Feeding the World: The Green Revolution and Modern Farming Methods

These flashcards cover key vocabulary from the lecture on Modern Large Scale Farming Methods and the Green Revolution.

Conventional Agriculture

Industrial agriculture where labor is reduced and machinery is used.

Monocropping

Growing a large amount of a single species of plant.

Traditional Subsistence Farming

Farming that relies on human labor instead of machinery, commonly found in developing countries.

Shifting Agriculture

Agricultural method involving planting an area for a few years until nutrients are depleted and then shifting to another area.

Nomadic Grazing

Moving herds of animals to find productive feeding grounds.

Industrial Agriculture

Agriculture that applies techniques of the Industrial Revolution to food production.

Green Revolution

A period of agricultural transformation that resulted in increased food production, not necessarily eco-friendly.

Energy Subsidy

The fossil fuel energy input per calorie of food produced.

Hydroponics

Growing plants in nutrient-rich water solutions instead of soil.

Inorganic Fertilizers

Fertilizers produced commercially that are customizable and easy to apply.

Pesticide Treadmill

The cycle of pesticide development followed by pest resistance, leading to the need for new pesticides.

Bioaccumulation

The buildup of certain pesticides in the fatty tissues of organisms over time.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Organisms whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering.

Desertification

The degradation of land in dry areas resulting in decreased productivity.

Monoculture

The agricultural practice of growing a single crop or plant species.

Salinization

The accumulation of salts in soil, affecting plant growth.

Eutrophication

The process by which water bodies receive excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth.

Pros of Microcropping

easy to maintain, efficient 

Cons of micro cropping

no diversity, vulnerable to pests

Pros of traditional farming

inexpensive,low fossil fuel

Cons of traditional farming

low yield and higher labor costs, potential for soil degradation.

Pros of shifting agriculture

“SLASH N BURN” puts nutrients in soil, great for small populations

Cons of shifting agriculture

can lead to deforestation, soil depletion, and lower biodiversity.

Pros of nomadic grazing

vegetation usually regenerates (low impact), cost effective 

Cons of nomadic grazing

low yields and potential overgrazing, which can cause land degradation.

The Dust Bowl - Shifting Agriculture

In the late 19^th and early 20th centuries, settlers arrived in the Midwest. Grew wheat, grazed cattle using shifting agricultural/slash and burn. removed vegetation, erosion a drought in the 1930s made conditions worse. Thousands of farmers left their land and had to rely on governmental help 

cereals

wheat, corn, rice, barley, 

sorghum, and soybeans (60% diet)

roots

potatoes, manioc and sweet potatoes

sugars

sugar cane, sugar beets, and bananas

Industrial Agriculture (agribusiness)

Agriculture that applies the techniques of the Industrial Revolution -mechanization and standardization - to the production of food

Green Revolution

Don’t let the name fool you! Green Revolution is NOT eco green.  It is $$. 1968--Huge agricultural growth in rice and wheat

Ford & Rockefeller foundations focused on:

fertilization(extensive), irrigation(extensive), mechanization, improved crop varieties

*used industrial revolution techniques to agriculture & inc. outputs,Increased food production dramatically.

+  feedback loop of human population Consequences?

- positive fossil fuel use, decrease in variety(monoculture),increase in environment. impact

Energy subsidy

the fossil fuel energy and human energy input per calorie of food produced