APHumanGeography Low-latitude(“tropics”),humidclimateswithhigh
temperaturesandabundantrainfall.
Tropicalrainforests(Amazon,sub-SaharanAfrica,
Indonesianislands,inlandSEAsia)
Aridorsemi-aridor“marginal”(notusedby
others,“ontheedge”)regions.
(NorthAfrica,SWAsia,CentralAsia,W.China,
Mongolia)
PastoralNomadism
Intensive
Subsistence
Plantation
LESSDEVELOPEDCOUNTRIES(LDCs)
Agricultural Where?
Region
(climate,regions,etc.)
Shiftingcultivation
Rice
Rainy,subtropical(SEChina,Philippines,Coastal
India,GangesRiverValley)
Not
rice
Drierharsherclimates(northChina,inlandSEAsia,
Andesmountains,CentralAmerica,Fertile
Crescent/Turkey,East/CentralAfrica)
Climatevariesongrowingneedsofluxurycrop.
(CentralAmerica,Colombia,Guianas,coastal
Brazil,Mississippidelta,Kenya,Java,Eastern
Madagascar,SriLanka,NEAustralia)
AgriculturalRegionsGraphicOrganizer
Mr.Adams
Land/Labor
Crops
Trends
Effectsofmodernization
Other/Misc.
specificvocab
25%worldlandarea/5%ofpop.
Landisclearedbyhandthrough
“slash-and-burn”hence“shifting”,
usedshorttimeonrotatingbasis.
Losesfertilityquickly.Nonewplant
matter.Leachingfromconstant
rainfall
MovementisNOTrandom=strong
territoriality
“nomadism”isreallyisamisnomer,
migrationpatternsevolvefrom
knowledgeofland
Transhumance(seasonalshift
betweenlowandhighaltitude
grazing)practicedbysome
Herdersobtaingrainfromsedentary
farmersinexchangeforanimal
productsorfromsmallfixedplots
tendedbywomen
Areaswithhighpopulations
highagriculturaldensities
Manyfarmers,smallplots
(fragmented),littlemechanization
Tomaximizeproduction,littlelandis
wasted(singlepathroads,little
animalgrazing)
Usuallysparselypopulatedareaswith
largeestatesoflandownedby
corporationsformMDCs.
Requirestheimportationandhousing
oflaborforce
(thiscanresultinstressonfamiliesin
LDCs,malesareabsentfromhome,
engageinriskybehaviors,women
needtosubsistencefarm
Variesbyregion
Landareaisdeclining,beingreplaced
bycommercialagriculture(logging,
ranching,cashcrops).Switchhasled
todestructionoftherainforestand
anincr.inglobalwarming.
creates“swidden”,
“milpa”or“lading”
=termsforarea
clearedforplanting.
Typeofanimaldepends
onregion(camelsin
theSahara,yaksinthe
Himalayas,cattlein
Kenya
Otherrolesplayedbynomads
(carriersofgoodsandinformation)
decreasedbytechnology
govt.desiretouselandforresources
hasdecreasednomadism.
Animalsseldom
eaten(herdsseen
assymbolofpower
andprestige).
rice
Increasinguseoffertilizersand
mechanizationwithadoptionof
westernfarmingtechniquesleadsto
increasedyields,debttosuppliers.
paddyorswadah
created.Flooding
requiredneedsalot
ofwater,flatland.
Hillsidesterraced
Croprotationused
toavoidsoil
exhaustion.
Switchtocashcropscanleadtofood
supplyissuesinLDCs.
Lowvalueoncommoditychain,
nativegrowersearnleast
Onlyformof
commercialfarming
foundprimarilyin
LDCs
UnitedFruitCo.and
Guatemala
grains=(1)wheat,(2)
barley,millet,corn,
soybeans,etc.
Cashcrops
Luxurycrops
Coffee,tea,rubber,
tobacco,sugarcane,
cotton
Pricesetbycore
Land/Labor
Crops
Trends
Effectsofmodernization
Other/Misc.
specificvocab
Closestringoutsidelargecities=the“milkshed”.
Northernpartofmidlatitudes
Highperishabilityrequiresproximitytomarket
(Europe=NW,Alps,USA=NE,GreatLakes,Upper
Midwest,PacificNW.SWAustralia)
USbetweenAppalachiansandjustwestof
MississippiRiver
(Iowa=centerofthe“CornBelt”)
NorthEuropeanPlain(betweenFranceandRussia)
,Japan?TransvaalinSouthAfrica(“Boers”=
farmersinDutch)
Areastoodryformixedcropandlivestock
(N.America=Winter-wheatbelt=KS,CO,OK=
survivesmilderwinter/Spring-wheatbelt=
Dakotas,Montana,Saskatchewan)
Otherareas:
Pampas(SESouthAmericainArgentina,Uruguay,
Brazil),Ukraine,Russiasteppe,Australia)
Labor-intensive(Mustbemilked2x
daily,evenwithmachines,requires
constantattention
Expenseofwinterfeed
tofeedmilkcowsduringwinterisa
hardship
integrationofcropsandlivestock
mostland=devotedtocropsusedto
feedlivestock,livestockprovide
fertilizer
Farmsfartherfrom
market=dairyproducts
≠milk
Improvementstotransportallowed
expansionofmilkshed
NowamajorityproducedinLDCs
(Indiais#1)
(1)corn(2)soybeans
Croprotationused(differentcrops
usedifferentnutrientsorreplenish,
NOfieldsleftfallow)
Heavilymechanized(reaper,
combine),largefarms,extensiveland
use
Workloadnotuniform,farmermay
splityearbetweenfarmsintwo
differentbelts.
MDCs=cropsoldtofoodproduct
manufacturers
Thelargestcommercialproducerof
grains=theU.S.
WesternUSandMexico.Rancherscameinto
conflictwithsedentaryfarming=rangewars=
farmerswinwithbarbedwire=ranchersforced
ontomarginal(dry)environmentsinMDCs
RanchinginAustralia,NZ(sheep),Europe
(Spain/Portugal),Pampas(Argentina,Uruguayand
Brazil)=followssimilarpatternofisolationand
declineduetocompetitionforlandwithsedentary
farming
primarilyonwesterncoastsoflandmasses
(Mediterraneancoast,SouthernCalifornia,Chile,
SouthAfricaandSWAustralia)requiresa
particularclimateandterrainofprevailingsea
windswhichprovidelimitedmoisture,moderate
wintertemperatures,summersarehotanddry
withsomerelieffromseabreezes.
Terrainishilly,verynarrowbandsofflatlandalong
coast
PredominantinSEUSA
Longgrowingseasonwith
accesstolargemarketsofeastcoast
TraditionallyextensiveinMDCs
CattledrivennorthtoRRs→
slaughteredinChicagoandprocessed
bymeatpackers→shippedtoeast
coastconsumers
Withbetterirrigationmorelandnow
farmed
Farmerhashigherreturn,ranching
haslowercosts
Drylandsrequiremassiveirrigation
Small%ofrevenuefromanimal
productsmostlyproductsforhuman
consumption
Wheatisworld’s
leadingexportcrop
½ofexportsfrom
US/Canada=“world’s
breadbasket”
→flour→bread
Easily
stored/transported
Cattle,beef
Nottraditionally
consumed
arosewith
urbanizationand
risingincomesin
MDCs
mostprofitsderive
fromsaleof
livestock
allowsdistr.ofwork
throughoutyear
andevensseasonal
variationsinincome
forhuman
consumptionrather
thananimalfeed
LDCS=cropis
directlyconsumed
(subsistencewet
ricenotdominant)
CAFOs=
“concentrated
animalfeeding
operations”
Mediterranean=Olives
(cookingoil),grapes
(wine),etc.
½landdevotedto
wheatforpasta
California=citrusfruits,
treenuts,deciduous
fruits
Freshproducefor
groceries,farmer’s
markets
Apples,asparagus,
cherries,lettuce,
mushrooms,tomatoes,
somefreshsome
canned
Competitionforprimeagricultural
landfromcities
Horticulture:the
growingoffruits,
vegetablesand
flowers
transhumance
SpecialtyfarmingspreadtoNEas
alternativetodairying
Supplieswealthycustomerswith
specialtyproducts
akaTruckfarms=
“truck”=
“bartering/exchang
e”
MOREDEVELOPEDCOUNTRIES(MDCs)
Mediterranean
LivestockRanching
Commercial
gardeningand
fruitfarming
MOREDVELOPEDCOUNTRIES(MDCs)
GrainFarming
Mixedcrop
andlivestock
Dairy
Farming
Agricultural Where?
Region
(climate,regions,etc.)
Large-scalemechanizedoperations
Reducelaborcostsbyhiringmigrant
farm(undocumented)workers
Cattlenowfrequentlysentto
“fattening”orfeedlotfarmsalong
majorhighwaysorrailroads=
intensification
Nowpartofthemeat-processing
industryratherthanindependent
agriculturalactivity