Chapter 10: Agriculture

Kelvin Li Chapter 10 Agriculture Outline

Agriculture- Chapter 10 Most foods sold at supermarkets are processed Few people in US and Canada are full time farmers Farming involves computers and advanced machinery LDCs consume the food produced while MDCs sell the food Farming varies due to climate, soil, and topography

Case Study- Wheat Farmers in Kansas and Pakistan The farmer in Pakistan use simple machines, hand labor, and animals to work The farmer in Kansas produces more grain, has a larger farm, and sells more grain The food grown in Pakistan is consumed in the local village, while the food grown in Kansas is sold throughout the US Key Issue 1- Where did agriculture originate? Agriculture originated through improvements in cultivating plants and domesticating animals The origins are not certain because it began before recorded history

Origins of Agriculture Agriculture is deliberate modification of Earths surface through cultivation of plants and rearing of animals to obtain sustenance or economic gain A crop is any plant cultivated by people

Hunters and Gathers Before agriculture, humans hunted animals and gathered plants Men hunted and fished, and women collected berries, nuts, and roots The group traveled frequently

Contemporary Hunting and Gathering Today a quarter-million people still hunt and gather for survival Most live in the Arctic and the interior of Africa, Australia, and South America

Invention of Agriculture Gatherers began to plant plants Thousands of years later, plant cultivation evolved from a combination of accident and deliberate experiment People may have began domestication of animals for pets or sacrifices

Two Types of Cultivation Vegetative planting is the reproduction of plants by directly cloning from existing plants, such as cut stems and dividing roots Seed agriculture is the reproduction of plants through the annual planting of plant seeds

Location of Agricultural Hearths Agriculture did not originate in one location, but from many hearths

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Location of Vegetative Planting Vegetative planting began in Southeast Asia Plants first cultivated include taro, yam, and tree crops Other hearths may have included West Africa and northwestern South America

Figure 10-1 Early centers of vegetative planting were northwestern South America, West Africa and South East Asia The practice spread from these hearths to other places

Location of First Seed Agriculture Seed agriculture hearths were western India, northern China, and Ethiopia Early advances were made in Southwest Asia and western India, including domestication of wheat and barley Inhabitants of Southwest Asia also integrated seed agriculture with domestication of herd animals

Diffusion of Seed Agriculture Seed agriculture diffused from Southwest Asia across Europe and through North Africa Seed agriculture diffused eastward from Southwest Asia to northwestern India Other seed hearths emerged in southern Mexico and northern Peru From the earliest times, people have produced food in distinctive ways in different regions

Classifying Agricultural Regions The most fundamental differences in agricultural practices are between LDCs and MDCs LDCs practice subsistence agriculture while MDCs practice commercial agriculture

Differences Between Subsistence and Commercial Agriculture Subs. agriculture: found in LDCs production of food primarily for consumption by the farmers family Comm. agriculture: found in MDCs is the production of food primarily for sale off the farm 5 principal features distinguish between comm. and subs.: Purpose of Farming, Percentage of farmers, Use of machinery, Farm size, relationship of farming to other businesses Figure 10-2 Hearths of seed agriculture include western India Northern China, Southern Mexico, Ethiopia, and northwestern South America Figure 10-3 High areas of primary sector workers are in Sub-Saharan Africa and China Low areas include U.S. and western Europe

Purpose of Farming In LDCs most food is grown for consumption and some is sold to Gov. or private firms.

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In MDCs livestock and crops are grown to be sold to food processing plants and farmers may have contracts Percentage of Farmers in the Labor Force In MDCs less then 10% of the workers are engaged in farming in LCDs more than 50% The number of farmers declined in MDCs in the 20th century due to push and pull migration forces People were pushed from farms by lack of opportunity to earn a decent income and pulled by higher paying urban jobs Figure 10-4 Farmers in MDCs possess machinery that helps them to farm extensive areas unlike LDCs where most farming is done by manual labor. Use of Machinery Traditionally the farmer or local craftspeople made wooden tools but by the 18th century factories were producing farm machinery Transportation improvements also helped comm. farmers railroads and highways and vehicles helped transport crops and livestock Scientific advancements such as fertilizer, herbicide, hybrid plants, animal breeds

Farm Size The average farm size is relatively large about 171 hectares (444 acres) in MDCs Large farms are partly a consequence of mechanization Although U.S. has fewer farms and farmers than in the 1900s the amount of land has increased primarily through irrigation and reclamation U.S. farmland began to decrease in 1960 because of expansion of urban areas Primary agricultural land: most productive farmland

Relationship of Farming to other Businesses Agribusiness: system of commercial farming found in MDCs Comm. farmers use modern technology and communications to keep track of prices, yield, and expenditures Around 20% of the U.S. labor force works in food production related to agribusiness Although most farms are owned by individual families many other aspects of agribusiness are controlled by large corporations Mapping Agricultural Regions Several attempts have been made to map comm. and subs agriculture but few show regional distributions Best attempt by Derwent Whittlesey in 1936, he identified 11 main agricultural regions plus area where agriculture is non existent His 11 districts are divided into 5 for LDCs and for MDCs Within the LDCs he sorted agricultural regions primarily by climate Climate influences what crop or animal is grown or raised

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Cultural preferences also affect regions with similar climates in what the grow and raise

Contemporary Geographic Tools- Protecting Farmland Loss of agricultural land is severe on the east coast of Maryland Farmland preservation efforts traditionally identify prime agricultural areas on the basis of soil quality Prime areas are usually flat and well drained which are qualities that attract housing developers Maps generated by GIS using soil quality, environmental and economic factors were used to decide which land should be preserved Key Issue 2- Where are agricultural regions in less developed countries? Types of agriculture in LCDs: shifting cultivation, pastoral nomadism, intensive subs., and plantation

Shifting Cultivation- Characteristics of Shifting Cultivation - The Process of Shifting Cultivation Is practiced in much of the worlds Humid Low-latitude which have relatively high temperatures and abundant rainfall It predominates in the Amazon, Central and West Africa, and Southeast Asia Shifting cultivation has 2 distinguishing characteristics: farmers use slash and burn agriculture and farmers grow crops on a field for a few years until the nutrients are depleted Each year villagers designate an area for growing crops around the settlement but before planting the must remove the dense vegetation The trees and undergrowth are removed and then carefully burned and there ashes provide nutrients for the soil cleared area is known as a swidden The land is then prepared by hand and crops are planted but it can only support the farming for a couple of years then the villagers change site letting the vegetation grow back in the old site Figure 10-5 (VERY IMPORTANT) Western Africa and Northern South America- shifting cultivation MDCs- Commercial Agriculture (Mixed crop and livestock, Dairy, Grain, Livestock ranching, Mediterranean, Commercial gardening); LDCs- Subsistence Agriculture (Shifting cultivation, Intensive subsistence, wet rice dominant/ wet rice not dominant, pastoral nomadism, Plantation) Intensive subsistence- Most of Asia Pastoral Nomadism- Northern Africa and Central Asia Europe- Mixed crop and livestock Middle East and Northern and Southern Africa- Dry climate South-east U.S.- Warm-Mid Latitude; places between 30 degrees North or South Latitude mostly have a Warm- Mid Latitude climate Humid Low-Latitude: northern half of South America, central Africa, and South-East Asia Cold Mid- Latitude: Canada, northern U.S., and Russia

Crops of Shifting Cultivation

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Kayapo people of Brazils Amazon plant in concentric rings. Plants that need most nutrients are on the outside Plant crops that they need for consumption, not for sale Farm field- single crop is grown extensively on land

Ownership and Use of Land in Shifting Cultivation Land is owned by village, not a resident Chief/ ruling council allocates areas of land to each family Shifting cultivation occupies 25% of worlds land area, less than 5% of people engage in shifting cultivation Shifting cultivation requires more land per person than any other form of agriculture

Future of Shifting Cultivation Land devoted to shifting cultivation is declining by .2% every year Being replaced by logging, cattle ranching, and cash crops Deforestation of Amazon has risen 7 million acres in the 90s to 8 million acres in the 2000s

Pastoral Nomadism- Characteristics of Pastoral Nomadism Based on herding of domesticated animals Pastoral- sheep herding Usually in dry climates where crops are impossible to grow 15 million are Pastoral nomads, but sparsely occupy about 20% of Earths land area Size of herd is a symbol of power

Choice of Animals Animals are chosen based on local cultural and physical characteristics Middle East and North Africa- camel, sheep and goats are desired Central Asia- horses Typical nomadic family needs 25 to 60 goats or sheep or 10 to 25 camels

Movements of Pastoral Nomads Do not wander randomly; have a strong sense of territoriality Amount of land a group controls depends on wealth and power Some practice transhumance Pasture- grass or other plants grown for feeding grazing animals

The Future of Pastoral Nomadism Recognized as an offshoot of sedentary agriculture Victim of modern technology, governments can control the nomads with weapons Efforts to resettle nomads has occurred in China, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Syria Intensive Subsistence Agriculture 3/4ths of worlds population live in LDCs

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Intensive subsistence agriculture- families must plant more and work harder on smaller land in order to feed their families Abundant labor, but not enough funds for equipment Waste no land

Figure 10-6 Most rice is produced in China, India, Southeast Asia, South America, and the U.S. Asian farmers grow more than 90% of worlds rice production China and India produce more than half Growing rice is done by manual labor

Intensive Subsistence with Wet Rice Dominant Wet rice- planting rice on dry land in a nursery and then moving the seedlings to a flooded field to promote growth Occupies small amount of Asias land, but is the regions most important food source Sawah- flooded field Europeans and North Americans call wet rice paddy

Intensive Subsistence with Wet Rice Not Dominant Wheat is main crop, then barley Crop rotation is utilized Communist governments decided to combine small fields into one in order to promote agricultural efficiency

Plantation Farming Plantation- large farm that specializes in one or two crops Usually cash crops Situated in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, but owned by Europeans, and North Americans

Key Issue 3- Where are agricultural regions in more developed countries? 6 types of commercial agriculture in MDCs: Mixed crop and livestock, Dairy, Grain, Livestock ranching, Mediterranean, Commercial gardening Depends on climate

Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming- Characteristics Most common form of commercial agriculture in western U.S., and in Europe Crops are fed to animals; manure is used to improve soil fertility Commercial farms devote almost all land to growing crops but get more than 3/4ths of its income from animal products Crops are usually sold around harvest time, livestock is sold year round

Crop Rotation Systems Crops are planned years in advance Every year a different crop is planted in the field

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In Northern Europe, cereal grains are planted in Field A, while Field B is left fallow that year, and vice-versa the next year Cereal grain- oats, wheat, rye, and barley

Choice of Crops In the U.S., mixed crop and livestock farmers select corn because of higher yields per area than other crops. Most corn is fed to pigs and cattle. Corn Belt - area extending from Ohio to the Dakotas that is the most important mixed crop and livestock-farming region. Soybeans have become the second most important crop

Dairy Farming Dairy farming is the most important commercial agricultural practice on farms near the large urban areas of the Northeastern United States, Southeast Canada, and Northwest Europe. With the rapid growth of cities in MDCs during the nineteenth century, demand for sale of milk to urban residents increased. The share of the worlds dairy farming conducted in LDCs has dramatically risen in recent years. India has become the largest milk producer.

Why dairy farms locate near urban areas Dairy farms must be closer to markets than other products because of high perishability. Milkshed - the ring surrounding a city from which milk can be supplied without spoiling. Improvements in transportation have permitted dairying to be under taken further from the market. Regional Differences in Dairy Products The choice of product varies within the U.S. dairy region depending on whether the farms are within the milkshed of a large urban area Farms further away from consumers are more likely produce milk for products that keep longer so they can be transported to the consumer Dairy farmers like comm. farmers usually do not sell there products directly to the consumers but to wholesalers who distribute it to retailers who then sell the milk to consumers Figure 10-7 The map depicts corn (maize) production in 2005. The U.S. accounts for forty percent of the worlds corn production. China is the second leading producer.

Figure 10-8 The map depicts milk production in 2005. MDCs have one-fourth of the worlds population but produce more than half of the worlds mil k.

Challenges for Dairy Farmers Dairy farmers face economic difficulties because of declining revenues and rising costs.

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Dairy farmers also face the expense of feeding cows in the winter, when they may be unable to graze on grass. The number of farms with milk cows declined in the U.S. by two-thirds between 1980 and 200

Grain Farming Grain - the seed from various grasses, like wheat, oats, barley, rice, millet, and others. It is distinguished from mixed crop and livestock farming because crops on grain farms are grown primarily for consumption by people not animals The most important crop grown is wheat, used to make bread flour. Wheat is grown to a considerable for international trade and it is the worlds leading export crop. The largest producer of wheat is the U.S. other large scale producers include Canada, Argentina, Australia, France, and the UK Winter-wheat belt - extends through Kansas, Colorado, and Oklahoma; is planted in the autumn and develops a strong root system before growth stops for the winter. Spring Wheat belt: the Dakotas, Montana, and the Southern part of Saskatchewan; spring wheat is plant in the spring and harvested in the late summer. Large scale grain production like other commercial farming venture in MDCs, is highly mechanized, conducted on large farms, and orientated to consumer preferences. Reaper - a machine that cuts grain standing in the field; invented in the 1830s. combine: machine that does reaping threshing and cleaning in one Because planting and harvesting in two regions occur at different times during the year the workload can be distributed throughout the whole year Figure 10-9 The map compares milk production and cheese production in the U.S. Cheese production is heavily clustered, while milk production is dispersed.

Figure 10-10 The map depicts wheat production in 2005. The U.S. sells the most wheat, and China produces the most wheat.

Livestock Ranching- Cattle Ranching in U.S. Popular Culture Prominence in Hollywood films and TV have helped draw attention to it. It played a crucial role in the history and settlement of the US. Actually did dominate commercial agriculture, but only for a short time (1867-1885)

Beginning of U.S. Cattle Ranching Columbus brought cattle to America on his second voyage. Living in the wild, cattle thrived and multiplied on the frontiers of North and South America. Immigrants from Spain and Portugal began ranching in America and taught settlers. Cattle ranching in the US expanded because of the demand for beef in East Coast cities.

Transporting Cattle to Market To reach Chicago, cattle were on hoof by cowboys over trails from TX to the nearest railhead.

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o (could take several hundred KM) Then they were put into cattle cars for the rest of the journey. The western terminus of the rail line reached Abilene, Kansas, in 1867. That year, Joseph G. McCoy launched a massive construction effort to provide Abilene with homes, shops, and stockyards. He later became the mayor. Gunfights, prostitution, gambling, and alcoholism were rampant until McCoy hired James B. Wild Bill Hickock to clean up the town. The terminus of the city moved farther west to Witchita, Caldwell, Dodge City, and other towns in Kansas took their turns as the main destination. Abilene became a ghost town but then became a prosperous market center. The most famous route from TX northward to the trail line was Chisholm Trail.

Fixed Location Ranching Cattle ranching declined in importance during the 1880s after coming into conflict with sedentary agriculture. Most early US ranchers adhered to The Code of the West although the system had no official legal status. Under the code, ranchers could graze on any open land and access scarce water sources and grasslands. Range Wars US government, which owned most of the land used for open grazing, began to sell it to farmers to grow crops, leaving ranchers with no legal claim to it. For a few years, ranchers tried to drive out farmers by cutting fences and then erecting their own fences on public land. This started the Range Wars The farmers best weapon was barbed wire, first commercially produced in 1873. Ranchers were eventually forced to lease or buy land to accommodate their cattle. Large ranches were primarily established on land that was too dry to support crops. Ironically, 60% of cattle grazing today take place on land leased by the government.

Changes in Cattle Breeding Changes in the predominant breed of cattle induced a switch from cattle drives to fixed location ranching. Longhorns were strong animals that survived long-distance travels and were first used by ranchers. However, they were susceptible to ticks and they were poor quality meat. New cattle breeds from Europe, like the old Hereford, were superior meat, but not as strong. Instead, crops had to be grown or purchased to feed them and required more water.

Figure 10-12 The Americas, India, parts of Western Europe/Russia are the primary producers of cattle. US, Brazil are heavy producers of cattle. Australia, S. Africa, Egypt, parts of Western Europe, and parts of Middle East produce sheep. China and Nigeria produce goats.

Ranching Outside the United States Ranching is rare in Europe except for Spain and Portugal.

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In S. America, large portions of the pampas of Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay are devoted to grazing cattle and sheep. Ranching has followed similar stages around the world. First was the herding of animals over open ranges. Then it transformed into fixed farming by dividing the open land into ranches. Mediterranean Agriculture Exists primarily on the lands that border the Mediterranean Sea in California, central Chile, the southwestern part of S. Africa, and the southwestern part of Australia. Every Mediterranean area borders the sea. They are on the west coasts of continents (except for those surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Livestock is hindered by lack of water in the summer and good grazing land. Most crops in Mediterranean are grown for human consumption rather than for animal feed. For the areas bordering the Mediterranean Sea, the two most important cash crops are grapes and olives. 2/3 of the worlds wine is produced in countries that border the Mediterranean Sea like Italy, Spain, and France. Half of the land is used for growing cereal, especially for wheat for pasta and bread. CA supplies most of the citrus fruits, nuts, and deciduous fruits consumed in the US.

Commercial Gardening and Fruit Farming Predominant type of agriculture in the US Southeast. This region has a long growing season and humid climate and is accessible to the larges market like NY, Philadelphia, WA, and other eastern US urban areas. This is called truck farming because truck used to mean barter. Truck farms grow many of the fruit and vegetables like apples, cherries, lettuce, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Some of this is sold fresh, but most become processed or canned. Truck farms are efficient large-scale operations that take advantage of machines. Truck farmers are willing to experiment with new varieties, seeds, and fertilizers. Labor costs are low due to immigrant labor. Farms tend to specialize in crops and dominate national output of some fruits and vegetables. Specialty farming has spread to New England.

Importance of Access to Markets The distance of a farm to the market influences a farmers choice of crop. The clearest example of this is diary farming because milks spoils quickly. Crops that can be shipped longer distances without spoiling are grown farther from the market.

Von Thnen Model Geographers use the Van Thunen Model to help explain the importance of proximity to market in the choice of crops on commercial farms.

Johann Heinrich von Thunen first proposed this model in 1826 in a book titled The Isolated State. Says that a farmer initially considers which crops to cultivate and which animals to rise based on market location.

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In choosing an enterprise, a farmer compares 2 costs- cost of land vs. cost of transportation. First, a farmer identifies a crop that can be sold for more than the land cost. A farmer will not necessarily plant a crop that sells for the highest price per hectare. The choice also depends on the distance the land to the central market city. Distance is critical because of transportation costs. 1. Gross profit from sale of wheat grown on 1 hectare of land NOT including transportation costsa. Wheat can be grown for $.25 per kilo. b. Yield per hectare of wheat is 1000 kilos. b. Gross profit is $250 2. Net profit from sale of wheat grown on 1 hectare of land including transportation costsa. Cost of transporting 1000 kilos of wheat to the market is $62.50 km. b. Net profit from the sale of 1000 kilos of wheat grown on a farm located 1 km from the market is $187.50 c. Net profit from a 4 km away farm is $0.

This example shows that a farmer would make profit growing wheat less than 4km away from the market, but beyond 4 is not profitable. Model shows that a commercial farmer must combine 2 sets of monetary values to determine the most profitable crop: the value of the crop and costs of transportation.

Figure 10-13 According to Von Thunen model, the absence of topographical factors and different types of farming are conducted at different distances from the city (depending on distance and transportation costs). Thunen knew that his model would be modified by site factors such as rivers.

Application of Von Thnen Model Von Thunen bases his model of spatial arrangement of different crops on experience as owner of estate in northern Germany. Found that specific crops were grown in different rings around cities; market-oriented gardens and milk producers were located in first ring out from city; these are expensive and must reach city quickly because they are perishable. Next ring is wood lots, where timber is cut for construction and fuel; closeness to city is because of weight. Next rings are used for various crops and for pasture; specific commodity rotated from year to year. The outermost ring was devoted to animal grazing, requires lot of space. In this model, site and human factors were not considered, assumed that land was equal, uniform. Also failed to consider social customs and government policies that influence attractiveness of plants and animals for commercial farmers. Key Issue 4- Why do farmers face economic difficulties?

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Commercial and subsistence farmers face similar challenges; in both regions, they have difficulty generating enough income to continue farming. Underlying reasons are different; commercial farmers produce a surplus of food, subsistence farmers produce only enough to survive. Challenges for Commercial Farmers Because commercial farmers figured out how to produce large quantities of food, they face low prices for their output. Commercial subsidies help prop up farm income for this. Many believe the future health of commercial farming rests with embracing more sustainable practices. Sustainable Agriculture Some commercial farmers are converting to sustainable agriculture, an agricultural practice that preserves and enhances environmental quality. These farmers generate lower revenues than conventional farmers, but have lower costs. Increasingly popular form of sustainable agriculture is organic farming; some rely on nonsustainable practices such as use of fossil fuels to operate tractors. About 0.2% of U.S. farmland was certified organic in 2003, including 4% of apple orchards and 4% of lettuce fields; 0.4% of wheat fields, 0.2% of soybeans, 0.1% of cornfields. Worldwide- 0.23% classified as organic in 2006; 0.4% in MDCs, 0.2% in LDCs, Australia is leader with 2.7% of farmland. Sensitive Land Management Sustainable agriculture protects soil through ridge tillage, which is system of planting crops on ridge tops, about 10 to 20 centimeters high that are formed during cultivation or after harvest; leads to lower production costs and greater soil conservation. The crop is planted on the same ridges, same rows, year after year. Production costs are lower because it requires less investment in tractors and other machinery than conventional planting. Conventional would use two to three tractors, ridges use one or two. Primary tool is row-crop cultivator that forms ridges; no need for a plow or field cultivator With ridge tillage, space between rows needs to match distance between wheels of till; if 75 cm (30 in) are left between rows, tractors tires will be 150 cm (60 in), combine wheels on 300 cm. Features minimum of soil disturbance from harvest to next planting. A compaction-free zone is created under each ridge and in some row middles. Keeping trafficked areas separate from crop-growing areas improves soil properties; increased organic matter, greater water holding capacity, and better drainage from decaying roots. Limited Use of Chemicals In conventional farming, seeds are often genetically modified to survive when herbicides and insecticides are sprayed on fields to kill weeds and insects; known as Roundup -Ready seeds. Seeds were planted in 80% of all soybean acreage, 54% of cotton acreage, 12% of corn in U.S. Aside from adverse impacts on soil and water quality, use of seeds is causing some weeds to become resistant to herbicide.

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Sustainable agriculture uses limited, if any, herbicides to control weeds; with extra time and expense, farmers can control weeds without chemicals by combining weed control with some chemical yields, produce higher returns per acre than just one of the two methods. Ridge tilling also promotes fewer chemicals, but only for ridges, not entire field.

Challenges for Subsistence Farmers Influence the choice of crops planted by subsistence farmers; first, because of rapid population growth in LDCs, must feed an increasing number of people; second, because of adopting international trade approach to development, must grow food for export instead of direct consumption. Subsistence Farming and Population Growth Boserups thesis says population growth compels subsistence farmers to consider new farming approaches that produce enough food to take care of the additional people; explains why population growth influences the distribution of types of subsistence farming. For hundreds of years, subsistence farming in LDCs yielded enough food for rural villages to survive, assuming no natural disaster; but in late 20th century, LDCs needed to provide enough food for rapidly growing population and growing number of urban residents who cant grow food. According to Boserup, subsistence farmers increase supply of food through intensification of production, in two ways; first, land is left fallow for shorter periods, resulting in expansion of land devoted to farming at any given time; five basic stages. Forest Fallow: fields are cleared and utilized for up to 2 years and left fallow for more than 20 years, long enough for forest to grow back. Bush Fallow: cleared and utilized for up to 8 years and left fallow for up to 10 years, long enough for small trees and bushes to grow back. Short Fallow: cleared and utilized for perhaps 2 years and left fallow for up to 2 years, long enough for wild grasses to grow back. Annual Cropping: fields used every year and left fallow for a few months by planting legumes and roots. Multi-cropping: fields used several times a year and never left fallow. Contrast shifting cultivation in low population density, like central Africa, with intensive subsistence agriculture in high population density. Shifting cultivation involves cleared fields for a couple years then left fallow for 20 years or more; supports small population living at low density. As population density increases, more food must be grown and fields will be left fallow for less time and eventually farmers achieve very intensive farming. The second way subsistence farmers intensify production is through adopting new farming methods. Ploughs replace axes and sticks; more weeding; more manure is applied; more terraces carved out on hillsides; more irrigation ditches. More crops yielded but same output per person because of larger population.

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Subsistence Farming and International Trade To acquire the needed supplies to produce higher production like higher-yield seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and machinery, farmers sell crops to MDCs. Consumers in MDCs pay high price for crops that are out of season in their climates. In most LDCs, the women provide subsistence farming to produce for the families, and the men work for wages, either growing crops for export or working in other cities in other countries. But in many of those countries, men do not send the money back for their families, many women try to provide by making crafts. However, with more people farming for export, little crops for domestic consumption is grown. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Drug Crops Many export crops in LDCs, especially in Latin America and Asia, are drug crops. Marijuana, the leading drug, is estimated to be used by 140 million people worldwide; cocaine by 13 million; heroine by 8 million. In 1998, incomes of 4 million in Latin America dependent on cultivation of opium poppy, which is used to make Heroin, or coca leaf. 60% of opium poppy is in Golden Triangle- center in Myanmar, goes to Laos, Thailand, Vietnam. Coca leaf (cocaine) grown in South America, mostly in Bolivia, Columbia, and Peru, account for 98%. 7. Marijuana, made from Cannabis sativa, is made around the world, but marijuana in U.S. is from Mexico. This plants cultivation is not growing, but opium poppy and coca leaf are. Strategies to Increase Food Supply Expand land area used for agriculture. Increase the productivity of land now used for agriculture. Identify new food sources. Increase exports from other countries.

Increase Food Supply by Expanding Land Area for Agricultural Use During 18th and 19th century, people would go to uninhabited land and farm more. Recently, population has grown faster than agriculture. Only 11% is farmed in the world. In some regions, farmland is abandoned from lack of water and desertification, human actions causing land to deteriorate to a desert-like condition. Estimated that 5 million acres have been degraded worldwide, 34% from over-grazing, 30% from deforestation, 28% from agricultural use. 10% of irrigated land may be waterlogged, when inadequate drainage causes underground water level to rise and clog the roots. Salty water will damage the plants. Urbanization reduces agricultural land, with more urban areas, farms in periphery are replaced by homes, roads, shops. Figure 10-14 The most severe problems of desertification are found in Northern Africa, central Australia, and the southwestern parts of Africa, Asia, North America, and South America.

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Other places such as India, northeastern South America, and Southern Africa, and Spain are also hazardous Although most of Africa is arid or severely decertified, central Africa is non arid.

Increase Food Supply Through Higher Productivity Population began to rise faster than agricultural land expanded during the 1960s, especially in LDCs. Massive worldwide famine was estimated to strike, but never did so because began using new agricultural practices which permitted them to achieve much greater yields from the same amount of land. Green revolution- the invention and rapid diffusion of more productive agricultural techniques during the 1970s and 1980s. Involves two steps: the introduction of new higher-yield seeds and the expanded use of fertilizers. People have worked to develop miracle seeds that are less sensitive to variations in day lengths, respond better to fertilizers, and mature quicker New miracle seeds were developed and distributed around the world. Much higher productivity rate. Indias wheat production more than doubled in five years. To take full advantage of the new miracle seeds, farmers must use more fertilizer and machinery Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous are important nutrients in fertilizers. farmers need tractors, irrigation pumps, and other machinery to make the most of the miracle seeds LDCs must subsidize the costs of seeds, fertilizers and machinery in order to be able to afford fuel and equipment Green revolution did not stop with the miracle seeds

Increase Food Supply by Identifying New Food Sources A third alternative for increasing the worlds food supply is to develop new food sources. Three strategies being considered are to cultivate the oceans, to develop higher-protein cereals, and to improve palatability of rarely consumed foods. Cultivate Oceans The ocean covers nearly three-fourths of the worlds surface and is located to most population concentrations, however produces a very low percentage of the food consumed in the world Annual fish catch increased from 22 million tons to 100 million tons, but many species of fish are being caught faster than they can reproduce Fishing restrictions have been passed by many countries Countries have claimed control of a 200 nautical mile radius around the country for the right to seize foreign fishing vessels that venture into their so-called exclusive economic zone Develop Higher-Protein Cereals People in MDCs obtain protein through consuming wheat, while people in LDCs obtain protein through consuming wheat, corn, and rice, which still lack some proteins People can obtain nutrients through food processed with vitamins, minerals, and protein-carrying amino acids, but this is limited in LDCs where most people grow their own food rather than buy processed foods

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Improve Palatability of Rarely Consumed Foods To fulfill basic nutritional needs, people consume types of food adapted to their community;s climate, soil, and other physical characteristics. Food selection is also affected by religion, food taboos, social reasons, and other social customs that are unrelated to nutritional and environmental factors. Increase Food Supply by Increasing Exports from Other Countries 3 top export grains are corn (maize), rice, and wheat Many continents became major grain importers after World War 2 By 1980, North America was the only major exporting region in the world U.S. passed the Public Law 480, the Agricultural, Trade, and Assistance Act of 1954 that provided for the sale of grain at a low interest rates and gave grants to needy groups of people. U.S. remains the number one exporter of grains, accounting for one-third of the three leading grains, one-half of maize, and one-fourth of all wheat exports Japan is by far the number one maize importing country China is the leading wheat importer Middle East is the number one grain importer in the world

Africas Food-Supply Crisis Some countries that have previously depended on imported grain have recently become selfsufficient and has reduced the dependency on imports. this is due to the green revolution As long as population growth continues to decline and agricultural productivity continues to increase, Asia will be able to distribute its resources evenly among the population Sub-Saharan Africa is unable to balance between resources and its population. it doesnt have enough resources to support its population Grain production in Africa has tripled, whereas population has increased by more than sixfold Farmers over planted, exhausting soil nutrients, and reduced fallow time, during which unplanted fields can recover. Figure 10-15 Most countries import more food than they export U.S. has by far the largest amount of exports compared to imports Western Europeans are among the leading exporters, but are also among the leading imports.

Figure 10-16 Food production grew faster than population until the 1970s when food production fell behind population growth Figure 10-17 1/3 of Africans and one-sixth of all people in the world are malnourished Percentage of people in all parts of the world that are malnourished have gone down except for the Middle East Overall malnourishment has gone down

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Figure 10-18 The Sahel, which lies south of the dry lands of the Sahara, faces severe food-supply problems, as does the Horn of Africa Case Study Revisited- Uncertain Future for Farming The future is uncertain for subsistence farmers in LDCs and commercial farmers in MDCs. Farmers are not happy with their income because it cannot support the standard of living farm families desire. in LDCs people move from the farms to the cities in search of higher paying jobs and a better life. Farmers move from the farms to cities in MDCs too, however they are missed. Small farming communities in the US are dying. Farm communities are suffering because most of the emigrants are young. For every five farmers that leave a community, on business closes in a small town.