Food, energy and water Flashcards
(30 cards)
TYPES OF FARMING – MORE DETAIL:
Commercial farming
Commercial farming involves farming for a profit. The farmer is growing crops or rearing animals to sell for
as much money as possible. These farms can be arable (just growing crops), pastoral (just rearing animals) or
mixed (both arable and pastoral). Increasingly farms are becoming more mixed due to the impact of farming
subsidies and regulations. Most of the farming in MEDC’s is commercial farming of one type or another.
An example of comercial farming:
The arable farms of East Anglia are a good example of commercial farming, as are the cereal farms of the
central United States and the Canadian Prairies.
Intensive farming
Intensive farms generally take up a fairly small area of land, but aim to have a very high output, through
massive inputs of capital and labour. These farms use machines and new technologies to become as efficient
and cost-effective as possible.
Extensive farming
Extensive farming is the direct opposite of intensive farming. The farms are large in comparison to the
money injected into them or the labour used.
An exampele of Extensive farming
The cattle ranches of central Australia area good example of
extensive agriculture, where often only a few farm workers are responsible for thousands of acres of farmland
Subsistence farming
Subsistence farmers only produce enough to feed themselves and their family, without having any more to
sell for profit. This is the most common form of farming in LEDC’s.
Factors that affect farming
Capital:
Money is vitally important when setting up a farm or trying to run one. Subsidies and government
policies have helped in some cases, but they have also meant that farming is having to become more efficient
and technological to survive. As prices fall for farm products, so the farmer’s profits also fall, meaning he can
employ less people and buy less seeds and animals for the following year. It is a vicious downward trend
experienced in many farming communities.
Factors that affect farming choice:
the farmer may have a number of choices over which type of farming he is going to follow. Normally
this is determined by the climate, soils and the relief. However, farmers are increasingly having to turn to
farming crops or animals that will bring them the most money, rather than which ones may be best suited to the area
Factors that affect farming climate:
One of the most important factors in deciding what type of farming might occur in a certain area.
The important considerations for farmers are the hours of sunshine, the average temperature and the amount of rainfall
Factors that affect farming labour:
Every farm need workers, and so farms need these sources of labour. In the old days there would
have been many people doing very labour-intensive jobs around the farm. However, with farming becoming
increasingly mechanised the numbers of people working on farms has diminished and many of those people
tend to be more like farm managers rather than actually getting out and doing the dirty work.
Factors that affect farming market:
The market is very important for a farmer. He must know that he is going to be able to sell his
produce at a good price, in order to make a profit. Quotas and subsidies have been brought in to try to help
farmers as the prices of their produce have fallen over the last twenty years. Farmers increasingly have to
decide exactly what they are going to grow by the price that they will get for their produce.
Factors that affect farming politics:
Government and International farming policies have had a huge impact on many farms around the
world. In Europe the Common Agricultural Policy and EU regulations have meant that farmers are protected
and that their produce will be bought. However, they have also meant some farmers have had to completely
change what they are growing to suit the new regulations.
Factors that affect farming relief :
The relief of the land is a very important factor in determining the type of agricultural activity that can
take place on it. Flat, sheltered areas are usually best for crops as it is easy to use machinery and there will be
the best climatic conditions for crop growth. Steep slopes are more likely to be used for sheep and cattle
farming, such as in the valley of South Wales. However, in countries such as Indonesia the steep slopes have
been terraced to allow rice to grow.
Factors that affect farming soils:
Thick, well-irrigated, often alluvial (deposited by a river) soil is usually the best for crop farming. In
Britain the best soil for arable farming can be found in Norfolk and other Eastern areas of the country. In hilly
areas the soil tends to be thinner and less fertile, meaning it is more suitable for pasture farming.
Example 2: Large Scale Commercial Farming in Indiana, USA e.g., Fair Oaks Farm
Fair Oaks farm is a commercial dairy farm located in Indiana, USA. The farm is actually a mixed farm as it also
produces crops, much of which is used for livestock feed. This region is good for the farming of crops because
soils are deep, fertile, and rich in organic material and nitrogen. Additionally, the warm nights, hot days, and
well-distributed rainfall of the region during the growing season are also ideal conditions for crop growth. It is
located 1 hour south of the city of Chicago (population 2.7 million), on major transit routes, meaning it can sell
its products to an area with large demand and number of consumers. The farm is located on 25,000 acres of
flat green land, this optimal for the business, for example flat land is best for arable farming as it allows crops
to easily be planted and harvested using machinery. As it is a large-scale commercial farm a lot of space is also
needed for various facilities, for example there are 10 dairy barns and a visitor’s centre for tourists. As it is
close to Chicago it has opportunities of tourism because Chicago very large city and attracts millions of
tourists, due to this Fair Oaks Farm has become an educational farm.
what is Desertification
Desertification is the process of land turning into desert as the quality of the soil declines over time.
Many countries around the world suffer from the problems caused by desertification but it is the Sahel
region of Africa where the effects are greatest.
Effects of food insecurity in the Sahel
- According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 18.7 million people
in the Sahel region faced an extreme food crisis in 2012. Today, 20 million people in the
region are at risk of food insecurity and 2.5 million of them need immediate lifesaving
food assistance. An estimated 5 million children younger than 5 suffered from
malnutrition. - Many families were left with nothing to eat and found their only sustenance in soups
made from wild plants so bitter that animals often neglected to eat them. - “To make them edible, peasants boil the plants repeatedly so as to get rid of the bitter
taste,” - Climate change, droughts, food shortages and conflict are causing people in the Sahel
to migrate in search of safety, food and water. The entire region is poverty-stricken and
moving within the country or to a neighbouring country does little to alleviate the issues
that migrants face. - They move from drought-affected areas to marginal areas that are put under more
strain than they can handle. These new areas then become degraded and unable to
support the increasing population. - The only real hope is international aid but that is usually slow to arrive and generally
inadequate.
Strategies to reduce desertification
*Planting more trees - the roots of trees hold the soil together and help to reduce soil erosion from wind
and rain.
- Improving the quality of the soil - this can be managed by encouraging people to reduce the number of
grazing animals they have and grow crops instead. The animal manure can be used to fertilise the
crops grown. Growing crops in this way can improve the quality of the soil as it is held together by
the roots of plants and protected from erosion. This type of farming is more sustainable.
*Water management - water can be stored in earth dams in the wet season and used to irrigate crops
during the dry season. This is an example of using appropriate technology to manage water supplies
in the desert environment.
*Magic stones (or bunds) are circles of stones placed on the ground to hold water on the soil rather than
letting it run quickly over the surface.
*Drip irrigation is where water drips slowly onto the ground from pin-sized holes in a hose lying on top
of the soil. This minimises water loss, maximises effectiveness and can be delivered via a solar pump.
Sustainable development in the desert – The Great Green Wall
The Great Green Wall is an African-led project with an epic ambition: to grow an 8,000km
natural wonder of the world across Africa’s entire width. Its goal is to provide food, jobs and a
future for the millions of people who live in a region on the frontline of climate change.
Once completed, the Great Green Wall will be the largest living structure on Earth and a
new Wonder of the World.
The Great Green Wall is taking root in the Sahel region, at the southern edge of the
Sahara Desert, one of the world’s poorest places.
More than anywhere else on Earth, the Sahel is on the frontline of climate change, and
millions of locals are already facing its devastating impact.
Persistent droughts, lack of food, conflicts over fewer natural resources, and mass
migration to Europe are some of the many consequences.
Yet, local people from Senegal in the West to Djibouti in the East are fighting back. Since
the birth of the initiative in 2007, life has started returning to the land, bringing greater
food security, jobs and stability to people’s lives.
One aim of the Great Green Wall is to reverse desertification and bring dry land back to
life. When there were no trees, the wind used to erode the soil (aeolian erosion). The
leaves support the nutrient cycle, and the canopy increases humidity in the environment
and offers shade which means less watering is needed. Drought resistant acacia trees
have been planted. The roots of the trees hold moisture in the soil.
The main causes of desertification include:
*Population growth - the population in some desert areas is increasing. In places where there
are developments in mining and tourism, people are attracted by jobs. An increased
population is putting greater pressure on the environment for resources such as wood and
water.
*Removal of wood - in developing countries, people use wood for cooking. As the population
in desert areas increases, there is a greater need for fuel wood. When the land is cleared of
trees, the roots of the trees no longer hold the soil together, so it is more vulnerable to soil
erosion.
*Overgrazing - an increasing population results in larger desert areas being farmed. Sheep,
cattle and goats are overgrazing the vegetation. This leaves the soil exposed to erosion.
*Soil erosion - this is made worse by overgrazing and the removal of wood. Population growth
is the primary cause for soil erosion.
*Climate change - the global climate is getting warmer. In desert regions conditions are not
only getting warmer but drier too. On average there is less rain now in desert regions than there was 50 years ago
Case Study
Energy supply in Iceland
- Iceland is often considered the most successful country in the world in terms of its energy mix, as the
majority of the country’s energy (85%) is derived from environmentally friendly, renewable sources. - Geothermal energy provides about 65% of energy, the share of hydropower is 20%, and the share of
fossil fuels (mainly oil products for the transport sector) is 15%. - In 2013 Iceland also became a producer of wind energy.
- Iceland’s unique geology allows it to produce renewable energy relatively cheaply, from a variety of
sources.
Food shortages
Causes of food shortages in the Sahel
- The Sahel is a strip of semi-arid land that stretches across Northern Africa
- It is located between the Sahara Desert to the north and Savanna environments to the south.
- It stretches coast to coast, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea.
- The Sahel is found in Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, North
Sudan, Eritrea, Cameroon, Central African Republic and the extreme north of Ethiopia.
Natural/physical causes: Sahel
- Drought: Rainfall rates of 100 mm/year. The rainfall is highly variable and concentrated in a single season of 2
weeks to a few months. Drought has been a common feature of climatic patterns in the Sahel for around 5000
years. However, lower than average rainfall years have been more common since the mid 1970’s. - Flooding: In 2011, extreme flooding in the Sahel destroyed crops leaving 18 million people without enough food
and a million children at risk of starvation. - Pests: Attacks on crops by birds, pests and locusts reduces food production. For example, between 2003-2005
locust swarms affected 20 countries across northern Africa, destroying millions of hectares of crops. In Niger,
4,000 villages were abandoned by residents who had lost their crops.
Human causes: Sahel
- Conflict: Conflict limits food production and distribution and forces people to migrate. Millions of people have
been forced to move into desert fringe areas by armed conflicts in the Sahel region. - Overcultivation: Overcultivation and overgrazing both result in soil erosion. If vegetation has been eaten by
cattle or killed by drought, the exposed topsoil becomes baked hard by sunlight. When it finally arrives intense
rain washes over the soil rather than soaking into the ground. As it flows it carries the topsoil away. Once the soil
has eroded, it becomes impossible for the vegetation to grow back. - Overgrazing: If too many goats and cattle are grazed for too long on one site, all the vegetation is eaten and
maybe unable to regrow. Nomadic groups used to wonder freely, following the rain wherever it fell. They would
leave land before all the vegetation was gone, giving it a chance to recover. Now they cannot, due to new political
boundaries, or because large companies have bought up the land rights in a region. Civil war and political
instability also force herders to stay too long in places.
