soil, relief
Human -> subsidies, machinery, labor, pesticides/fertilizers, seeds

Question 13

What are outputs (+examples)?

Answer 13

finished products and waste from manufacturing

Ex: cereal, crops, hay/straw, milk, meat, manure, vegetables, eggs

Question 14

What are some processes (+examples)?

Answer 14

actions that take raw materials -> finished goods

Ex: ploughing, milking, sowing, sheep shearing, pest control, fertilizing, harvesting, feeding

Question 15

How do farms impact the ecosystem?

Answer 15

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

Question 16

What are some natural causes of food shortages?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

What are some human causes of food shortages?

Answer 17

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

Question 18

What are the effects of food shortages?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Possible solutions to food shortage:
Food aid -> how does it work, advantages, disadvantages

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Possible solutions to food shortage:
Irrigation -> how does it work, advantages, disadvantages

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Possible solutions to food shortage:
Genetically modified crops -> how does it work, advantages and disadvantages

Answer 21

Crops genetic material altered -> disease/pest/drought resistant and higher yield

Advantages:
Increases yield

Disadvantages:
Impact on the environment

Question 22

Possible solutions to food shortage:
Green revolution/high yield varieties -> how does it work, advantages and disadvantages

Answer 22

Development of high yield crop varieties

Advantages:
Increased yield
Larger farm -> larger income

Disadvantages:
High input of fertilizers and pesticides
Increased mechanisation -> fewer jobs

Question 23

Possible solutions to food shortage:
Eduction of farmers -> how does it work, advantages, disadvantages

Answer 23

Education on sustainable farming methods

Advantages:
Low cost
Increased knowledge and yield
More sustainable

Disadvantages:
‘None’

Question 24

Possible solutions to food shortage:
Mechanisation -> how does it work, advantages and disadvantages

Answer 24

Tractors and other machines complete farming task

Advantages:
increase yield
More efficient
Less labor

Disadvantages:
Reduced jobs
Machines are expensive (to buy and maintain)

Question 25

Possible solutions to food shortage:
Fertilizers and pesticides -> how does it work, advantages and disadvantages

Answer 25

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

Question 26

Possible solutions to food shortage:
Appropriate technology -> how does it work, advantages and disadvantages

Answer 26

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