‭Ch.

9 Food and Agriculture‬

‭Key Issue 3 Where IS Agriculture Distributed?‬
‭Rubenstein, p.316-331‬

‭I. AGRICULTURAL REGIONS AND CLIMATE‬

‭1.‬ a‭ . Geographer‬‭Derwent Whittlesey‬‭(1936) created an‬‭agricultural map of the world that is still‬
‭widely used today. His map contained 11 agricultural zones:‬

‭- 5 are found among developing countries:‬ ‭- 6 are found among developed countries:‬
‭pastoral nomadism‬ ‭mixed crop & livestock‬
‭shifting cultivation‬ ‭dairy‬
‭intensive subsistence, wet rice dominant‬ ‭grain‬
‭intensive subsistence, wet rice not dominant‬ ‭livestock ranching‬
‭plantation‬ ‭Mediterranean‬
‭commercial gardening‬

c‭ . While there is a correlation between the agricultural map and a world map of‬‭climate‬‭regions,‬
‭differences in‬‭cultural preferences‬‭and‬‭levels of‬‭development‬‭also explain agricultural differences‬‭in‬
‭areas of similar climate. (Viewing climate as the sole factor in what a region cultivates would be an‬
‭example of‬‭environmental determinism (‬‭which most geographers‬‭reject.)‬

‭2.‬ I‭n Figures 9-13 & 9-14, do the agricultural regions match the climate regions more closely in the‬
‭developed regions or developing regions? Why do you think this might be the case?‬

T‭ he agricultural regions match climate regions more closely in the developing regions - for example‬
‭Pastoral Nomadism is predominant in Southwest Asia & North Africa (dry) and shifting cultivation is‬
‭predominant in Sub-Saharan Africa (tropical)‬

‭II. SUBSISTENCE AGRICULTURE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES – 5 regions/practices‬

‭3.‬ ‭What percent of the world’s population today survive by hunting and gathering?‬

‭less than 0.005%‬

‭PASTORAL NOMADISM‬
‭a. Define‬‭pastoral nomadism‬‭:‬‭a form of subsistence‬ ‭agriculture based on the herding of‬
‭domesticated animals in dry climates, where planting crops is impossible‬

‭b.‬ ‭Found in‬‭dry‬‭climates because:‬‭planting crops is impossible‬‭in this climate‬

‭c.‬ ‭How do pastoral nomads obtain grain?‬‭They raise crops‬‭or trade animal products for grains‬

‭d.‬ ‭What animals are chosen and why?‬

‭-‬ ‭Camels - well suited to arid climates as they can go a long time without water, carry‬
‭heavy baggage and move quickly.‬
‭-‬ ‭Goats - tough and agile and can survive any vegetation‬
‭-‬ ‭Sheep - slower and need more water than the others. More selective about what plants‬
‭they will eat‬
 ‭e.‬ D
‭ escribe territoriality among pastoral nomads -‬‭Every‬‭group has their own territory and will only‬
‭invade another person’s territory in an emergency. Each group controls a territory large enough‬
‭to contain the forage and water needed for survival. The amount of land they have is dependent‬
‭on wealth and power.‬

‭f.‬ D
‭ escribe the practice of‬‭transhumance‬‭. -‬‭the seasonal‬‭migration of livestock between mountains‬
‭and lowland pasture areas. May pasture in meadows in summer and be herded back to the‬
‭valleys for winter pasture.‬

‭g.‬ I‭dentify reasons pastoral nomadism is declining in practice.‬‭mostly due to modern technology.‬
‭governments can force pastoral nomads to give up their the land because they want the land for‬
‭other uses‬

‭SHIFTING CULTIVATION (also called‬‭SLASH-AND-BURN‬‭)‬

‭a. Found in‬‭tropical‬‭climates with (2 characteristics):‬‭high temperature and abundant rainfall‬

‭b. Identify the two hallmark characteristics of the technique of shifting cultivation.‬
‭farmers clear the land for planting by slashin vegetation and burning the debris‬
‭farmers grow crops on a cleared field only for a few years, until the nutrients in soil are‬
‭depleted. They then leave it empty for many years so the soil can recover‬

‭c.‬ W
‭ hat is‬‭swidden‬‭and how long are they used?‬‭The cleared‬‭area is prepared by hand with a hoe.‬
‭Can only support crops less than 3 years‬

‭d.‬ W
‭ hat is‬‭potash?‬‭The potassium that is left from burning‬‭the debris is used as fertilizer in‬
‭swiddens‬

‭e.‬ I‭n terms of organization, how does the practice of shifting cultivation differ from practices in‬
‭developed countries?‬

‭f.‬ H
‭ ow is land owned in a typical village that practices shifting cultivation? Recent changes?‬
‭Traditionally land was owned by a village. Today private individuals now own the land - especially‬
‭Latin America‬

‭g.‬ W‭ hat percentage of the world’s land area is devoted to shifting cultivation? What percentage of‬
‭the world’s people work it? What do these figures illustrate about shifting cultivation?‬
‭Less than 5%‬

‭Describe the pros and cons of shifting cultivation.‬

‭PROS (Arguments against replacing shifting cultivation)‬ ‭CONS (How is shifting cultivation being replaced?)‬
‭PLANTATION FARMING‬
‭a.‬ ‭Define‬‭plantation farming‬‭:‬‭a large farm that specializes‬‭in the production of one or two crops for‬
‭sale. Usually sold to developed countries.‬

‭b.‬ F‭ ound in the tropics and subtropics regions, especially in‬‭Latin America, Africa, Asia‬
‭though often owned by‬‭Europeans and North Americans‬

‭c.‬ ‭Typical crops:‬‭cotton, sugarcane, coffee, rubber,‬‭tobacco‬

‭Define and take notes on‬‭intensive subsistence agriculture‬‭:‬

‭●‬ ‭farmers must work intensively to subsist on a small parcel of land‬
‭●‬ ‭mostly in developing countries (¾ of the world)‬
‭●‬ ‭this form of agriculture feeds most people in the developing world‬
‭●‬ ‭most widely practiced form of agriculture in East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia‬
‭●‬ ‭families must produce enough food for their survival from a small piece of land as there is a high‬
‭ratio of farmers to arable land‬
‭●‬ ‭intensive wet-rice farming is the dominant type of agriculture in Southeastern China, East India‬
‭and much of Southeast Asia‬

‭What is‬‭double cropping‬‭? Examples?‬‭Harvest occurs‬‭twice a year from the same crop.‬

‭INTENSIVE SUBSISTENCE, WET-RICE DOMINANT‬

‭a.‬ ‭Define‬‭wet rice‬‭:‬‭the cultivation of rice by planting‬‭on a dry field and then moved as a seedling to‬
‭a flooded field‬

‭b.‬ ‭Where commonly practiced?‬‭Southeastern China, East‬‭India, Southeast Asia‬

‭c.‬ ‭Identify the stages of the time-consuming process shown in the pictures below:‬

‭ reparing‬
P
‭the field‬

F‭ looding‬
‭the field‬ ‭Sawah‬‭- name given to a flooded field‬‭in Indonesia‬

‭Paddy‬‭- Malay word for wet rice - also term‬‭increasingly used to‬
‭describe a flooded field‬

t‭ ransplanting‬
‭plants‬

‭Harvesting‬
‭INTENSIVE SUBSISTENCE, WET RICE NOT DOMINANT‬

‭a.‬ W
‭ here practiced and why?‬‭in areas of Asia where the‬‭climate does not allow for wet-rice‬
‭farming. These areas have harsh winters and summer precipitation is low. (interior of India and‬
‭Northeastern China)‬

‭b.‬ ‭Common crops:‬‭wheat, barley, millet, oats, corn, sorghum,‬‭soybeans‬

‭c.‬ ‭Define‬‭cash crops‬‭: crops grown to be sold for cash‬

‭Examples:‬‭cotton, flax, hemp, tobacco‬

‭d.‬ D
‭ efine‬‭crop rotation‬‭:‬‭rotating the use of different‬‭fields from crop to crop to avoid exhausting‬
‭the soil‬

‭III. FISHING‬
‭a.‬ ‭Identify and define the two ways water-based food is acquired:‬‭fishing (capture of wild fish and‬
‭other seafood living in the water) and aquaculture/aquafarming (cultivation of seafood under‬
‭controlled conditions)‬

‭b.‬ ‭Take notes on each of the following practices:‬

‭-‬ F‭ ish production -‬‭Global fish production has increased‬‭from 36 to 158 metric tons during the‬
‭past half-century. This has resulted in the expansion of aquaculture. Production is higher‬
‭than human consumption because the fish is used for fish meal to feed hogs and poultry.‬

‭-‬ F‭ ish consumption -‬‭fish consumption is increasing‬‭more rapidly than population growth.‬
‭During the past half-century, the per capita consumption of fish has almost doubled in the‬
‭developed and developing countries.‬

‭-‬ ‭ verfishing -‬‭capturing fish faster than they can‬‭reproduce. Populations of some fish species‬
O
‭declined.‬

‭IV. COMMERCIAL FARMING IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES – 6 regions/practices‬

‭Define‬‭agribusiness‬‭:‬

-‭ ‬ ‭ ommercial farming in the developed world.‬

C
‭-‬ ‭Farming is integrated into a large food production industry‬
‭-‬ ‭Agribusiness can include a variety of services/enterprises, such as: food processing,‬
‭packaging, storage, distribution, retailing.‬
‭ main types: grain farming, mediterranean, commercial gardening and fruit farming, mixed crop,‬
6
‭livestock ,dairy, and ranching‬

F‭ armers comprise‬‭2%‬‭of the U.S. workforce, but‬‭20‬‭% of‬‭U.S. laborers work in food production & services‬
‭related to agribusiness.‬

‭(Commercial) GRAIN FARMING‬

‭a.‬ W
‭ hat is the principal difference between grains common in “commercial grain farming” regions‬
‭and grains grown in “mixed crop and livestock” regions?‬‭Grain farming is for human‬
‭consumption and mixed crop and livestock farming is for the use of the grains to fatten up‬
‭livestock‬

‭b.‬ ‭Identify the three regions of large-scale grain production in North America.‬
‭1.‬ ‭Winter Wheat Belt - Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma‬
‭2.‬ ‭Spring Wheat Belt - Dakotas, montana, Southern Saskatchewan in Canada‬
‭3.‬ ‭Palouse region of Washington State‬

‭c.‬ ‭Identify multiple reasons that show why wheat is an important crop.‬

‭ ‬ I‭t is grown for international trade‬

●
‭●‬ ‭it is the world’s leading export crop‬
‭●‬ ‭US and Canada account for one fourth of the world’s wheat exports and this is a major‬
‭source of economic and political strength for them‬

‭d.‬ ‭How has the distribution of wheat production changed in the last 50 years?‬

‭ orld production of wheat in developing countries has increased rapidly due to the growth in large scale‬
W
‭commercial agriculture. Developing countries accounted for more than half of world wheat production in‬
‭2013 vs one-fourth in 1960.‬

‭(Commercial) MEDITERRANEAN AGRICULTURE‬

‭a.‬ ‭Most crops are grown for:‬‭human consumption‬

‭b.‬ L‭ ocated in what regions? Climate factors?‬‭lands that‬‭border the Mediterranean Sea in Europe,‬
‭North Africa, Western Asia (California, Central Chile, Southwestern part of South Africa and‬
‭Southwestern Australia practice Mediterranean agriculture as well)‬

‭c.‬ ‭Define‬‭horticulture‬‭:‬‭growing fruits, vegetables, flowers,‬‭trees‬

‭d.‬ K
‭ ey cash crops along the Mediterranean:‬
‭olives & grapes‬

‭e.‬ ‭Key cash crops in California:‬‭citrus fruits, tree‬‭nuts, deciduous fruits‬

‭COMMERCIAL GARDENING & FRUIT FARMING (also called‬‭Truck Farming‬‭)‬

 ‭a.‬ L‭ ocated in what regions? Climate factors?‬‭Southeastern United States - climate is humid and has‬
‭a long growing season‬

‭b.‬ ‭Types of crops:‬‭apples, asparagus, cherries, lettuce,‬‭mushrooms, tomatoes‬

‭c.‬ S‭ old to?‬‭some sold fresh to customers but most are‬‭sold to large processors for canning or‬
‭freezing‬

‭d.‬ W
‭ hat is specialty farming? Located?‬‭Located In New‬‭England, US. It is a profitable growing of‬
‭crops for limited but increasing demand among affluent customers (asparagus, peppers,‬
‭mushrooms, strawberries, nursery plants)‬

‭(Commercial) MIXED CROP & LIVESTOCK‬

‭a.‬ D
‭ escribe‬‭mixed crop and livestock farming‬‭:‬‭integration‬‭of crops and livestock. most of the crops‬
‭are fed to the animals‬

‭b.‬ L‭ ocated in what regions?‬‭United States (west of the‬‭Appalachians and east of 98 degrees West‬
‭Longitude). In Europe from France to Russia‬

‭c.‬ D
‭ escribe the irony between the amount of land devoted to crops vs. animals and the income‬
‭generated by each in this region.‬‭The majority of‬‭the land area is used to grow crops but more‬
‭than three-fourths of the income is from the sale of animal products‬

‭d.‬ H
‭ ow does this type of agriculture allow farmers to more evenly “distribute their workload”?‬
‭Fields require less attention in the winter than in the spring ans fall. Meanwhile, livestock require‬
‭year round attention.‬

‭e.‬ W
‭ here is the U.S. Corn Belt and what crop is making rapid inroads among farms there?‬
‭Ohio to Dakotas. Soybeans have become the second most important crop.‬

I‭n what different ways is the corn used?‬

‭Oil, margarine, other food products‬
‭DAIRY‬

‭LIVESTOCK RANCHING‬

‭(Commercial) DAIRY‬

‭a.‬ L‭ ocated where and why?‬‭specializes in the production‬‭of milk and other dairy products - because‬
‭they are perishable, they must be located closer to their markets than other products‬

‭b.‬ ‭Define‬‭milkshed‬‭:‬‭the ring surrounding a city from‬‭which milk can be supplied without spoiling‬

‭c.‬ W
‭ hy do some regions specialize in milk products such as cheese and butter rather than fluid milk?‬
‭Identify some of these important regions.‬‭Regions‬‭that are farther out from consumers will sell‬
‭their output as these products keep fresh longer than milk‬

‭ .‬ ‭What country is the world’s largest per capita producer of dairy products?‬
d
‭New Zealand‬

‭Define‬‭per capita‬‭-‬‭per person‬

‭e.‬ W
‭ hat challenges do dairy farmers currently face?‬‭declining‬‭revenues and increasing costs. Also‬
‭labour intensive, winter feed (when grass is not available for cows to graze)‬

‭(Commercial) LIVESTOCK RANCHING‬

‭a.‬ ‭Define‬‭ranching‬‭:‬‭commercial grazing of livestock over‬‭an extensive area‬

‭b.‬ L‭ ocated where and why?‬‭Several developed countries‬‭but increasingly in developing countries as‬
‭well. United States, South America, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, China‬

‭c.‬ G
‭ rowth in ranching has occurred where recently? Examples?‬‭Argentina. The land devoted to‬
‭ranching is close to the ocean so the meat is easily transported to overseas markets‬

‭d.‬ H
‭ ow has ranching changed in the U.S. in recent years? Why?‬‭Land in the US has been converted‬
‭from ranching to crop growing due to the spread of irrigation techniques and hardier crops.‬

‭e.‬ ‭What animals are ranched commonly around the world other than cattle?‬‭Sheep, Goats‬