Types of Types of AgricultureAgricultureLocal Issues, Global TrendsLocal Issues, Global Trends

Subsistence AgricultureSubsistence Agriculture

Product of land is consumed locallyProduct of land is consumed locally Only enough food grown to surviveOnly enough food grown to survive

Two typesTwo types Sedentary (in one place)Sedentary (in one place) Shifting cultivationShifting cultivation

Often damaging to environmentOften damaging to environment Slash and burnSlash and burn

Cash CropsCash Crops

Product of farms largely sold for export out Product of farms largely sold for export out of regionof region Family farmFamily farm Plantation systemPlantation system AgribusinessAgribusiness

Can result in a monocultureCan result in a monoculture One type of plant predominatingOne type of plant predominating Challenge to biodiversityChallenge to biodiversity

Think AboutThink About

How do we figure out what the best How do we figure out what the best agricultural land use is given agricultural land use is given competing crops?competing crops?

In particular, how close or far from a In particular, how close or far from a market center do we need to be?market center do we need to be?

Agricultural Land Agricultural Land UseUseVon ThVon Thüünen’s Modelnen’s Model

What’s the Issue?What’s the Issue?

Geographers are concerned with Geographers are concerned with space and distancespace and distance

How are various agricultural crops How are various agricultural crops distributed across space?distributed across space?

Johann Heinrich von Johann Heinrich von ThThüünennen 1783-18501783-1850 GermanGerman The Isolated StateThe Isolated State

(1826)(1826) Spatial EconomicsSpatial Economics

Economic RentEconomic Rent What one would be What one would be

willing to pay to be in a willing to pay to be in a particular locationparticular location

AssumptionsAssumptions

A featureless (isotropic) plainA featureless (isotropic) plain Central city in isolationCentral city in isolation Farmers transport goods to market by Farmers transport goods to market by

oxcart over landoxcart over land there are no roadsthere are no roads

Location will be a function of crop Location will be a function of crop value, costs of production and value, costs of production and distance to marketdistance to market

Bid RentBid Rent

R = Y(p-c) – YFmR = Y(p-c) – YFm

R = bid rentR = bid rent Y = crop yieldY = crop yield p = price of cropp = price of crop c = costs of productionc = costs of production F = Freight costsF = Freight costs m = mileage to marketm = mileage to market

Examples: Plot the LinesExamples: Plot the LinesR=Y(p-c)-YFmR=Y(p-c)-YFm

Per Y = 1, m = 1 - 5Per Y = 1, m = 1 - 5

PeppersPeppers p = $20p = $20 c = $10c = $10 F = $2F = $2

WheatWheat p = $16p = $16 c = $8c = $8 F = $1F = $1

Bid Rent CurvesBid Rent Curves

Land Use ZonesLand Use Zones

Land Use ZonesLand Use Zones