IGCSE Geography FOOD PRODUCTION

Inputs

The resources—such as labor, money, materials, and energy that farmers put into their farms. These are converted into outputs. Eg baby pigs

Processes

Actions that happen on the farm and that lead to certain outputs eg. milking the cows, feeding the pigs

Outputs

The products, money and other consequences that result from the farm eg. Cheap pork products

Commercial farming

Growing large quantities of crops or livestock in order to sell them for a profit eg. Hog production in South Carolina

Subsistence farming

Farming that provides for the basic needs of the farmer without surpluses for marketing eg. Nomadic cow herders in Kenya

Intensive farming

Agriculture that involves greater inputs of capital and paid labor relative to the space being used eg. Market Gardening in Netherlands

Extensive farming

Where small amounts of capital and labour are used in relation to the amount of land being farmed eg. Sheep farming in Australia

Arable farming

Growing crops on good land to be eaten directly, or to be fed to animals eg. Corn in Iowa

Pastoral farming

Raising animals, usually on grass and on land that is not suitable for crops eg. Sheep farming in Australia

Mixed farming

An integrated agricultural system in which crops are grown and fed to livestock.

Plantation Agriculture

Growing specialized crops such as bananas, coffee, and cacao in tropical LEDCs, primarily for sale to developed countries. Eg. Tea in Sri Lanka

Food shortages

Where people do not have enough to eat in an area. The main causes are poor distribution of agricultural products. Eg. Madagascar 2021

Malnutrition

A lack of proper nutrition eg. stunting

Food Aid

Providing emergency food in famine situation. Eg. World Food Programme working in Madagascar

Fertilizers

A substance that provides nutrients to help crops grow better eg. Nitrogen

Pesticides

Chemicals used on plants that do not harm the plants, but kill pests (and have negative repercussions on other species who ingest the chemicals).

Feed lots

Fixed areas for cattle to graze in to become fat

Lab grown meat

Meat that is cultured from animal stem cells outside of animals. This eliminates the need to raise the whole animal and produce the meat by itself, increasing efficiency and reducing suffering.

Drought

A long period of lower precipitation than normal

Famine

Aa severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death

Antibiotic resistance

The evolution of populations of pathogenic bacteria that antibiotics are unable to kill

Agricultural technology

The application of techniques to control the growth and harvesting of animal and vegetable products.

Organic farming

A method of farming that does not use artificial means such as synthetic pesticides and herbicides, antibiotics, and bioengineering

Overgrazing

Destruction of vegetation caused by too many grazing animals consuming the plants in a particular area so they cannot recover

CAFO

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation

Padi fields

flooded parcels of land used for growing rice.

Ranching

A form of commercial agriculture in which livestock graze over an extensive area.

Shifting cultivation

The use of tropical forest clearings for crop production until their fertility is lost. Plots are then abandoned, and farmers move on to new sites.

Soil erosion

The wearing away and removal of rock and soil particles from exposed surfaces by agents such as moving water, wind, or ice