Food production

Key definitions

• Agriculture — the production of food and other resources.
• Arable — the farming of crops.
• Pastoral — the farming of animals.
• Mixed farming — farming of both crop and animal production.
• Intensive farming — a way of producing large amounts of output using machinery and chemicals.
• Extensive farming — involves low input of materials and the output is dependent on natural factors.
• Commercial farming — producing crops and animals to sell for profit.
• Subsistence farming — producing enough output to be able to survive on. Any surplus is stored or sold.

The agricultural system

An agricultural system is made out of inputs, processes and outputs.

• Inputs — what is needed for farming.
• Processes — actions done to turn inputs into outputs.
• Outputs — the finished goods.

In a sustainable system, outputs can be recycled back into inputs. E.g. the output animal manure can be reused as an input in the form of fertiliser.

Food shortages

Causes and effects

Solutions

Reasons for variation in land use

• Type of soil in each area
• Farmer's choice
• Type of relief
• Size of land
• Climate / weather conditions
• Government subsidies
• Sunlight
• Accessibility
• Size of labour force

Case study: an agricultural system — the Erigbaagtsa Tribe (Brazil)

• 68% of the Amazon is in Brazil.
• The Erigbaagtsa Tribe utilises a method called slash and burn.
• Vegetation can take over 30 years to recover.

Slash and burn method

1. Axes and matches are used to clear the area.
2. Fallen trees are dried and burned and used as fertilisers.
3. Fertile soil is used to plant food (e.g. yams and manioc).
4. Crop yields start to decrease after 2-3 years due to leaching.
5. They move to a new area.

Case study: a farm — Glebe Farm (UK)

Glebe Farm is a commercial farm.

Facts

• Grants and subsidies by the EU are given if production targets are met.
• 127 hectares in farm area.
• Ideal for arable farming; they specialise in oats and grains.
• Most crops grown by the farm grow at 6 degrees, which is ideal for its location.

Land use at Glebe

• They started a pick-your-own enterprise selling sunflowers.
• They use some land as a caravan club site.
• Most of their land is used to farm arable products (oats and grains).
• The EU government tells them what to plant to prevent overproduction, and they receive money in the form of subsidies.

Case study: a country/region suffering from food shortages — Darfur, Sudan

Sudan's background

• Sudan separated into 2 (North Sudan and South) in 2011 as a result of civil conflicts and racism.
• North Sudan — constant dry winds. Rain may not fall for years. 1.5 million live in these drought conditions where locusts are a threat.
• Western and Central Darfur (west Sudan) — short wet seasons: pearl millet is harvested in November and dry stalks are fed to livestock during long dry seasons.
• Central South Sudan — 40,000 refugees in camps are ignored despite the town being full of government officials.
• East Sudan — irrigation for farming due to the Nile river.
• South Sudan — a small area where vegetation can grow year round since the average rainfall is around 700mm.
• Darfur is a region in west Sudan.

The main causes of food shortages in Sudan

• Locusts — an area in eastern Sudan uses irrigation from the Nile to yield crops, but locusts threaten the already low output.
• War — in 2011, the separation of Sudan occurred. People continue to fear the military returning following this civil conflict, and are reluctant to return home. Productivity is low, and agriculture is neglected, causing food shortages. The government denies aid as they want the people to go home. 40,000 refugees are being ignored in Nyala (capital of South Darfur).
• Climate — super hot and dry in the North, tropical in the south. Drought conditions and non-existent rainfall. Super expensive to start agriculture in a place that experiences less than 100 mm of rainfall annually. 1.5 million people live in Northern Sudan like this.