3/12/2015

Pre-historic era

Utilization of
human labour,
Influence of animals,
lifestyles machines,
information and
BIotechnology
Transformation
of Agriculture

Values,
customs and
Influence of
taboos in

Transformation of Agriculture religion on

agriculture
traditional &
modern
agriculture

Learning outcomes
Before
• Describe the evolution of agriculture agriculture,
people
• Distinguish the different values and
lived by
cultures in agriculture hunting
wild
animals.

Wood gatherer
Food gatherer

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When the herds migrated

elsewhere, people had to
follow them and often
discover a whole new set of
plants to supplement their
diet.

Transition from Hunter-Gathering to Reason for introduction of farming

Agriculture
–Climate change
* suitable for planting.

–Social reasons
* when population pressure forces
them to acquire more food on
available space.

Agriculture Time Agriculture contributes to the

Human started farming during pre- development of civilization
historic era
• Western Asia – Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Israel,
Jordan and Syria
Wild rye • Nile Valley
Barley • Europe (Danube river valley and
Wheat Macedonia)
Peas • Indus valley of India-Pakistan
Beans • Yellow and Yangtze River valleys of China
• Tehuacan valley of Central Mexico

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Prehistoric Era Stone age

(>1 millions years ago)

Three-age System
–Stone Age Bronze age
–Bronze Age (3200-1200BC)
–Iron Age

Iron age
(1200-500BC)

Why farming? Agriculture in middle ages

• 500-1500 A.D.
• Key factors of evolution:
1. Irrigation system
2. Scientific approach
3. Incentives
4. New crop species & cultivation techniques
derived from research
• Beginning of agribusiness concept

Agriculture activities
in the Middle Ages
(Picture source:
http://sfs.scnu.edu.cn/hhzhang/webcou
rse1/kcln/7/4.htm)

Animals power were used to turn New crops, plant varieties The grafting process
a wheel to lift water during the and cultivation technique (Picture source: http://www.grit.com/Hand-
Tools/Tools-of-the-Grafting-Trade.aspx )
Middle Ages were introduced in the
(Picture source:
http://medievaljames.blogspot.com/2011/01/lifting-weights-like- middle ages
romans.html)

Fossa Carolina in Europe is the first artificial

canal constructed during the Middle Ages
(Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossa_Carolina)

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Modern agricultural Modern agriculture started in

1950s
transformation (Picture source:
http://blogwithmrsking.blogspot.com/2010/04/1950s-
california-agricultural-economy.html)

• Started in 1950s.
• Characteristics:
1. Yield per land unit increased.
2. Improvement in agricultural practices.
3. Rapid rise in mechanization. Modern agriculture use machinery
4. Higher quantity and quality of production. like tractor to plough the
agriculture field
(Picture source:
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/History_of_a
griculture/)

Transformation in Utilization of
human labour, animals, machines, Nomadic
agric.
information and biotechnology

• IT
Values
• Remote

Labour
• Family
members Machine • ↓ burden Technolo
sensing,
precision
Custom
s • ↑ efficiency gy
• Animals farming
• Genetic
engineering
Taboo
Modern Traditional
agric. agric.

Guess
Kung fu ??
Techniques developed in
Nomadic agriculture For fighting wild
animals??

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Pray for what?

Magic for everything??

• To Roman Agricultural God

ensure
Ceres
their
Diana
safety
Mithras
and the
Neptune
success
Ops
of the
Saturn
hunt.

Ceres (R) / Demeter (G) Diana (R)/Artemis (G)

Goddess of Agriculture Goddess of Hunt

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Mithras (R)/Mithra (P) Neptune / Poseidon

God of Sun God of Sea

Ops / Rhea Saturn/ Cronus

God of the Wealth God of Sowing
of the Harvest

Nomadic agriculture
• Swidden agriculture or Slash & Burn.
• Still in Asia (Sarawak & Indonesia), Africa and Latin
Slash

Burn

America.
• Characteristic:
1. Short term (beans, root crops, maize, hill paddy)
2. Virgin soil or hill slopes
3. Customs & taboos
4. Poor yield
5. Minimal fertilizer
6. Disrupt ecosystem – flood, erosion
7. Biodiversity lost through clearing

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Traditional agriculture
• Still in 3rd would countries (Africa, Asia and Latin
America).
• Characteristics:
1. Ecosystem fully utilized & waste recycled.
2. Food production = art & craft. Knowledge and skills are handed
orally from generation to generation.
3. Food is for survival, enough & sustainable.
4. No machine.
5. Control of pests & diseases by cultural means.
6. Natural resources (rain, natural enemies) capitalized.
7. Organic husbandry
8. Native varieties

Modern agriculture
• Characteristics:
1. Intensive and mass production
2. Extensive use of machinery & electronics
(land preparation to harvesting)
3. Extensive use of chemicals (fertilizers &
pesticides)
4. Use of high yielding varieties
5. Knowledgeable & skillful workers
6. Industrial approach & efficient management
7. No custom nor taboos.

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Influence of religion & lifestyle

We are hungry?
• Religions

• Lifestyle:
– Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Convocation
– Souvenirs
– Pets
– Knowledgeable consumer

Next lecture

How to help?
1.Green Revolution
2.Blue Revolution