World Cultures: Agriculture Study Guide

Corporate Control

16% of farms worldwide are larger than 5 acres and represent about 88% of the world's farmland. The majority of the share of farmland controlled by larger farms is in core countries, such as the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe where commercial agriculture is more prevalent.

Agribusiness

Commercial agriculture characterized by the integration of different steps in the food-processing industry; usually through ownership by large corporations. Sometimes referred to as factory farming Integration of various steps in the food-processing industry.

Vertical Integration

Occurs when a company controls more than one stage of the production process.

Three factors that distinguish subsistence from commercial:

Percentage of farmers in the labor force. The use of machinery. The size of the farm.

Plantation Agriculture

Plantations tend to be labor-intensive operations (although the cost of labor is relatively low - meaning they do not pay the workers) Plantations also tend to be the leading consumers of pesticides (sugarcane and coffee). Locations: tropics and subtropics - Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Today, large plantations owned by European or American individuals and multinational corporations.

Historically, where were plantations an important form of agriculture?

Plantations were important in the American South.

People migrated for various reasons, including population growth, different opportunities, or conflict. These travelers introduced agriculture to new areas by ____________________ which is the spread of cultural traits through the movement of people.

Relocation diffusion

Monoculture

The agricultural system of planting one crop or raising one type of animal each year (annually).

Ranching

The commercial grazing of livestock over an extensive area. This type of agriculture is best suited for dry climates, but due to increased irrigation practices, most land given to ranching has been converted to crop production.

How are agricultural regions influenced by the natural environment?

Influenced by the climate, soil, and landforms.

Why is agricultural innovation important?

It plays a key role in feeding a hungry world. It improves the quality of our natural resources and enhancing the quality of life of our citizen.

Shifting Cultivation

Farmer's clear land for planting by slashing vegetation and burning the debris. Farmers grow crops on a cleared field for only a few years, until the soil nutrients are depleted, and then leave it fallow for many years so the soil can recover.

Commercial farming

Farmers grow crops and raise livestock for profit to sell to customers.

Starting in Mexico from a joint Mexican, US, and United Nations effort, new farming techniques were experimented with that increased agricultural productivity by an extraordinary rate. This is called the

Green Revolution.

Periphery countries

countries usually have less development and are poorer countries

GMO pros and cons

pros- less fertilizer, less water, more resistance to insects and disease, grow faster. Cons- irreversible and unpredictable genetic and ecological effects, can harm non-target species

The Green Revolution

1950s & 1960s Scientists used genetics to develop new high-yield strains of grain crops (wheat & rice). This was called the Green Revolution - (part of the third agricultural revolution) New crop strains from the U.S. were introduced in areas with low yields and large populations (Mexico, India & Indonesia). involved the practice of using higher-yield seeds and expanded use of fertilizers to increase production. The result was that it increased the use of chemical and mechanized farming.

Family Control

84% of farms worldwide are smaller than 5 acres, and operate about 12% of the total farmland. Most family subsistence farms are located in the periphery including countries in Asia and Africa; while they are small, collectively they produce food for a large portion of the world's population.

Core countries

According to world systems theory, the most advanced industrial countries, which take the lion's share of profits in the world economic system.

Intensive agriculture

Agriculture involves greater inputs of capital and paid labor relative to the space being used. To achieve high productivity, farmers rely on high levels of "inputs" and energy. Inputs = fertilizers, pesticides, human and animal labor

Positives for green revolution

Agriculture now outpaces population. Nitrogen-based fertilizers increase farm productivity. Scientists continue to invent new food sources. Higher productivity reduces dependency on imports in places such as China and India. Irrigation has increased crop yields. Agribusiness has increased the productivity of cash crops.

Extensive agriculture

Agriculture that uses fewer inputs of capital and paid labor relative to the space being used. This practice with fewer inputs and little investment in labor/capital results in low outputs.

How do people alter the landscape to make agriculture possible?

Alter landscape by building terraces, irrigation systems, slash and burn agriculture

Truck Farming

Another name for market gardening and fruit farming. Reliant on migrant workers, fertilizers, and machinery. Truck farming can now serve markets that are very distant from the farm. The demand in markets like the upper Midwest and northeastern states is high because cultivation in these areas is limited by climate.

Slash and Burn Agriculture

Another name for shifting cultivation, so named because fields are cleared by slashing the vegetation and burning the debris.

Example of Transhumance

Mongolia- Dukha (who are also called Tsataan).

Crops

Apples, asparagus, cherries, lettuce, mushrooms, tomatoes.

Examples of Nomadic Herding

Bedouins of Saudi Arabia; Masai of East Africa

Debates over innovation

Biotechnology, genetically modified organisms, and aquaculture are techniques at the forefront of efforts to expand food production. Benefits: better quality and higher production Concerns: unknown future consequences to both humans & the environment. A key concern is a sustainability. Sustainable agriculture involves environmental, economic, and social practices designed for the long term.

The four factors that influence agriculture

Climate (temperature & precipitation) Elevation of the land (affects the growing season & what plants can be grown) Soil (vital factor in determining the agricultural potential) Topography (area's land features, includes the slope of the land)

The exchange of goods and ideas between the Americas, Europe, and Africa, known as the

Colombian Exchange.

Cash crops

Cotton, tobacco, sugarcane.

Two important ranched animals?

Cows and sheep.

Koppen climatic classification

Developed by Wladimir Koppen, a system for classifying the world's climates on the basis of temperature and precipitation

The deliberate effort to grow plants and raise animals, making plants and animals adapt to human demands, and using selective breeding to develop desirable characteristics is called

Domestication.

Example of vertical integration

Examples of vertically integrated agribusinesses include orange juice, chickens, cereal, and French fries. McDonald's has complete control over its agricultural sources, its own processing facilities, distribution centers, transportation systems, and the land that the restaurants occupy. Allows them to keep prices lower than competition.

Attitudinal Zonation

Explain how climate is a factor in the elevation zones.

Where were plants and animals first domesticated?

Fertile Cresent

While ancient hearths have different physical characteristics, they share some features. Agriculture flourished in these regions because of

Fertile soil, the availability of water, moderate climates, and the organizational skills of the residents.

Subsistence farming

Grow and raise a diverse range of crops and livestock for family consumption.

Intertillage

Grows multiple kinds of crops in the same field.

What leads to high hunger vulnerability and food insecurity?

High poverty, which decreases household access to food. Climate Lack of access

(LDC), also called the Louis-Dreyfus Group

It is a global merchant firm that is involved in agriculture, food processing, international shipping, and finance. The company owns and manages hedge funds, ocean vessels, develops and operates telecommunications infrastructures, and is also involved in real estate development, management, and ownership. It is one of the "ABCD" quartets of companies - alongside Archer Daniels Midland, Bunge, and Cargill - that dominates world agricultural commodity trading. The company makes up about 10% of the world's agricultural product trade flows, and it is the world's largest cotton and rice trader. It is also regarded by many as the second-largest player in the world's sugar market. LDC Metals expanded to become the world's third-biggest trader of copper, zinc, and lead concentrate, behind only Glencore and Trafigura. Louis Dreyfus Company has its head office in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The company's parent, Louis Dreyfus Holding B.V., has its headquarters at the World Trade Center in Amsterdam. Louis Dreyfus companies are present in more than 100 countries, with 72 offices. Major offices are located in Geneva, London, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Paris, São Paulo, Singapore, New York City, and Connecticut. Aggregate average annual gross sales in recent years have exceeded US$120 billion. The company employs more than 22,000 people globally at peak season.

GMO (genetically modified organism)

It's a living organism with a genetic code that has been manipulated to produce certain qualities. The use of genetic modification is not new. High yield seeds introduced during Green Revolution are an example of this type of breeding.

Sustainable agriculture

It's a profitable way of producing high-quality food and fiber that: Protects and renews the natural environment Protects biodiversity Promotes conservation and soil health Considers animal welfare Builds local economies Enhances the quality of life of farmers and farm workers by providing fair wage and treatment

Food security

It's reliable access to safe, nutritious food that can support a healthy and active lifestyle.

Food insecurity

It's the disruption of a household's food intake or eating pattern because of poor access to food.

Biotechnology

It's the science of altering living organisms, often through genetic manipulation, to create new products for specific purposes. For example, a crop that can resist certain pests.

Commodity Chain

Large scale commercial agriculture Processing and production Transportation Marketing Retail Research and development Agricultural commodity chains begin with inputs such as land, seeds, fertilizers, and animals all tended to by farmers to produce a crop. After cultivation and harvest, the crop is processed, packaged, and then transported to wholesalers and retailers. Eventually, the end result is a finished product (commodity) that is marked to consumers.

Hunger vulnerability

Likelihood of current or future exposure of a group to undernourishment and undernutrition.

Examples of intensive agriculture

Market gardening (truck farming); plantation agriculture; mixed crop and livestock farming.

Where is the Fertile Crescent?

Mesopotamia

integration of crops and livestock

Most distinctive characteristic. Most of the crops are fed to the animals and manure gives soil fertility. Allows farmers to more evenly distributed the workload throughout the year.

Farm Subsides

Policy of the U.S. government to provide low-cost loans, insurance, and payments to some farmers and agribusinesses to help with the rising costs of production. Originated during the Great Depression to help struggling farmers & make sure the U.S. had enough food. In theory, subsidies continue to this day to protect farmers, BUT Small farmers, who need the money, do not get it Instead large farms producing corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice & sugar benefit the most. The largest 15% of farm operations receive 85% of the subsidies. The U.S. government currently spends about $20 billion each year on farm subsidies

Negatives for green revolution

Poor countries cannot afford the machinery. Farmers in poor countries cannot afford fertilizers - could lead to groundwater pollution. Overfishing. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the population is still growing faster than food. Irrigation has led to serious groundwater depletion. Agribusiness means that land is devoted to raising one crop. Toxicity of pesticides and fertilizers. Loss of genetic diversity of crops.

Examples of extensive agriculture

Shifting cultivation (slash and burn agriculture); nomadic herding; transhumance; livestock ranching

Monocropping

The cultivation of one or two crops that are rotated seasonally - commonly corn, soybeans, wheat, or cotton. allows for specialization, simplifies cultivation, and maximizes efficiency. BUT, it can strip nutrients from the soil IF farmers do not practice crop rotation. It also raises the stakes for farmers. As yields go up, crop prices can drop. Falling prices could force farmers out of business.

Supply and Demand

The dramatic growth in crop production due to technology leads to greater supply. When supply is high, prices for the product go down. If production is too high, production costs can become higher than value of the product. This is catastrophic for farmers - can lead to bankruptcy and loss of farms.

Market Gardening and Fruit Farming

The most dominant type of agriculture in the southeastern United States. The practice of market gardening is driven by the perishability of products, or their likeliness to spoil, and the demand by local customers for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Corn and soybeans

The most important crops in the US mixed commercial farming region.

Transhumance

The movement of herds between pastures at cooler, higher elevations during summer months and lower elevations during the winter.

Family vs Corporate Control

The overall shift in population from rural to urban areas is hurting the family farm. Younger generations are turning away as they see the amount of time and work devoted to rural agriculture to earn a very small profit. Fewer people interested in taking the risk and no successor for the family farm. Result is the shift from small-family owned farms to large corporate-controlled, vertically integrated agribusiness operations.

Scientists have identified several major agricultural hearths of domestication. A hearth is

The place where an idea, concept, or thing emerged.

Nomadic Herding

They depend primarily on animals rather than crops for survival. Pastoral nomadism. They heard domesticated animals in dry climates, where planting crops is impossible.

Where is Ranching?

Western U.S.& Canada, Brazil, Argentina & Uruguay, Australia & New Zealand.

Agriculture

is the purposeful cultivation of plants or raising of animals to produce goods for survival. Agriculture is more than growing food. Food crops (fruits, vegetables, grains) Crops to feed livestock (oats, alfalfa) Fiber crops (cotton) Oil crops for consumption or industrial (olives, corn, soybeans) Geographers study agriculture to understand how humans have modified the environment to sustain themselves.

Why GMO's shouldn't be labeled

● Labeling would unnecessarily spook consumers because labeling is for health and safety, not types of seeds. ● Mandatory labeling would severely disrupt U.S. agriculture because GMO products are already widespread in the food system. ● The private sector is increasingly labeling GMO-free products, so requiring GMO labeling is unnecessary.

Why GMO'S should be labeled?

● Mandatory labeling of GMO products would give consumers the information necessary to choose whether or not to consume GMO. ● Most countries other than the United States have signed agreements to regulate GMO, including labels. ● U.S. consumers may wish to cut back on their consumption of GMO until more is learned about their long-term effects on ecosystems and health.