Transcript The Nature of Agriculture – Deficiencies in Food Production

The Nature of
Agriculture –
Deficiencies in
Food Production
Agriculture
depends on the
interactions
among a number
of natural
systems.
Climate
The first natural system, climate,
contributes two factors in how
successful farming will be.
One factor is the amount of
heat that is available.
This factor explains why bananas can be
grown in the Caribbean, but not in
North Bay. The amount of heat is
described by measures like the length
of the growing season.
Climate
The second climatic factor relates to
the amount of moisture available.
Most often this is measured in terms
of precipitation levels. It is more
accurate to consider the relationship
between the amount of precipitation
and the demand for moisture.
Soils
The second natural system that is
fundamental to agriculture is
the soil system.
Soil is a complex substance that
includes minerals, living organic
materials like earthworms and
bacteria, and decaying materials
like rotting plants, water, and
air.
Soils
If there is a shortage of moisture, the
amount of plant growth, will be less
than it might otherwise be.
The soil that develops in these conditions
will be relatively infertile.
If there is an excess of moisture, fertility
will be reduced because vital nutrients
will seep out of the soil.
The Land
The third system that has an impact on
agriculture is the land, and whether it is
level.
If an area is too hilly, there is the
potential for the loss of vital topsoil
through erosion.
On the other hand, land that is very flat,
especially if it has fine soil materials and
a high water table, could be too wet for
farming.
Biology
The fourth important natural system is
biological.
Some organisms are highly beneficial for
farming. Earthworms, for example, improve
the movement of air through the soil, while
bees are vital for effective plant pollination.
Other insects are highly destructive.
The growth of unwanted plants, generally
called weeds, can also interfere with the
productivity of agriculture.
Correcting Deficiencies
Few places in the world have the perfect
combination of conditions for farming: a long
growing season, not too much and not too little
moisture, rich soils, level land, and just the right
mix of biological conditions.
Unfortunately, most areas suffer from one or
more deficiencies. For thousands of years,
people have worked to overcome the
shortcomings of the land that they farm. For
each of the deficiencies, adjustments have been
made. Samples of agricultural deficiencies are
listed below.
Agricultural
Human Adjustment
Deficiency
Growing season Grow a crop with a shorter growing season. Develop
too short or too varieties that mature more quickly. Provide
cool
additional energy input
Infertile soils
Add natural fertilizers (e.g., manure, compost)
Add chemical fertilizers
Use appropriate plant rotations
Excess of
harmful insects
Use chemical insecticides
Introduce predator insects
Use cropping methods that limit insects
Grow genetically modified, insect-resistant crop
varieties
Types of
Agriculture
Intensive Agriculture
Intensive agriculture
involves farming a
relatively small amount of
land in a concentrated
fashion with the use of a
great deal of labour and,
often, other inputs, such
as machinery.
Intensive Agriculture
Typical forms of intensive
farming in Canada would
include fruit and vegetable
growing, vineyards, livestock
feedlots, where animals are
penned in a small field area and
fattened, and hog factory
farms.
Extensive Farming
Extensive farming uses large amounts
of land with limited amounts of
labour and other large inputs.
Examples in Canada of extensive
farming would include prairie grain
and oilseed farming, ranching, and
most forms of mixed farming.
The End