Food Production Flashcards
inputs
What a farmer has to put into his farm/business to make it work (material, labour, resources, etc.)
processes
The actions a farmer has to do to produce
outputs
What a farmer receives/makes from his work
feedback loop
When an output becomes an input e.g. manure from livestock becomes fertiliser or inedible parts of plants are fed to livestock
commercial farming
The type of farming where the farmer is producing crops or animals for sale (profit)
pastoral farming
The rearing (breeding and raising) of animals
mixed farming
The growing of crops and the rearing of animals on the same farm
extensive agriculture
A very large farm where there is a small amount of money spent or the number of workers employed is low
subsistence farming
The type of agriculture that only produces enough food for the farmer and his family (no profit)
shifting cultivation / nomadic herding
When a crop is grown or animals are reared and the farm is moved after a certain amount of time
arable farming
The growing of crops
sedentary farming
When the farmer and the farm stay in the same place the whole time
intensive agriculture
A very small farm where there is a large amount of money spent or the number of workers employed is high (e.g. greenhouses)
plantation agriculture
When the whole farm is devoted to producing one ‘Cash Crop’, such as coffee or cotton
factory famring
A large industrialised farm - especially a farm on which large numbers of livestock are raised indoors in conditions intended to maximise production at minimal cost
pesticides
Chemicals commonly used in agriculture to kill pests that infest crops (D.D.T. banned in 1972)
fertiliser
soil conditioners (e.g. NPK)
irrigation
to supply land/crops with water
NPK
A complex fertiliser comprised primarily of the three primary nutrients (Nitrogen - Phosphorus - Potassium) required for healthy plant growth. The agriculture industry relies heavily on the use of NPK fertiliser to meet global food supply and ensure healthy crops.
organic
When food is grown without the use of pesticides or fertilsers
GM crops
The DNA of Genetically Modified crops has been modified using genetic engineering techniques to improve resistance to certain pests, diseases, or environmental conditions, reduce spoilage, or augment resistance to chemical treatments (e.g. resistance to a herbicide), or improving the nutrient profile of the crop.
malnutrition
The condition that develops when the body does not get the right amount of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients it needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ function.
Green Revolution
Started in the 1960s when farms began using things such as pesticides and GM crops were introduces
growth hormones to animals
Fed to livestock through their food to make them grow quicker and bigger to maximise profit