Ch. 13 5.6-5.9

Chapter 13: Spatial Arrangement of Agriculture

5.6 Agricultural Production Regions

• Learning Objective: Explain how economic forces influence agricultural practices.

• Agriculture is fundamental to civilization, providing a basis for cities, economies, and societal structures. (Allan Savory)

• Key Influences on Agricultural Practices:

  • Variations in crops/animals, technology levels, production methods, population engagement in agriculture, economic significance, and gender roles.

  • Economic factors: Capital availability, land, and labor costs influence farming decisions (intensive vs. extensive).

  • Bid-Rent Theory: Land value diminishes with distance from an urban market—land near urban centers has high value due to proximity.

  • Intensive agriculture (high capital/labor inputs) vs. extensive agriculture (low inputs, e.g., shifting cultivation).

• Intensive Land-Use Examples:

  • Paddy Rice Farming: Labor-intensive with terraced fields challenging for machinery.

  • Truck Farming: Capital and labor-intensive, often relies on migrant labor for large fruit/vegetable outputs.

  • Factory Farming: Animals raised in controlled environments for quick profit (CAFOs).

  • Aquaculture: Raising aquatic organisms in controlled environments.

• Extensive Land-Use Examples: Less input of labor/capital; includes nomadic herding, ranching, and shifting cultivation.

• Increasing intensity in traditionally extensive regions due to food demand and demographic pressures leads to greater reliance on inputs (irrigation, fertilizers) and the decline of subsistence farming.

5.7 Spatial Organization of Agriculture

• Essential Question: How do economic forces influence agricultural practices?

• Evolution of agriculture features the decline of small farms, rise of corporate farms, and farming expansion into forests/wetlands.

• Agribusiness: Integrates various food production and processing steps; dominated by transnational corporations.

• Commercial Agriculture: Mechanized, reliant on modern technologies, focuses on economies of scale for profits.

• Large-Scale Farms: Engage in monoculture for efficiency, but challenges small family farms.

• Impact of Globalization: Involves complex global supply chains; countries become interdependent for agricultural resources, leading to vulnerability.

• Commodity Chains: Connect producers and consumers; innovations increase efficiency in agriculture and transportation.

• Technological Advancements: Increase yield by improving farming techniques and reduce labor needs.

5.8 Von Thünen Model

• Essential Question: How does the von Thünen model explain patterns of agricultural production?

• Constructed by Johann von Thünen; illustrates land use around a central market based on transportation costs, product perishability, and land values.

• Zones of Agricultural Production:

  • Horticulture/Dairy: First zone (near market for perishability).

  • Forest: Second zone (wood is heavy).

  • Crops: Third zone (less perishable like wheat).

  • Livestock: Fourth zone (can walk to market; lower transportation costs).

• The bid-rent theory aligns with the von Thünen model, showing how land value decreases with distance from the market.

• Modern Applications: Changes in technology and transport expansion have widened the distance effects and led to adjustments in agricultural patterns seen today.

5.9 The Global System of Agriculture

• Essential Question: How is interdependence among agricultural production and consumption achieved?

• Globalization: Expands agricultural supply chains, interconnecting producers and consumers worldwide.

• Interdependence: Developed countries rely on developing nations for year-round crop access; export and dependency relationships affect global trade dynamics.

• Luxury Crops: High-value crops lead to reliance on transnational corporations, often out of reach for local consumers, causing food insecurity.

• Trade Dynamics: Neocolonialism concepts describe economic relationships rooted in historical colonial patterns. Fair trade initiatives seek to rectify imbalances in profit distribution.

• Governmental Policies: Subsidies shape agricultural outputs and prices while infrastructure development facilitates trade.

• Case Study - Ghana: Focus on developing its agriculture and diversifying the economy through strategic planning and innovations.

Key Terms

• Bid-Rent Theory

• Capital Intensive

• Labor Intensive

• Factory Farming

• Aquaculture (Aquafarming)

• Double Cropping

• Intercropping (Multicropping)

• Monoculture

• Monocropping

• Feedlots

• Agribusiness

• Transnational Corporations

• Vertical Integration

• Economies of Scale

• Location Theory

• Von Thünen Model

• Commodity Chain

• Carrying Capacity

• Cool Chains

• Neocolonialism

• Fair Trade Movement

• Subsidies

• Infrastructure