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