Geography #18: Food Supply

What are the main features of an agricultural system?

Inputs, processes, and outputs.

What are inputs?

The resources needed for farming. It can be divided into human and physical.

What are some of the physical inputs in the agricultural system?

Climate – temperature, rainfall and sunshine affect crop growth, Soil – fertility and depth influence yields, Relief – flat land is easier to farm, and Water – for irrigation.

What are some of the human and economical inputs in the agricultural system?

Labor, buildings, machinery & technology, markets & transport, money/capital, subsidies, seeds and animal breeds, pesticides, and fertilizers.

What are processes?

The activities carried out on the farm to turn inputs into products.

What are the processes carried out in an agricultural system?

Ploughing, planting, weeding, pest control, harvesting, grazing, lambing/calving, shearing/milking, and silage production.

What are outputs?

The results of farming.

What are the outputs in the agricultural system?

Crops - Wheat, barley, rice, maize, tea, coffee, potatoes, vegetables, tomatoes, and flowers

Animal Products - Wool, milk, skins, beef, lamb, mutton, pork

Animal - Lambs, Calves, piglets, chicken, and turkey

What are the different types of farming?

Sedentary, Nomadic, Subsistence, Commercial, Arable, Pastoral, Mixed, Extensive, Intensive

What is sedentary farming?

When a farm is based in the same location all the time.

What is nomadic farming?

When a farmer moves from one place to another.

What is subsistence farming?

When crops and animals are produced by a farmer to feed their family, rather than to take to market.

What is commercial farming?

When crops and animals are produced to sell at market for a profit.

What is arable farming?

The growing of crops only. They are plants that are harvested from the ground to be eaten or sold.

What is pastoral farming?

The rearing of livestock only — either for animal by-products such as milk, eggs or wool, or for meat.

What is mixed farming?

Grows both crops and rears animals.

What is extensive farming?

Where a relatively small amount of produce is generated from a large area of farming.

What is intensive farming?

Where a large amount of produce is generated from a relatively small area of land.

What are the physical factors that influence agriculture?

Soil type & fertility, drainage, relief & slope, precipitation, season, temperature

What are the human and economical factors that influence agriculture?

Capital, tradition, subsidies, transport, market demand, farm size

How does relief & slope influence agriculture?

Relief refers to the slope and height of land. Flat or gently sloping land allows mechanisation → large-scale arable or commercial farming. Steep slopes limit machinery → terracing or subsistence farming. High altitude areas often have pastoral farming due to thin soils and low temperatures.

How does climate influence agriculture?

High rainfall and warm temperatures allow crop growth all year → plantations (e.g. tea, sugar). Low rainfall restricts crops → pastoral farming or irrigation farming. Seasonal rainfall leads to single harvests in some regions.

How does soil and fertility influence agriculture?

Fertile, deep soils → intensive arable farming. Thin or poor soils → grazing or subsistence farming. Well-drained soils suit crops; waterlogged soils limit arable farming.

How does economic factors such as money, markets and technology influence agriculture?

Access to capital allows mechanisation and fertilisers, Good transport and markets encourage commercial farming, and High demand increases specialisation and monoculture.

How does social factors influence agriculture?

Population pressure leads to intensive farming on small plots. Education and skills improve yields and efficiency. Cultural traditions influence crop choice and livestock rearing. Land ownership patterns affect farm size.

How does farm size influence agriculture?

It affects the type of farming, level of technology, and productivity. Large Farms allow mechanisation (tractors, combine harvesters), often commercial and specialised (monoculture), benefits from economies of scale, reducing costs, and produces high yields for national or global markets. While small farms with limited land restricts mechanisation, Often subsistence or intensive farming, high labour input per hectare, and lower total output but may have high yields per unit area.

How does subsidies influence agriculture?

The financial support from governments to farmers reduce costs of production, encourage farmers to increase output, allows investment in fertilizers, seeds and machinery, and protects farmers from price fluctuations and crop failure, thus encouraging commercial farming, can lead to specialization in subsidized crops, increase farm incomes and stability, and sometimes cause overproduction, leading to food surpluses.

What affect do these combined influences have on Scale of Production?

Favourable climate, flat land and capital → large-scale commercial farming

Harsh climates, poor soil and low capital → small-scale subsistence farming

What affect do these combined influences have on Methods of Organisation?

High capital and technology → mechanized, specialized farming

Low capital and traditional practices → labor-intensive, mixed farming

What affect do these combined influences have on Products of Agricultural Systems?

Warm, wet climates → cash crops (tea, coffee, sugar)

Dry or mountainous areas → livestock farming

Fertile lowlands → cereal and vegetable crops

How does food shortage occur and what are the main causes?

When food supply cannot meet demand. This is caused by natural problems & economic and political factors.

What is undernourishment?

A person is not able to acquire enough food to meet the daily minimum dietary energy requirements, over a period of one year.

What are the natural causes of food shortages?

Soil exhaustion, drought, floods, tropical cyclones, disease and pests.

What are the economical and political causes of food shortages?

Low Capital Investment, Poor Distribution & Transport, Wars, Biofuel

What are the effects of food shortages?

Increased death rates including infant mortality, diseases linked to protein deficiency, increase in common illness, increased expenditure on health services, fewer children being able to complete schooling, a weaker less productive workforce, in both non- manual & manual work, slower economic growth and output, increased dependence on international aid, and increase in rural urban migration to escape poverty and famine.

What are some of the solutions to stop and prevent food shortages?

1. Improve water supply using irrigation, reservoirs and rainwater harvesting to reduce drought impacts

2. Build flood defenses, improve drainage and use early-warning systems to protect crops from floods and tropical storms

3. Control pests and diseases through pesticides, biological control and resistant crop varieties

4. Increase capital investment with subsidies, loans, machinery, fertilizers and improved seeds to raise yields

5. Improve transport, storage and distribution to reduce food waste and reach markets efficiently

6. Promote political stability, peace, food aid, government planning and food reserves to ensure food security