Vegetable Crops – PLSC 451/551Lesson 8, Worldwide Production Systems

Instructor:Stephen L. LoveAberdeen R & E Center1693 S 2700WAberdeen, ID 83210Phone: 397-4181 Fax: 397-4311Email: slove@uidaho.edu

Production System Categories

Modern Intensive Production

Common to developed countries

Market Garden/Organic ProductionCommon to the US and Europe

Contemporary Subsistence ProductionCommon to 3rd world countries

Modern Intensive Production

Objective:

Produce vegetable crops for sale and profit

Modern Intensive Production

Located in developed, politically stable countries

Modern Intensive Production

Percent corruption – related to stability and amount of intensive agriculture

Modern Intensive Production

Located where production and market conditions are optimized.

Modern Intensive Production

Farms centered in rural locales

Modern Intensive Production

Requires large, contiguous acreage

Modern Intensive Production

Managed as a rotational monoculture

Modern Intensive Production

Low species density (plantains)

Modern Intensive Production

Producers specialize in one or a few crops

Modern Intensive Production

Cropping practices –

Aimed at production efficiency and profitability (scale)

Modern Intensive Production

Cropping practices –

Highly mechanized (soil prep, planting, cultivation, harvesting, handling)

Modern Intensive Production

Cropping practices –

Minimal hired labor

Modern Intensive Production

Cropping practices –

Employ modern technology and research-based methods

Modern Intensive Production

Cropping practices –

Incorporates the routine use of fertilizers and pesticides

Modern Intensive Production

Cropping practices –

Harvest is short-term and scheduled to maximize yield and quality

Modern Intensive Production

Cropping practices –

Short and long-term storage common

Modern Intensive Production

Heavily dependent on long-distance tranport

Modern Intensive Production

Usually mass-marketed through a single wholesale buyer

Market Garden/Organic Production

Objective:

Produce vegetable crops for profit, supplement personal diet

Market Garden/Organic Production

Located throughout the world (dedicated organic production is associated with developed countries)

Commonly in suburban locales with easy access to urban markets

Market Garden/Organic Production

Requires small to moderate amounts of non-contiguous acreage

Market Garden/Organic Production

Cropping practices –

Aimed at meeting market preferences

Market Garden/Organic Production

Production is small-scale monoculture or limited companion planting

Market Garden/Organic Production

Species density is moderate

Species choice is market-driven

Market Garden/Organic Production

Management is not crop specific

Minimal crop-based efficiency

Market Garden/Organic Production

Cropping practices –

Moderately mechanized – soil prep, planting

Market Garden/Organic Production

Cropping practices –

Moderate to high labor requirements

Market Garden/Organic Production

Cropping practices –

Utilizes traditional (sustainable) methods

Market Garden/Organic Production

Cropping practices –

Technology levels range from very low to high

Market Garden/Organic Production

Cropping practices –

Organic production involves use of approved fertilizer and pesticide products

Market Garden/Organic Production

Cropping practices –

Harvest timing is market driven and continuous over a set season

Market Garden/Organic Production

Cropping practices –

Typically involve only short-term, small-scale storage

Market Garden/Organic Production

Transportation needed only for market delivery

Market Garden/Organic Production

Produce marketed through many retail and wholesale channels

Market Garden/Organic Production

Subsistence Production

Objective:

Produce vegetables for personal and family consumption

Subsistence ProductionPrimarily adopted in developing and 3rd world countries

Subsistence agriculture is related to poverty levels

Subsistence Production

Countries high in subsistence agriculture have high rates of hunger and starvation

Subsistence Production

Family farm in Peru

Subsistence Production

Dacha in Russia

Subsistence Production

Family farm in Africa

Subsistence Production

Located wherever people live – urban and rural

Subsistence Production

Utilizes land resources available regardless of size, shape, suitability

Subsistence Production

Production of mixed crops, relay planting, companion crops and often includes animals

Subsistence Production

Very high species density

Subsistence Production

Methods not specialized by crop – usually suboptimal for all crops

Subsistence Production

Cropping practices –

Aimed at providing a continuous supply of food

Subsistence Production

Cropping practices –

Vertical farming methods employed where land is scarce

Subsistence Production

Cropping practices –

High labor requirements, provided by family, including children

Subsistence Production

Cropping practices –

Little or no advanced technology employed – sometimes animal power

Subsistence Production

Cropping practices –

Fertility provided by recycled animal waste

Subsistence Production

Cropping practices –

Pesticides used only if available and/or affordable

Subsistence Production

Cropping practices –

Harvest is continuous where the growing season allows

Subsistence Production

Cropping practices –

Limited storage capability – ambient conditions (yam storage)

Subsistence Production

Cropping practices –

Primitive preservation methods used

(making chuno)

Subsistence Production

Cropping practices –

Primitive preservation methods used

(cassava flour for bread)

Subsistence Production

Transportation limited – manually powered and public transportation sometimes used

Subsistence Production

Production Objectives:

Modern Intensive Market Garden Subsistence

Efficiency/Profit Profit/ Consistent

Meet market food supply

demand

Additional Production Comparisons

Regional Economic Impact:

Modern Intensive Market Garden Subsistence

Very high Moderate to high Low

Additional Production Comparisons

Reasons for Crop Choice:

Modern Intensive Market Garden Subsistence

Cultural preference/ Local market Dependability/

Market quality demand/ Tradition

Ethnic opportunity

Additional Production Comparisons

Input Costs:

Modern Intensive Market Garden Subsistence

Very high High Low

Additional Production Comparisons

Required Financial Assistance:

Modern Intensive Market Garden Subsistence

Long-term credit Credit Little or none

Additional Production Comparisons

Labor Characteristics:

Modern Intensive Market Garden Subsistence

Full-time/ Family/ Family/

Transient Part-time Neighbors

Additional Production Comparisons

Labor associated with agricultural development

Subsistence Production

Labor Skills Required:

Modern Intensive Market Garden Subsistence

Agronomy/ Horticulture Gardening

Agri-business/

Marketing

Additional Production Comparisons

Space Utilization:

Modern Intensive Market Garden Subsistence

Continuous/ Sporadic/ Continuous/

Intense/ Horizontal/ Horizontal/

Horizontal Vertical Vertical

Additional Production Comparisons