Agriculture: Origins and Revolutions AP Human Geography

Bell Ringer Take a moment to close read and annotate the “Agriculture Histogram”. Make a list of Patterns (change across space) Make a list of trends (change across time)

Importance of Agriculture All humans depend on agriculture for food Urban-industrial societies depend on the base of food surplus generated by farmers and herders Without agriculture there could be no cities, universities, factories, or offices Today agriculture remains the most important economic activity in the world Agriculture employs 45 percent of the working population (only 2% in US) In some parts of Asia and Africa, over 80 percent of the labor force is engaged in agriculture Very few of us depend on agriculture for our livelihood -- only 2% of the labor force in the US/Canada is engaged in agriculture -- but we all depend on agriculture for food. Agricultural surplus was a necessary foundation upon which cities and ultimately our urban-industrial society were built Agriculture continues to be important, occupying a larger proportion of Earth’s land area than any other economic activity Agriculture accounts for 45% of the world’s labor force over all, and as much as 80% in some less developed areas While some historical context is necessary and important, the main focus should be on modern agriculture and food production

Agricultural Revolutions Agriculture has passed through a series of revolutionary changes Not everywhere at the same time Some places still largely unaffected Transition from predominantly subsistence activity to predominantly capital-intensive, market-oriented commercial agriculture Three distinct revolutions Since its discovery some 10,000 years ago, agriculture has passed through a series of revolutionary changes We have moved from predominantly subsistence practices to predominantly capital-intensive, market-oriented practices Three distinct revolutions

Probable culture-hearths of agriculture First Agricultural Revolution Invention of farming & domestication of livestock (8,000–14,000 years ago) shift from hunter-gatherer to agricultural societies DISCUSSION: * What types of technical innovations made the First Agricultural Revolution possible? Probable culture-hearths of agriculture

First Agricultural Revolution Replaced hunting and gathering Involved plant and animal domestication Emergence of seed agriculture (wheat, rice) Use of the plow Resulted in modest population increase and outmigration

Second Agricultural Revolution Technological changes (starting 1600s in Western Europe; spread by 1800s to North America) Occurred as Industrial Revolution was happening Began with new methods: crop rotation, better horse collars Later innovations: replace human labor with machines, supplement natural fertilizers & pesticides with chemical Beginnings of commercialization of agriculture (production of surplus for trade); enabled widespread urbanization DISCUSSION: * How do machines like the one featured here boost agricultural production? * How does rotating crops assist in boosting agricultural production?

Second Agricultural Revolution Late Middle Ages Modification of subsistence farming practices Crop rotation Use of natural and semi-processed fertilizers New tools and equipment Dramatic increase in crop and livestock yields Transportation technology linking farm and urban commercial food market

Third Agricultural Revolution Origins in North America Industrialization of agriculture Mechanization Replacement of human labor with machines Chemical farming Use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides Food manufacturing Addition of economic value through processing, canning, refining, packaging Green Revolution Plant breeding Biotechnology Genetic manipulation Unlike the first two agricultural revolutions – which originated in the Eastern Hemisphere, the third had its origins in the Western Hemisphere – North America, to be specific The Third Agricultural Revolution involves the industrialization of agriculture Mechanization Chemical farming Food manufacturing In other words, that fourth bullet in the unit description in the course outline: “modern commercial agriculture” And this is where the challenge of teaching comes into play. Most textbooks cover traditional agriculture well, but many fall short in addressing contemporary agro-industry. Most textbooks cover the Green Revolution, but give only passing reference to biotechnology – two important and quite different movements in modern agriculture

Third Agricultural Revolution Since 1960s - hybridized grains for better yields (“Green Revolution”) - greater reliance on synthetic fertilizers - genetically engineered crops - vertical integration of ownership (Cargill, ConAgra) - globalization of production A partial list of ConAgra’s brands Swiss Miss Hunt’s Van Camp’s Marie Callender’s Wesson Hebrew National Slim Jim Egg Beaters Rosarita Chef Boyardee ReddiWip Pam Peter Pan Orville Redenbacher’s Healthy Choice Banquet DISCUSSION: * How does this billboard reflect the Third Agricultural Revolution? * What is the difference between hybrid and genetically engineered plants?

What is the Green Revolution? “The application of science and technology to creating High-Yielding Varieties of major food staples (mainly grains) In other words, to get more food out of the same area of land—increasing the productivity of land.

Where did all this come from? During the 1940s, pioneering work was done by Prof. Norman Borlaug in the hybridization of plants. Essentially, he produced dwarf varieties so that more of the energy went into food production, than into growing tall.

The Green Revolution in India 1966-67: India was one of the first countries to benefit from a high-yielding seed program Turning Point for Indian Agriculture 5 cereals: wheat, rice, maize, sorghum and millet Drought-resistant Shorter growing season Very responsive to fertilizer

Advantages of the Green Revolution Yields are 2-4 times greater The shorter growing season Farming incomes have increased Diet of rural communities is now varied Local infrastructure has been upgraded Employment has been created for industries that supply farms with supplies and machinery

What did it do? It produced spectacular increases in yields and production, and we must not lose sight of that. There is no doubt that it made more food available than would have existed without it.

Principal Beneficiaries of the Green Revolution 7

“Green Revolution”

Disadvantages of the Green Revolution High amounts of fertilizers and pesticides are needed to optimize production. This is both economically and environmentally costly New varieties require more weed control and are more susceptible to pests and disease Middle and higher-income farmers have benefited more than low-income farmers Mechanization of farming has increased rural unemployment Some new varieties have inferior taste

The Green Revolution: The Latest Concern A 1992 UN report found that even in countries where food intake had risen, diseases associated with vitamin and mineral deficiencies had increased. These deficiencies were linked to consumption of Green Revolution crops, which are low in vitamins and minerals Because these crops have replaced common produce, many people in the developing world have extremely low levels of zinc, iron, and vitamin A

“Golden Rice” THE GREAT YELLOW HOPE In 1982, the Rockefeller Foundation funded research into rice varieties to promote global health Nutritionally enhanced rice Used a daffodil gene Rice now produces beta-carotene The body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A Blindness in LDCs is caused by vitamin A deficiencies Time Magazine declares: “This rice could save a million kids a year.” 9

“Golden Rice” THE GREAT YELLOW HYPE An 11 year-old child would need to eat 15 pounds of golden rice a day to satisfy the minimum daily requirement of vitamin A Conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A requires fat and protein in the diet (these are lacking in LEDCs) Asians may not want to eat golden rice – they prefer white rice over the more nutrient rich brown rice which has always existed 10