5.1-5.2 Terrestrial Food Production Systems

The Green Revolution

1940s

Norman Borlaug

developed use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, and mechanization to increase crop yields

makes crops look and taste better, grow faster

How does a farmer choose their farming style?

• climate (temperature, wet/dry, length of seasons), topography (flat, hilly, etc.), soil conditions (loam, sandy, clay?)

• access to vehicles and technology

• finances (need to purchase seeds, fertilizers, etc.)

• value systems (cultural and/or environmental)

• government initiatives (subsidies)

contract farmers — they have contracts with large corporations for seeds and stock which pigeonholes them into only working that company

Arable vs Pastoral

• Arable: focused on crops (corn, vegetables)

• Pastoral: animal husbandry (cows, chickens, sheep, etc.)

Commercial vs Subsistence

• some farms do both

• Commercial: high yield/frequent sowing, low cost/high productivity, monoculture (depleting soil), heavy use of GMOs, fertilizers, pesticides, water mechanization/automation

• Subsistence: small scale, supports families/communities, meets farmers’ needs/not much surplus, crop variety, dependent on weather, limited use of chemicals

Organic

• requires certification of no use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers

Commercial (crops)

• High yield, low cost, frequent sowing of crops

• Monoculture of crops (especially cereals)

• Use of GMOs, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides

  • pollution of soil and water

Impacts of Commercial Crop Production

• Pesticides & herbicide: kill non-target species —> reduces BD

  • many are POPs (like DDT): glycophosphate (Round Up)

• Fertilizers lead to nutrient runoff —> eutrophication

  • nitrates, phosphates

• Water abstraction —> competes with other local water needs

• Monoculture —> risk of disease in crops —> crop failure + economic losses

  • ex: Irish Potato Famine

• Soil degradation from irrigation & runoff

• Loss of habitat & BD

  • land conversion / wildland —> agricultural lands

• Loss of pollinators

  • needed to spread pollen to fertilize plants so fruits can grow

Glycophosphate

• organophosphorus compound made by Monsanto

• Targets foliage as opposed to roots

• “Roundup ready” crops (GE to withstand Roundup)

• WHO classified it as a possible carcinogen

• 2015: European Food Safety Authority classified it as a possible genotoxic (damaging to genes)

• There is some skepticism about its toxicity

  • carcinogenic?

Commercial Animal Production

• Maximum & cheap output

• “Battery farming”

  • animals are inside

  • Limited space —> no movement —> no energy use —> bigger muscles

  • Concerns:

    • Rapid spread of disease in confinement

    • Ethical concerns

    • Growth hormone use

    • Antibiotic use (leads to super bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics)

    • Waste —> pollution (especially water)

Organic Techniques

• physical removal of weeds and pests

• hand harvesting

• use of IPM

  • use of beneficial insects or campaign planting to control pests and weeds

    • ex: ladybugs control aphids

• Use of manure, compost, green manure

  • plants that can be tilled into the soil to improve quality

• Crop rotation

  • alternating what crops are grown in an area

• Livestock: organic feed, no drugs

Reasons to support Organic

• Health concerns (from use of chemicals or medicine used in commercial farming)

• Ethics (especially pertaining to animal production)

• Reduced pollution (due to not using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides)

• Increased biodiversity

  • due to multiple crops being grown which will attract pollinators; also, due to no use of pesticides

• Increase in income

  • stimulates economy of smaller farmers (local)

Subsistence Farming

may or may not be organic

• meets demand of family/community

• 3 types

Shifting Cultivation of Crops

• Slash and Burn (clear land to grow crops)

• When soil is degraded (nutrients are removed), farmers move to a new plot

  • abandoned plots will eventually recover (succession)

• Not sustainable for large populations

• Adds CO2 to atmosphere

• removes biodiversity + carbon sinks

• Low tech and labor input

• Low yield (output)

  • not a lot of crops

Nomadic Herding

• Moving with animals to find grazing areas

• Cattle, goats, sheep

• Low input & output

• Outputs = meat, milk, hides

Intensive Subsistence Farming

• Intensive = more output than shifting of

• Stay in one place (always farming the same land)

• Families farm a plot to produce enough for them

• Use some traditional farming methods (like terracing)

• Use manure to fertilize (maybe some pesticides)

• Common in Asia

Intensive vs Extensive Farming

Intensive: high input + output over a small area

Extensive: lots of land — lower output due to small plot

Comparisons