Agriculture

Origins of agriculture Agriculture = deliberate modification of Earth’s surface through the cultivation of plants and/or rearing of animals Cultivate = “to care for” Crop = any plant cultivated by people Origins –Hunter-gatherers Perhaps 250,000 remaining today –San in Southern Africa, Aborigine in Australia –Invention of agriculture When it began = unclear, diffused from many hearths

The First Agricultural Revolution Southeast Asia: Root crops, up to 14,000 years ago (Sauer) Southwest Asia (the Fertile Crescent): Seed crops, about 10,000 years ago → Neolithic Revolution = “1 st Agricultural Revolution”

The Fertile Crescent

1st planned cultivation of seed crops –Enlargement of plants from seed selection –Generated a surplus of wheat and barley Animal domestication –Began in Fertile Crescent (c years ago) Relatively few domesticated animals Continuing efforts not very successful –Eland as an example –1st integration of plant growing and animal raising Crops to feed livestock Livestock to help grow crops –fertilizer and beasts of burden

Animal Hearths

How Did Agriculture Change with Industrialization? Second Agricultural Revolution: A series of innovations, improvements, and techniques used to improve the output of agricultural surpluses –17 th and 18 th centuries (linked to Scientific Rev.) Enclosure movement = larger farms New tools (seed drill, water wheel, etc.) Advances in livestock breeding (selective) New fertilizers More efficient crop rotation Pre-dated the Industrial Revolution –created surplus, displaced farmers = factory workers –increased food supply → stage 2

How Is the World’s Population Distributed? Agricultural density (# of farmers/arable land) High density equals –Low farming efficiency »Farming done by hand Low density = more developed countries (MDCs) –Advanced technology and finance –Corporate or large scale farming »Farms are getting bigger! »Frees population for other pursuits »Manufacturing, services etc.

Green Revolution (3 rd Agriculture Rev.) Began in U.S. Midwest (1930s → ) –Norman Borlaug “the man who saved a billion lives” –diffusion to LDCs (1960s → ) Shift from subsistence to commercial methods in LDCs Adoption of a western farming model –Use of fertilizer, machinery, pesticides –invention of high-yield grains (hybridization, crossbreeding) with goal of reducing hunger Increased production of rice –Impact on hunger greatest where rice is produced New varieties of wheat and corn –GMOs = genetically modified organisms (4 th Rev. ???) –“biotechnology” Famines reduced! –Most famines today are due to political problems

Average Daily Calorie Consumption per Capita

Opposition to Green Revolution Environmental concerns –soil erosion and water shortages Dependency on chemicals for production –Pollution, dangerous to ingest Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)? –Health problems???? (antibiotics, allergens) –EU strictly regulates (has approved only 48 organisms) Labelling required, Why labelling resistance in the US? Increased dependence on transnat’l corps $$$$$$ → Western agribusiness (Monsanto) Life becomes “intellectual property” = “terminator seeds” loss of control over seeds → contamination “superpests” could develop resistance –Growth of “monocultures” lessens biodiversity

MDC Farmers Face Economic Difficulties –Green Revolution, technology, science → Overproduction Demand has remained relatively constant in MDCs –consequence: incomes for farmers are low –susceptible to acquisition (Industrial farms) Need government policies to support agriculture –Population growth “Urban sprawl” vs. prime agricultural land Both want land that is flat and well-drained (near markets) –Demand for crops to be used as biofuels –Industrial farming uses a ton of scarce energy Sustainable agriculture strategy Sensitive land management, limited use of chemicals, integration of crop and livestock

danger of being suburbanized as cities expand Loss of Productive Farmland

Subsistence Farming Difficulties Unable to match population growth? Switch to cash crops –International trade model of development –plantation agriculture families separated food must be purchased –Biofuels (both MDC/LDC) –Most lucrative cash crop? Drugs

Agricultural Land and Population

Strategies to increase food supply –Expanding agricultural land better irrigation to reduce stress on water supplies –drip irrigation expansion has slowed due to less than pop. growth –Identifying new food sources cultivating oceans developing higher-protein cereals improving palatability of foods –Increasing trade Shift global overproduction to areas in need Where most food is produced is not where it is most needed (unbalanced production/consumption)

Produce only what’s profitable Products vary by distance from the market (town). Factors: –Cost of land (bid-rent theory) –Use of land governed by cost/ease of transport to market Perishability and weight First effort to analyze the spatial character of economic activity –Modified for physical features Von Thünen’s Model

Application of Von Thünen Model Chinese village (by Lee Liu) – Land improvement (by adding organic material) close to village – Land degradation (lots of pesticides and fewer conservation tactics) farther from villa ge Wealthy countries –Underlying principles on larger scale dairy farming, vegetables as example Location close to population centers/markets. –But model breaks down Use of faster, higher capacity, refrigerated transportation