AgricultureBy Oscar Grainger and Sarah Kelly

Agriculture: the growth of plants or animals in order to produce food for sale at a marketplace

Subsistence Farming: when a farmer can only grow enough to feed his/her family. (mainly in LDC’s)

Commercial Farming: when a farmer grows food to sell at grocery stores or market places. (mainly in MDC’s)

Shifting Cultivation: rotating fields in order to let soil replenish nutrients.

Pastoralism: subsistence agriculture involving the herding and breeding of animals to produce necessities.

Ranching: raising of animals on a plot of land they graze. Dairying: growth of milk based products.

Terms to know

Humans first started as hunter gatherers.

Humans first learned to grow plants in southeast Asia, then those ideas diffused North and East.

First Agricultural Revolution:◦ About 12,000 years ago◦ Human development using seeds with farms and animals ◦ The use of seeds and animals led to the depletion of hunter gatherers.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yocja_N5s1I

Second Agricultural Revolution:◦ Feudal village farming grew after the fall of the Roman Empire◦ In an open-lot system, farmers worked their lands to feed their families.◦ Capitalism grew leading to the fall of feudalism and village farmlands.

Origins

Farmers producing food to sell at the marketplace.

Includes mixed crop, livestock, ranching and grain production.

Most income comes from sale of animals.

Primarily located in MDC’s.

Located in Europe and Northern America.

Use more technology in the fields.

Commercial farming

Farmers producing food to feed their family.

More than 50% of the world’s farmers are subsistence farmers.

Use more manual labor equipment.

Use shifting cultivation in smaller fields.

Subsistence Farming

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wywRw_ORj-Q

Rotating fields in order to let soil replenish nutrients.

Often found in tropical zones such as African Rainforests, Amazon Rainforest, and southeast Asia.

Slash and burn is a common technique used by farmers. (Cutting all plants and burning remains to create a new plot).

Crops used with Shifting Cultivation◦ Upland rice (Southeast Asia)◦ Maize (South America)◦ Manioc (South America)◦ Millet (Africa◦ Sorghum (Africa)

Shifting Cultivation

Model explaining where and why different agricultural practices would take place around a city’s marketplace.

Compares cost of land vs. cost of transportation.

Assumed only one central city/marketplace where farmers sell their products.

Von Thunen’s Model

Started in 19th century North America.

Led to the new technologies that increased food supply.

3 Phases◦ Chemical farming◦ Mechanization◦ Global widespread food production

Third Agricultural Revolution

Combination of food production, processing plants, packagers, fertilizers, and advertisers.

Five Central Sectors◦ Inputs◦ Production◦ Processing◦ Distribution◦ Consumption

Four external mediating forces◦ State◦ International trade◦ Physical Environment◦ Credit/finance

Agribusiness

Began in the 1940’s and 1950’s.

Phase of the 3rd agricultural revolution.

Hybrid seeds and fertilizers were invented and increased crop output.

Increased protection against pests and infestations.

Introduction of “miracle wheat seed” in 1970 by Norman Borlaug.

Food production outpaced population growth.

Led to food movements such as Organic foods, and fast food.

Green Revolution

An organism with modified DNA in a lab instead of cross-pollination.

Legal in the US and considered safe until proven otherwise.

Viewed as unsafe in Europe and European countries won’t accept genetically modified organisms from the US.

Criticized because it may lead to negative effects on human health

Despite the criticism, it’s supported due to the ability to produce in such large numbers

Genetically Modified Organisms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAP6ZtfP9ZQ