5.10 Consequences of Agricultural Practices

Shifting Cultivation

Farmers cultivate land until soil becomes infertile, with fallow periods to allow land to recover.

Slash & Burn Agriculture

Cutting and burning forests to create fields for cultivation, resulting in deforestation and soil erosion.

Terrace Farming

Steps built into hills and mountainsides to cultivate water-intensive crops, preventing soil erosion and allowing cultivation of non-arable land.

Irrigation

Supplementing rainfall by bringing water to farm fields through canals and ditches, impacting the cultural landscape and depleting water resources.

Pastoral Nomadism

Herders move animals seasonally in semi-arid and arid climates, resulting in soil erosion and desertification.

Draining Wetlands

Converting wetlands to farmland, causing loss of biodiversity, habitat destruction, and increased storm and flood damage.

Pollution

Increased demand for meat leads to animal waste contamination, pesticide and herbicide use damages water sources and wildlife habitats, and fossil fuel use contributes to climate change.

Soil Salinization

Salts build up in soil due to rapid evaporation, interfering with plant growth and nutrient absorption.

Deforestation

Conversion of tropical rainforests for logging, subsistence farming, cattle grazing, and commercial agriculture, leading to greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity.