Primary Activities in the Mezzogiorno

Question 1

2 primary activities in the mezzogiorno

Answer 1

• Agriculture

- Forestry

Question 2

Hindrance of agriculture (3)

Answer 2

• Land ownership system
• Large estates called latifundia
• Owned by absentee landords

Question 3

Estate workers (3)

Answer 3

• Peasant farmers and landless labourers
• No motivation to improve production
• Could be evicted from their land

Question 4

Crop production before 1950’s (2)

Answer 4

• Low value crops

- Vines and wheat

Question 5

Livestock grazing before 1950’s (2)

Answer 5

• Sheep

- Dry uplands

Question 6

Improvement scheme (2)

Answer 6

• Cassa Per Il Mezzogiorno

- Improved parm production

Question 7

Crop change (2)

Answer 7

• High value crops

- Salad crops, olives, citrus fruits

Question 8

What did the Cassa scheme do to the latifundia (2)

Answer 8

• Split up latifundia estates

- Gave land to poor farmers

Question 9

Other Cassa improvements

Answer 9

• Road and rail infrastructure
• Water supply infrastructure
• New irrigation systems, helped raise yields

Question 10

Factors influencing agriculture (2)

Answer 10

• Physical

- Human

Question 11

Physical factors influencing forestry (2)

Answer 11

• Climate

- Soils

Question 12

Natural woodland (2)

Answer 12

• Mixed deciduous
• Hardwoods
• Olives, pine, oak

Question 13

Soil, relief and climate for growth (3)

Answer 13

• Thin dry soils
• Mountainous
• Mediterranean, hot and dry

Question 14

Commercial forestry and climate (2)

Answer 14

• Not well developed

- Mediterranean climate hinders dense growth

Question 15

How climate affects growth (2)

Answer 15

• Dry conditions
• Trees grow far apart
• Reduce competition for water