Unit V – Agriculture & Rural Land Use

2 A. Before Agriculture Mostly nomadic Hunter-Gatherers Alternating periods of plenty & scarcity (due to Ice Age) Early communities improved tools (sticks, baskets), weapons (clubs, spears), innovations (use of fire)

3 B. Rise of Agriculture Agriculture -- deliberate tending of crops & livestock to produce food & fiber food & fiber Recent innovation (12,000 yrs.) Permitted people to settle permanently w/ assurance that food would be available (storage)

4 C. Roots of Agriculture Hunters-gatherers Hunters-gatherers Carl Sauer: “Land of Plenty” Carl Sauer: “Land of Plenty” Humans learned how to grow plants by cutting off stem of another plant or by dividing up roots – vegetative planting Humans learned how to grow plants by cutting off stem of another plant or by dividing up roots – vegetative planting Women believed to be responsible for discovery bc of sociological position as gatherers Women believed to be responsible for discovery bc of sociological position as gatherers

5 D. 1 st Agricultural Rev. (Neolithic Rev.) Multiple hearths Multiple hearths Seed crops Seed crops 1 st domestication of animals 1 st domestication of animals Able to stay in place, grow pop. & build communities bc of this Able to stay in place, grow pop. & build communities bc of this Ability to produce more food w/out roaming increased carrying capacity of earth  development of 1st civilizations Ability to produce more food w/out roaming increased carrying capacity of earth  development of 1st civilizations

6 E. Hearths of Agric. Innovation There are 11 hearths correspond w/ Ancient Civilizations There are 11 hearths correspond w/ Ancient Civilizations Ex: Ex: Corn: Central America (US Mid-West, West. Africa) Corn: Central America (US Mid-West, West. Africa) Potato: Andean Highlands (Ireland, Idaho) Potato: Andean Highlands (Ireland, Idaho) Banana: SE Asia (Central America) Banana: SE Asia (Central America) Sugarcane: SE Asia (Caribbean, S. America) Sugarcane: SE Asia (Caribbean, S. America) Rice: Vietnam (Most of S.E. Asia) Rice: Vietnam (Most of S.E. Asia) Wheat: SW Asia (Most temperate climates in the world) Wheat: SW Asia (Most temperate climates in the world)

7 1 st Agricultural Revolution

8 F. Colombian Exchange Cataclysmic event in agricultural diffusion Cataclysmic event in agricultural diffusion Old World/New World merge agricultural innovation & livestock Old World/New World merge agricultural innovation & livestock Ex: pasta spreads from east to west; Ex: pasta spreads from east to west; tomato spreads from New World to Old World

9 G. 2 nd Agricultural Revolution Coincide w/ Industrial Revolution (17 th & 18 th c. England & W. Europe) Coincide w/ Industrial Revolution (17 th & 18 th c. England & W. Europe) Seed drill, fertilizer, steel plow Seed drill, fertilizer, steel plow Food production increases dramatically  population boom Food production increases dramatically  population boom Brings about stage 2 in Demographic Transition Model Brings about stage 2 in Demographic Transition Model

10 H. Agricultural Regions Living in different environments  developed different farming methods resulting in numerous spatial variations Two primary types of agriculture can be observed: Subsistence & Commercial

11 I. Agricultural Regions Subsistence [LDC, periphery] Shifting cultivation Shifting cultivation Intensive subsistence (small plots land w/large population) Intensive subsistence (small plots land w/large population) Extensive subsistence (large plots land w/low population) Extensive subsistence (large plots land w/low population) Pastoral nomadism Pastoral nomadism Commercial [MDC, semi-periphery & core] Mixed Crop & Livestock Dairying Grain Livestock ranching Mediterranean Commercial gardening Plantation

12 World Agriculture Regions Locations of the major types of subsistence and commercial agriculture.

13 Subsistence Farming

14 Rice Planting

15 World Rice Production Asian farmers grow over 90% of the world’s rice. India and China alone account for over half of world rice production.

16Slash-and-burn High-Altitude Farming

17 Commercial Farming

18 J. Importance of Agriculture Depend on agriculture for food Depend on agriculture for food Urban-industrial societies depend on the base of the food surplus generated by farmers & herders Urban-industrial societies depend on the base of the food surplus generated by farmers & herders W/out agriculture = no cities, universities, factories, jobs W/out agriculture = no cities, universities, factories, jobs

19 J. Importance of Agriculture Most important economic activity in the world Most important economic activity in the world Employs 45% of working pop. Employs 45% of working pop. In some parts of Asia & Africa, over 80% of labor force is engaged in agriculture In some parts of Asia & Africa, over 80% of labor force is engaged in agriculture

20 K. Labor Force in Agriculture Large proportion of workers in most LDC’s are in agriculture, while only a small % of workers in MDC’s are engaged in agriculture.

21 L. Levels of Economic Activity Primary: Dealing directly w/ resource; ex: farming, mining Primary: Dealing directly w/ resource; ex: farming, mining Secondary: Manufacture Secondary: Manufacture a primary product; a primary product; ex: car production ex: car production Tertiary: Service industry; Tertiary: Service industry; ex: selling the goods ex: selling the goods