Chapter 10: Agriculture. Key Issue #1 & #2

Transcription

1 Chapter 10: Agriculture Key Issue #1 & #2

2 KEY ISSUE #1 Where Did Agriculture Originate?

3 Before Agriculture Began long before recorded history! Agriculture: deliberate modification of Earth s surface through cultivation of plants and rearing of animals. Crops: any plant cultivated by people. Cultivate = to care for Hunters & Gatherers came before agriculture Women gathered/men hunted Small groups /tribes communicated Frequent movement./nomandic 250K left in world today Spinifex Australi Bushman Botswana/Namibia

4 Agricultural Revolutions First Ag. Revolution Domestication of plants (seed ag. and vegetative planting) around 10,000 years ago. Animal Husbandry- practice of breeding and raising livestock Columbian Exchange exchange of crops after discovery of New World 2nd Ag. Revolution- Coincided w/ Industrial Revolution. -When was this? -Advancements in farm technology (steel plow, cotton gin, McCormick Reaper (grain) -Advancements in transportation (steam ships, trains, refrigerated trucks) 3 rd Ag. Revolution (Late 20 th Century) -Use of chemical, biotechnology, and genetic engineering to increase ag. Productivity and expand food production (especially in LDCs) -Green Revolution introduction of hybrid ag. To increase food production in LDCs -Rice miracle seeds introduced to Philippines and India

5 Agricultural Origins Geographers agree that agriculture began in multiple hearths around the world. They disagree on when agriculture originated, diffused, and why Earliest crops barley & wheat, lentils & olives 10,000 yrs. ago Diffused to Europe & Central Asia Millet and rice from Sub-Saharan Africa in separate hearth from East Asia. Central Asia crops diffused further south to Africa

6 Hunter Gathers to Early Farmers? TURN & TALK

7 Latin America & North America Crops 2 important hearths from L. A. Mexico beans & cotton Peru potato N.A. hearth southeast U.S./Mexico - Squash Corn (most important) Maize/Corn 2 separate hearths Diffused north to NA and south to tropical SA

8 Animal Domestication SW Asia largest # for agriculture Cattle, pigs, goats, & sheep 8,000/9,000 yrs. ago Dogs- 12,000 yrs. ago Central Asia Horse diffusion matches spread of Indo-European language Southwest Asia Animals used to prepare the land for crops Fundamental element of modern agriculture

9 Origin Theories Environmental or Cultural Factors (probably both ) Environmental climate change Cultural live in fixed area Different practices around the globe = Produce foods in distinctive ways diverse vegetation, climate, and cultural preferences Improved communication leads to diffusion of plants/animals

10 Differences in Agriculture Fundamental differences between: MDCs / LDCs Commercial vs. Subsistence Agriculture Commercial = production of food for sale off the farm Subsistence = production of food mostly for consumption by farmer s family 1. Purpose of farming 2. % of farmers in the labor force 3. Use of machinery 4. Farm size 5. Relationship of farming to other business

11 Pair & Share 1. Purpose of farming 2. % of farmers in the labor force 3. Use of machinery 4. Farm size 5. Relationship of farming to other business

12 Derwent Whittlesey / Climates Geographer working in main agricultural regions plus 1 area agriculture non-existent 5 important to LDCs 6 important to MDCs Strong correlation btwn climate & agriculture Dry climate Pastoral nomadism (Middle East) Tropical climate Shifting cultivation (central Africa) Dry climate Ranching (western U.S.) Warm-Midlatitude Intensive subsistence/wet rice (SE China) Cold-Midlatitude Intensive subsistence (no wet rice) NE China

13 Agricultural Regions

14 Factors Affecting Agriculture NOT CLIMATE ONLY Say No To environmental determinism Cultural preferences explain differences in similar climate Hog production low in Muslim regions Africa & Asia low producer of wine = Religious TABOOS Commercial Farmers Sell Products food-processing co. Large processors Kraft/General Mills make contracts w/ farmers Farmers: MDCs 5% vs. LDCs 50%

15 Decline of Farmers in MDCs? Use of machinery tractors/combines, better transportation railroads scientific advances higher yield electronics - GPS

16 Farmland MDCs larger farms U.S. avg. 449 acres. Most farms family owned & operated - 98% U.S. Expand by renting fields Size due to mechanization expensive to run LDCs smaller farms subsistence Fewer farmers, but amt. of agriculture increased 60% fewer farms /85% fewer farmers than 1900, but 13% MORE farmland U.S. losing prime farmland to urbanization Agribusiness = farming integrated into food production industry farmers tied into prices, yields, expenditures. 20% work in food production and services related to farming processing/packaging /retailing & storing

17 KEY ISSUE #2 Where Are Agricultural Regions in LDCs?

18 Agricultural Characteristics LDCS 4 Agricultural Types /Characteristics Shifting Cultivation Pastoral Nomadism Intensive Subsistence Agriculture Plantation Farming

19 Shifting Cultivation Humid Low-Latitude (A) Abundant rainfall and high temps 250 mil people across 14 mil sq. mi. Esp. in tropical rainforests SA - Brazil Central & West Africa - Gambia SE Asia Sumatra, Borneo 2 characteristics of shifting cultivation Land cleared for farming by cutting and burning debris Slash & Burn Grow on field few years/ leave fallow long period

20 Shifting Cultivation Cleared Land = Swidden/ Lading/ Milpa/ Chena, etc. Potash (potassium) from burned debris Supports crops only 3 years - left w/out crop for many years to recover move on to new area. S.E. Asia upland rice S. America maize, manioc Africa millet, yams Kayapo arrange crops in concentric circles planted this way to give nutrients to the soil.

21 Shifting Cultivation Land was owned by village plots given to villagers Moving to individual ownership esp. Latin America Uses ¼ of world s land only 5% participate in it uses lots of land to feed few people Preliminary step in economic development Reduces amount of rainforest should be replaced by more sophisticated means of agriculture Logging, cattle ranching, cash crops

22 Rain Forest Protection Defense of Shifting Cultivation: Best suited to Tropical Climate - environmentally Protects forests/soil nutrients Fertilizers, Clearing, Pesticides detrimental to environment MDCs trying to convince LDCs not to destroy all rain forests. Forgave Bolivia $650,000 debt for setting aside 3.7 million acres rain forest. Brazil rain forest disappearing deforestation increased by 1 million acres from 1990s to 2011

23 THINK ABOUT??? What are the problems of shifting cultivation?

24 Pastoral Nomadism Bedouins Form of subsistence agriculture based on the herding of domestic animals Dry climates Central & Southwest Asia/ North Africa Bedouins and Masai 15 million / 20% of Earth s surface Nomads depend primarily on their animals milk, skins, hair used for shelter, clothing, tents. Mostly eat grains don t slaughter animals Masai

25 Pastoral Nomadism - Animals Camels +s Can go w/o water for long periods Carry heavy bags/ move rapidly Camels s Get sleeping sickness/ bothered by flies Goats +s Tough and agile, Can survive on any vegetation Goats s Need more water than camels Sheep s Slow moving / affected by climate change Require more water & more selective about what they will eat. Typical family needs goats or sheep / 10 to 25 camels

26 Pastoral Nomadism - Movement Each group controls a piece of territory Migration patterns - routes chosen for likely water sources/climate conditions Transhumance a practice of seasonal migration of livestock between mountains. and low lying pastures areas. Pasture grass or other plants grown for feeding grazing animals and land used for grazing

27 Nomadism in Decline Pastoral nomadism is now considered a branch off of sedentary agriculture. A practical way of surviving on land with too little rain. Declining due to technology and communication Land desired due to raw materials/ sedentary farming China, Kazakhstan, Israel, and Saudi Arabia Mining / Petroleum

28 Intensive Subsistence Farming East, South, & So. E. Asia Labor intensive form of farming Sawah vs. Paddy Wet rice = practice of planting rice on dry land in a nursery and then moving the seedlings to a flooded field to promote growth So. E. China, East India, So. E Asia Relatively small percentage of land, but regions most important source of food.

29 More Rice Chaff = husks covering rice Heads are threshed Threshed rice is winnowed lighter chaff blown away by wind Hull = outer covering removed by mortar and pestle if consumed by farmer Whitened and polished for commercial Flat land due to flooded field river valleys and deltas Pressure of pop growth has taken land in East Asia now grow on terraced river areas

30 Chinese Farming Double cropping = Used in parts of Asia to get more use from land by growing two crops per year. S. China/Taiwan rice - wet summer months wheat or barley - drier season. Private individuals didn t own much land in China grouped into agricultural communes Wanted to promote agricultural efficiency and increase productivity Less productivity because people didn t work as hard when didn t own land

31 Think About?? China dismantled communes and gave villagers right to farm land as individuals Difficult reorganizations due to commune set up but productivity increased

32 Plantations Tropics /Subtropics esp. Latin America in LDCs sell to MDCs Owned by NA and Europeans Plantation = large farm that specializes in one or two crops Most important crops sugarcane, coffee, cotton - different crops different regions Workers imported provided w/ food, housing, etc. Try to spread work evenly use labor efficiently Civil War plantation decline