unit 5

Agricultural Production and Climate

• Different cultures and climates produce specific agricultural goods:

  • Tropical: coffee, sugar, pineapple (e.g., Indonesia, Africa)

  • Subtropical: rice, cotton, tobacco (e.g., West Indies)

  • Grasslands: cattle, sheep, goats (e.g., Mongolia)

  • Mediterranean: grapes, olives (e.g., California, Mediterranean Sea)

  • Cold mid-latitude: wheat, barley, dairy (e.g., U.S., Eastern Europe)

Technological Advancements

• Technology reduces barriers to agriculture:

  • Genetic modification enables faster and larger growth.

  • New farming methods (e.g., greenhouses, vertical farming) facilitate production in urban areas.

  • Enhanced irrigation and GPS improve efficiency and yields.

Types of Agriculture

1. Intensive Agriculture

• High yield, requires more capital/labor, located near urban centers.

  • Plantation agriculture: labor-intensive, cash crops (e.g., coffee, sugar).

  • Mixed crop and livestock: crops feed livestock, products processed for market.

  • Market gardening: fresh food grown for urban markets.

2. Extensive Agriculture

• Lower capital/labor, relies on more land, often farther from population centers.

  • Shifting cultivation: clearing land in rainforests for agriculture.

  • Nomadic herding: moving with livestock, limited possessions.

  • Ranching: occurs in less arable land, typically far from urban areas.

Settlement Patterns

• Clustered: high density, more interaction.

• Dispersed: low density, less interaction.

• Linear: follows transportation routes (e.g., rivers, roads).

Agricultural Revolutions

• First Agricultural Revolution: Sedentary farming, food surplus, societal advancements.

• Second Agricultural Revolution: Industrial advancements (e.g., seed drill, mechanization), enclosures.

• Green Revolution: High yield seeds, chemical use (e.g., fertilizers, pesticides), mechanization.

Global Impact & Trade

• Globalization allows rapid diffusion of agricultural products, leading to interdependence.

• Countries like Ukraine are significant agricultural producers but vulnerable to global disruptions.

Environmental Concerns

• Issues: desertification, deforestation, water pollution, soil salinization.

• Sustainable practices (e.g., organic farming, fair trade) gaining traction to combat degradation.