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Based on the APHUG CED; definitions compiled by Allison Ferrucci
climatic conditions
how weather affects agricultural practices and products
tropical climate
hot humid climate that produces certain plants, such as cassava, banana, sugar cane, sweet potato, papaya, rice, maize,
Mediterranean climate
dry-summer climate that produces certain fruits, vegetables, and grains such as grapes, olives, figs, dates, tomatoes, zucchini, wheat, barley and prevails along the shores of the Mediterranean, in parts of California and Oregon, in central Chile, at South Africa's Cape and in parts of southwestern and southern Australia
market gardening
small scale food production (fruits/veggies) for sale at local markets
plantation agriculture
cash crops (cotton, coffee, sugar, tea) grown on large estates, usually for export; a legacy of colonization
mixed crop/livestock systems
combination of cash crops and livestock to complement land and labor demands across the year
shifting cultivation (slash and burn)
cultivation of crops in tropical forest clearings using a natural rotation system, the forest vegetation is cleared by cutting and burning, the result is a layer of ash that contributes to the soil's fertility, farmers move to another parcel of land when the soil becomes infertile
nomadic herding (pastoral nomadism/transhumance)
seasonal migration of domesticated livestock, usually fixed territory between highlands & lowlands
ranching
the business of raising livestock (cattle, sheep)
rural settlement patterns
clustered, dispersed, linear
long-lot survey system
divided land into narrow parcels stretching back from rivers, roads, or canals giving each household equal access to water resources, reflects a particular approach to surveying that was common with French areas in America
metes and bounds survey system
survey of irregularly shaped tracts of land (does not conform to rectangular system of surveys), relies on descriptions of land ownership in reference to natural features such as streams, hills, trees, etc. that was common in English areas in America
township and range survey system
rectangular survey system used by the U.S. federal government to divide the land into a grid like pattern, designed by Thomas Jefferson to facilitate the dispersal of settlers evenly across farmlands of the US interior
Fertile Crescent
hearth of early agriculture and early civilization (Cradle of Civilization) most credited with Southwest Asia (Tigris and Euphrates floodplains)
First Agricultural Revolution
dating back 10,000 years, when humans achieved plant and animal domestication
Columbian Exchange
facilitated the global diffusion of plants, animals, diseases, human population, culture, technology, and ideas
Globalization of Agriculture
improvements in transportation and communication technologies create a variety of goods offered year-round, when they traditionally were only available seasonally
Second Agricultural Revolution
improved methods of cultivation, harvesting, and storage of food that started in the Middle Ages and THEN benefited from the Industrial Revolution with the use of machines and new technology
Industrial Revolution
the transformation from an agricultural society to an industrial society with the introduction of power driven machines in manufacturing, mining, transportation, and agriculture
Green Revolution (Third Agricultural Revolution)
high yield seeds (hybrid and/or GMOs), increased use of chemicals, mechanized farming, and elaborate irrigation systems
subsistence agriculture
only enough food is cultivated to survive (no surplus to sell) and often land is held in common
commercial agriculture
the production of crops for sale (profit)
monoculture
growing one crop in a farm system at a given time
mono-cropping
growing one crop in a farm system year after year
multi-cropping
growing several crops in a farm system
bid-rent theory
theory that shows what various land users are prepared and able to pay for access to the center market (CBD), the further from the center market (CBD), the lower the cost for a site, intensive and extensive farming practices are in part by land costs, extension of the von Thünen model
agribusiness
a large-scale mechanized farming business that is controlled by corporate interests, agriculture is gradually being controlled by a small number of large corporations instead of many independent farmers
feedlots/Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)
animals kept and raised in confined spaces and given hormones and/or antibiotics and/or fattening grains to prepare them for slaughter at a much quicker pace than traditional forms e.g. cattle, swine, poultry
commodity chain
activities involved in the creation of a product: design, production of raw materials, manufacturing and assembly, distribution
economies of scale
cost advantages gained by an increased level of production, e.g. agribusiness v small family farm
von Thünen model
explains what economic activities are located where and why, explains the location of agricultural activities by emphasizing the importance of, transportation costs associated with distance from the market, describes what should be grown where in relation to the market, illustrates the relationship between land cost and transportation cost, distributes various farming activities into concentric rings around a central market city, regions of specialty farming do not always conform to concentric rings
global supply chain
a worldwide network to maximize profits in production
commodity dependency
highly dependent on one or more export commodities
global food distribution
networks that are affected by political relationships, infrastructure, and patterns of world trade
desertification
process by which fertile land becomes desert as a result of human activity (inappropriate agriculture/overgrazing)
soil salinization
process by which the amount of salt increases in the soil (irrigation)
land cover change
process by which agricultural areas are lost to development
pollution
process by which soil is contaminated by chemicals
conservation efforts of agricultural land
improve soil structure to protect against erosion and nutrient losses
sustainable agriculture
farming methods that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities
slash and burn (shifting cultivation)
clearing an area in a tropical forest for planting by burning the vegetation
terraces
flat steps are created on the sides of hills to create more land for farming
irrigation
artificial application of water to land for the facilitation of agriculture
deforestation
clearing of forest to make the land available for other uses (agriculture/livestock)
draining wetlands
drainage for agricultural purposes
pastoral nomadism
pasture land that is used for animal grazing
role of women in agriculture
increased contributions to rural economies, especially in LDCs
agricultural biotechnology
the use of scientific tools and techniques to modify plants/animals
genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
plants or animals whose DNA has been genetically modified, often through combination of DNA from a similar plant or animal species for desired traits
aquaculture
raising of fish and shellfish in ponds and controlled saltwater hatcheries
value added foods
foods that have increased in value due to alterations in production, size, shape, appearance, location, and/or convenience
organic farming
crops produced without the use of synthetic or industrially produced pesticides and fertilizers or genetically engineered seeds
urban farming
agriculture takes the form of roof-top, balcony, backyard gardening, as well as in vacant lots and parks in an urban area
community-supported agriculture (CSA)
individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the growers and consumers provide mutual support
fair trade
trade between companies in MDCs and LDCs in which fair prices are paid to the producers
local-food movements
movement of people who prefer to eat foods which are grown relatively close to the places of sale and preparation
dietary shifts
movement from a diet of processed food, meat, fat, and sugar to one that will promote good health, ideal weight, and prevent chronic disease (fruits, vegetables)
food insecurity
the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food
food desert
geographic area where large grocery stores are scarce or missing and residents have limited access to fresh nutritious foods, typically found in urban, low-income neighborhoods
