Chapter 10

Agriculture

Key Issue #1

Where Did Agriculture Originate?

Agricultural Origins & Regions

Origins of agriculture

Hunters and gatherers

Invention of agriculture

Location of agricultural hearths

Vegetative planting

Seed agriculture

Classifying agricultural regions

Subsistence vs. commercial agriculture

Mapping agricultural regions

Key Terms

Agriculture – deliberate modification of the earth’s surface

through cultivation of plants and rearing of animals to obtain

sustenance or economic gain.

Crop – any plant cultivated by the people

Hunters and Gatherers

Before the invention of agriculture, all humans obtained food

by hunting and gathering.

This practice slowed down after the invention of agriculture.

Today about 250,000 people still are hunters and gatherers.

Invention of Agriculture

Agriculture probably began with the cultivation of animals

for sacrifice.

Saw how old food would produce new food over time.

The ability to pour water also helped.

Two types of cultivation

Vegetative planting – cloning from existing plants

Seed planting – reproduction of plants from annual planing

of seeds.

Location of Vegetative Hearths

First Vegetative planting took place in Southeast Asia.

Other hearths were West Africa and north-western

SouthAmerica.

Vegetative Planting Hearths

Fig. 10-1: There were several main heaths, or centers of origin, for vegetative crops (roots &

tubers, etc.), from which the crops diffused to other areas. Carl Sauer suggested

that Southeast Asia was a primary hearth.

Location of Seed Hearths

India, China, Ethiopia and Central America are seen as gthe

primary seed hearths.

Seed agriculture also used the domestication of animals to

help work the land.

Seed Agriculture Hearths

Fig. 10-2: Seed agriculture also originated in several hearths and diffused from those

elsewhere.

Classifying Agricultural Regions

Subsistence Farmers – produce food for their own

consumption, found in LDCs.

Commercial Farmers – produce food to make profits, mostly

in MDCs.

MDCs have a lower percentage of work force as farmers.

MDCs also are more likely to use machinery.

MDCs have larger farms.

Labor Force in Agriculture, 2005

Fig. 10-3: A large proportion of workers in most LDCs are in agriculture, while only a small

percentage of workers in MDCs are engaged in agriculture.

Tractors, per cropland

Fig. 10-4: Tractors per 1000 hectares of cropland. Use of machinery is extensive in most

MDC agriculture, but it is much less common in LDCs.

Combines on Wheat in Kansas

Combines can reap, thresh, and clean crops like wheat in a single operation.

Wheat Farm in Montana

American grain farms can cover enormous amounts of land.

Farmland Loss in Maryland

Fig. 10-1.1: Overlaps of soil quality, environmental & cultural features, and population growth

may show areas of greatest threat of farmland loss in Maryland.

Agribusiness

Collection of businesses that work with farmers.

Communications

Machinery

Fertilizers

Legal status

Key Issue #2

Where are Agricultural Regions in Less Developed Countries?

Agriculture in Less Developed Countries

Shifting cultivation Characteristics of shifting cultivation

Future of shifting cultivation

Pastoral nomadism Characteristics of pastoral nomadism

Future of pastoral nomadism

Intensive subsistence agriculture Intensive subsistence with wet rice dominant

Intensive subsistence with wet rice not dominant

Plantation farming

World Climate Regions

Fig. 10-5a: Simplified map of the main world climate regions (see also Fig. 2-2).

World Agriculture Regions

Fig. 10-5b: Locations of the major types of subsistence and commercial agriculture.

Shifting Cultivation

It has two characteristics

Farmers clear land for farming for a couple of years. (Swidden)

Farmers leave land alone for several years so soil can

recuperate.

Crops will vary by the people’s local customs and taste.

Traditionally land is owned by the village.

Shifting cultivation uses 25% of the land, but is only used by

5% of the people.

The number of land used in shifting cultivation is decreasing.

Shifting Cultivation in Guatemala

Dense vegetation has been cut and is being burned to open land for farming.

Land Clearing in Colombia

Bulldozers are used to plow a road through the rain forest in Colombia.

Pastoral Nomadism

Process of herding and domesticating animals in subsistence

farming.

Nomads do not necessarily eat their animals, but mostly

grains.

Size of herds is a prestigious symbol.

Movements are patterned and herds are very territorial.

Pastoral Nomadism is on the decline because of modern

technology and stigmas.

Pastoral Nomads in Iran

Qashqai nomads using paved roads to move their animals near Shiraz, Iran.

Intensive Subsistence

Farmers have to work harder to make the crop.

Wet Rice dominates a large portion of Asian farming. Land is

separated in Wet Rice dominant and Non-Wet rice dominant.

Wet Rice Terraces in Indonesia

Terraces create flat land for wet (irrigated) rice on hilly land in Indonesia.

World Rice Production, 2005

Fig. 10-6: Asian farmers grow over 90% of the world’s rice. India and China alone account for

over half of world rice production.

Rice Harvesting, Indonesia

Wet rice is often harvested by hand in Asia.

Key Issue #3

Where are Agricultural regions in More Developed Countries?

Agriculture in Developed Countries

Mixed crop and livestock farming

Dairy farming

Grain farming

Livestock ranching

Mediterranean agriculture

Commercial gardening and fruit farming

Access to markets

Mixed Crop and Livestock

Usually involve crop rotation.

Choice of crops depend on markets.

World Corn Production, 2005

Fig. 10-7: The U.S. accounts for about 40% of world corn (maize) production. China is the 2nd

largest producer. Much of the corn in both countries is used for animal feed.

Dairy Farming

Provides dairy products to urban areas. Dairy farms are

located near major urban areas.

Milkshed is the ring surrounding a city where milk can be

supplied without spoiling.

Dairy products vary by region.

World Milk Production, 2005

Fig 10-8: Milk production reflects wealth, culture, and environment. It is usually high in MDCs,

especially production per capita, and varies considerably in LDCs.

Milk

Production

in MDCs &

LDCs

1960-2005

Milk production has grown more

rapidly in LDCs than in MDCs

since the 1960s.

U.S. Dairy

Production

2005

Fig. 10-9: Milk production is widely dispersed

because of its perishability, but cheese

production is far more concentrated.

U.S. Milk Production, 2005

U.S. Cheese Production, 2005

Grain Farming

Grain is the seed from various grasses.

He most important crop is wheat.

Winter wheat – planted in autumn and harvested in late spring

and early summer.

Spring Wheat is planted in spring and harvested in late summer.

Cyrus McCormick invented the reaper and helped with the

growth of wheat.

John Deer also helped with the growth of farming.

World Wheat Production, 2005

Fig. 10-10: China is the world’s leading wheat producer, but the U.S. is the largest producer of

wheat for sale and the largest exporter.

U.S. Wheat Farmer

A U.S. wheat farmer in Idaho is selling wheat to Asian buyers.

Livestock Farming

Ranching is the commercial grazing of livestock.

It is greater where land is to poor to supply vegetation.

Texas was a large ranching hearth.

Ranch Wars between cowboys over theft or cattle rustling as

well as over territory were common in the early part.

Cattle breeds were mixed and genetically engineered to

survive.

The Chisholm

Trail

Fig. 10-11: The Chisholm Trail became famous as the

main route for cattle drives from Texas

to the railheads in Kansas.

Cattle Drive on the Chisholm Trail

Meat Production on Ranches

Fig 10-12: Cattle, sheep and goats are the main meat animals raised on ranches.

Mediterranean Farming

Growth of trees for fruit.

Found near Mediterranean coast.

Olives and Grapes are the biggest cash crops.

Vineyard in Portugal

Grapes loaded in vineyards on slopes above the Douro River in northern Portugal.

Commercial Gardening and Fruit

Farming

Predominant in Southeast US.

Plantation Farming

Are more commonly found in LDCs but are owned by

MDCs.

They try to grow products year round to take advantage of

imported labor.

Until the Civil War, plantations were a big part of the US

South.

Key Issue #4

Why do farmers face economic difficulties?

Economic Issues of Agriculture

Challenges for commercial farmers

Overproduction

Sustainable agriculture

Challenges for subsistence farmers

Population growth

International trade

Increasing food supply

Access to Markets

Because the purpose of commercial farming is to sell the

product, the distance influences the choice of crops to grow

and sell. (Milk)

Von Thunen’s Model looks at transportation costs to

determine the benefit of growing crops.

Von Thünen Model

Fig. 10-13: Von Thünen’s model shows how distance from a city or market affects the choice

of agricultural activity in (a) a uniform landscape and (b) one with a river.

Overproduction of Commercial Farming

Farmers are producing more food than there is a demand for.

This creates lower prices for their food.

In 1960 – 20 million cows made 57 million gallons of milk.

Today – 10 million cows make 68 million gallons of milk.

US Government Policies

Farmers are encouraged($) to avoid planting certain crops or

to plant fallow crops.

Government pays farmers when prices are too low.

Government buys excess crops to sell or donate to other

countries.

Government provides food stamps to buy certain foods.

Sustainable Agriculture

Agricultural practices that help the environment.

These farmers have lower costs but generate lower revenues.

Farmers use less chemicals and use ridge tillage.

Integrate crops and livestock to avoid using more chemicals

and steroids.

Organic Farm in Washington

There is limited use of chemicals and heavy machinery on organic farms such as this

one in Whatcom County, Washington state.

Free-range

Chickens

Free-range chickens on an organic

farm in England.

Genetically Modified Foods

Genetically modified foods must be labeled in Europe but not in the U.S.

Subsistence Farming and Population

Growth

Rapid population growth is tough on subsistence farmers

who grow a limited amount of food.

To accommodate, land was left fallow for shorter periods of

time.

Also new technology allowed for more food production.

Subsistence Farming and International

Trade

As more technology is needed, LDCs need to invest and thus

sell more crops to MDCs.

Subsistence farms convert to commercial farms.

However the money raised goes to feed people who are no

longer providing enough domestic food

Drug crops bring lots of money, but also much violence and

loss of control.

Coca Leaf is grown in South America

Pot in Mexico

Opium in Asia

Strategies to Increase Food Supply

Expanding Agricultural Land

Increase the productivity of land.

Identify new Food Sources.

Increase exports of other countries.

Expanding Agricultural Land

Only 11% of land is used.

Some countries have arable land that can be used but has not

been for economic reasons.

Other Countries do not have enough arable land and

agriculture creates a process of desertification.

Desertification Hazard

Fig. 10-14: The most severe desertification hazard is in several parts of semiarid Africa, and parts

southwestern Asia, North and South America, and Australia.

Higher Productivity

Green Revolution

Use of Fertilization

Plant modification (higher yield seeds)

Green Revolution Experiments

Scientists at the International Rice Research Institute try to develop improved crop

varieties.

Identify New Food Sources

Cultivate Oceans

Higher Protein Cereals

Improve Consumption of rarely consumed foods.

Increase exports from other countries

The top three grains exported are – wheat, maize and rice.

Largest exporters are the US, Thailand, India, China,

Argentina and Canada.

Mexico and South Korea import corn, Egypt and Italy

import wheat.

Grain Importers & Exporters

Fig. 10-15: Most countries are net importers of grain. The U.S. is the largest net exporter.

Crisis in Africa

Growth in farming cannot keep up with rapid population

growth.

Sub Saharan Africa is in danger of more mass famine.

Undernourished

Proportion

Fig. 10-16: The proportion of under-

nourished population has declined

in most LDCs, but is much higher

in sub-Saharan Africa than in other

areas of the world.

Population and Grain Production in

Africa, 1961-2005

Fig. 10-17: Cereal production has not kept up with the high rate of population growth in sub-

Saharan Africa. (The graph is set to a base of 1.0 in 1961).

The Sahel

Fig. 10-18: The Sahel, which is south of the Sahara, frequently faces drought and food

shortages, as does the Horn of Africa.