APHUG - Chapter 14 Vocabulary

Soil salinization

Buildup of salts in soil, usually from irrigation, that makes it harder for crops to grow.

Conservation

Careful use and protection of natural resources so they are not used up or permanently damaged.

Slash and burn agriculture

Farming method where vegetation is cut and burned to clear land and temporarily add nutrients to the soil.

Terrace farming

Creating step-like flat fields on hillsides to grow crops and reduce soil erosion.

Irrigation

Artificially supplying water to crops through systems like canals, sprinklers, or pipes.

Deforestation

Large-scale removal of forests, often to create farmland, pasture, or development.

Pastoral nomadism

Subsistence agriculture where people move with their herds to find fresh pasture and water.

Biotechnology

Use of living organisms or biological processes to improve crops, animals, or agricultural products.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

Plants, animals, or microbes whose DNA has been altered in a lab to give them new traits.

Aquaculture

The farming of fish, shellfish, or other aquatic organisms in controlled water environments.

Sustainability

Using resources in ways that meet current needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

Biodiversity

The variety of different species and ecosystems in a particular area or on Earth as a whole.

Urban farming

Growing food within or very near cities, such as in gardens, rooftops, or vertical farms.

Value-added specialty crops

Crops that are processed or produced in special ways so they can be sold at higher prices (like organic jam or artisan cheese).

Fair trade

System that aims to give producers in developing countries fair prices and better working conditions for their products.

Local-food movement

Trend of consumers choosing to buy food produced nearby instead of from distant regions or countries.

Food security

Reliable access to enough safe, nutritious food for an active, healthy life.