Note
Studied by 4 people
Unit 5
Main Ideas
1. Origins and Diffusion of Agriculture
Neolithic Revolution (First Agricultural Revolution): Transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture (~10,000 years ago).
Second Agricultural Revolution: Improvements in farming methods during the Industrial Revolution (18th-19th centuries).
Green Revolution (Third Agricultural Revolution): Introduction of high-yield crops, fertilizers, and mechanization (20th century).
Agricultural Hearths: Areas where agriculture first developed (e.g., Fertile Crescent, East Asia, Mesoamerica).
Columbian Exchange: Transfer of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old World and New World.
2. Agricultural Practices & Systems
Subsistence Agriculture: Farming for local consumption (e.g., shifting cultivation, pastoral nomadism, intensive subsistence farming).
Commercial Agriculture: Farming for profit, often involving large-scale operations (e.g., plantation agriculture, mixed crop and livestock, dairy farming).
Intensive vs. Extensive Agriculture:
Intensive: High labor/input per unit of land (e.g., rice farming, market gardening).
Extensive: Low labor/input per unit of land (e.g., ranching, shifting cultivation).
Plantation Agriculture: Large-scale monocropping of cash crops (e.g., sugar, coffee, cotton) in tropical regions.
Shifting Cultivation (Slash-and-Burn): Clearing forests for temporary agriculture; common in tropical rainforests.
Pastoral Nomadism: Herding animals as a primary means of subsistence; common in arid regions.
3. The Role of Technology & Agricultural Innovations
Mechanization: Use of machines in farming (e.g., tractors, combines).
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Crops with altered DNA to increase yield and resistance.
Irrigation: Artificial application of water to land for agriculture.
Sustainable Agriculture: Farming practices that preserve environmental quality (e.g., organic farming, crop rotation).
4. Agricultural Land Use Models
Von Thünen Model: Explains spatial distribution of agricultural activities based on transportation cost and land rent:
Central Market
Dairy & Market Gardening (perishable goods, high transportation cost)
Forests (for fuel/timber)
Grain & Field Crops (less perishable, lower land value)
Ranching/Livestock (requires large areas, lowest land value)
Boserup Hypothesis: Opposes Malthusian theory; states that population growth leads to increased agricultural intensification.
5. Environmental & Economic Consequences of Agriculture
Deforestation: Clearing of forests for farming, leading to biodiversity loss and climate change.
Desertification: Land degradation in arid areas due to overuse.
Soil Degradation: Loss of soil fertility due to overgrazing, overfarming, and erosion.
Food Deserts: Urban and rural areas with limited access to affordable, nutritious food.
Agribusiness: Large-scale, industrialized, corporate-controlled farming.
6. Global Patterns of Food Production & Consumption
Agricultural Supply Chains: Process of food production from farm to table.
Food Security & Insecurity: Availability and accessibility of food for populations.
Fair Trade: Movement to provide fair wages and sustainable farming practices.
Globalization of Agriculture: Increasing interconnection of food production and distribution worldwide.
Key Vocabulary
Agriculture
Agribusiness
Aquaculture
Biotechnology
Cash Crop
Center Pivot Irrigation
Commercial Agriculture
Commodity Chain
Crop Rotation
Crop Gap
Deforestation
Desertification
Double Cropping
Extensive Agriculture
Fair Trade
Fertile Crescent
Food Desert
Food Security
GMO (Genetically Modified Organism)
Green Revolution
Intensive Agriculture
Irrigation
Agricultural Infrastructure
Market Gardening
Mechanization
Milk shed
Monoculture
Neolithic Revolution (First Agricultural Revolution)
Organic Farming
Overgrazing
Pastoral Nomadism
Plantation Agriculture
Salinization
Shifting Cultivation
Slash-and-Burn
Soil Degradation
Subsistence Agriculture
Sustainable Agriculture
Supply chain / Commodity chain
Terrace Farming
Transhumance
Urban Agriculture
Value Added Crops
Von Thünen Model
Bid rent curve
Isotropic Plains
Types of Agriculture
Shifting Cultivation
Plantation Agriculture
Mixed Crop and Livestock
Commercial Gardening / Truck Farming
Dairy Farming
Mediterranean Agriculture (+ Transhumance)
Intensive Subsistence
Wet rice dominant and non wet rice dominant
#### Main Ideas #### 1. Origins and Diffusion of Agriculture - Neolithic Revolution (First Agricultural Revolution): Marked the transition from nomadic hunter-gatherer societies to settled agricultural communities around 10,000 years ago. This shift allowed for the domestication of plants and animals, leading to surplus production and the development of complex societies. - Second Agricultural Revolution: During the Industrial Revolution (18th-19th centuries), significant improvements in agricultural practices occurred, including the introduction of crop rotation, selective breeding, and new machinery, which increased efficiency and productivity in farming. - Green Revolution (Third Agricultural Revolution): Initiated in the mid-20th century, it involved the development of high-yielding varieties of staple crops, advancements in fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation techniques. This led to increased food production, especially in developing countries, but also raised concerns about environmental impact and sustainability. - Agricultural Hearths: Regions where agriculture independently developed, such as the Fertile Crescent (Middle East), East Asia (China), Mesoamerica (Mexico and Central America), and the Indus Valley. These areas are known for their rich biodiversity and favorable climates that supported early farming practices. - Columbian Exchange: A significant transfer of crops, livestock, and diseases between the Old World (Europe, Asia, Africa) and the New World (Americas) after 1492, profoundly changing agricultural landscapes and diets across continents and leading to population growth. #### 2. Agricultural Practices & Systems - Subsistence Agriculture: Focused on local consumption rather than sales, includes practices like shifting cultivation (migratory farming that relies on clearing forest land), pastoral nomadism (herding animals over long distances), and intensive subsistence agriculture (high labor input per unit area, often practiced in densely populated regions). - Commercial Agriculture: Aimed at producing food for profit, these operations are often large-scale and include plantation agriculture (large estates producing cash crops), mixed crop and livestock systems, and diverse farming practices such as dairy farming that support economic viability and food supply. - Intensive vs. Extensive Agriculture: - Intensive: Characterized by high levels of labor and inputs relative to the area, such as rice farming in Asia and market gardening near urban areas that focus on fresh produce. - Extensive: Involves lower labor/input per land area, typical in ranching, where large tracts of land are used for grazing livestock, or in shifting cultivation, where plots are cleared and cultivated for only a few years. - Plantation Agriculture: Involves monocropping of cash crops (such as sugarcane, coffee, or cotton), primarily in tropical regions, often associated with colonial histories and large estates. - Shifting Cultivation (Slash-and-Burn): Involves clearing forested areas for agriculture, utilizing techniques that encourage regrowth of vegetation, particularly common in tropical rainforests but criticized for contributing to deforestation. - Pastoral Nomadism: A form of subsistence agriculture where communities rely on herding animals for survival; prevalent in arid and semi-arid regions like Central Asia and North Africa, it is characterized by seasonal migrations in search of grazing lands. #### 3. The Role of Technology & Agricultural Innovations - Mechanization: The integration of machinery into farming practices, ranging from tractors and tillers to advanced harvesting equipment, has revolutionized efficiency and production capabilities, reducing labor costs significantly. - Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): These crops have undergone genetic engineering to enhance yield, pest and disease resistance, and adaptation to environmental stresses, contributing to food security but also sparking debates over health and ecological impacts. - Irrigation: Essential for agriculture in arid regions, methods range from traditional canal systems to modern drip and sprinkler systems, pivotal for maximizing crop yield and resource efficiency in water-scarce areas. - Sustainable Agriculture: Focuses on farming practices that maintain environmental health, including organic farming, agroforestry, and crop rotation, aiming to balance productivity with ecological preservation and social equity. #### 4. Agricultural Land Use Models - Von Thünen Model: A model explaining the spatial organization of agricultural activities around a central market based on the costs of transportation and land rent, where land use gradually shifts from perishable goods to extensive farming as distance from the market increases: 1. Central Market 2. Dairy & Market Gardening (high value, perishable goods) 3. Forests (timber and fuel) 4. Grain & Field Crops (lower perishability, moderate values) 5. Ranching/Livestock (extensive land use, lowest land rent) - Boserup Hypothesis: Challenges Malthusian perspectives by suggesting that population growth can stimulate agricultural innovation and intensification, leading to sustainable practices and increased food production capabilities as societies adapt to demographic pressures. #### 5. Environmental & Economic Consequences of Agriculture - Deforestation: The large-scale clearing for agriculture threatens biodiversity, disrupts ecosystems, and contributes to climate change through increased carbon emissions, requiring sustainable land management strategies to mitigate impacts. - Desertification: Refers to the degradation of land in arid regions, often exacerbated by agricultural practices such as overgrazing and deforestation, leading to a significant reduction in land productivity. - Soil Degradation: The decline in soil health and fertility, resulting from intensive farming, excessive use of chemicals, and neglect of soil conservation practices, has wide implications for food security and ecosystem health. - Food Deserts: Areas (both urban and rural) where access to affordable and nutritious food is limited, contributing to health issues and food insecurity, often requiring policy interventions to increase food accessibility. - Agribusiness: Represents the systemic integration of different agricultural processes, often resulting in large-scale, corporate-controlled operations that may prioritize efficiency over sustainability and local food production, raising ethical considerations in food systems.