Get Thinking…
Complete your literacy link recapping our agricultural key terms!
| Key Term | |
A | Capital | |
B | Yield | |
C | Slash and Burn | |
D | Indigenous | |
E | Domesticated Animals | |
F | Rearing | |
G | Fertilizer | |
H | Pesticide | |
I | Herbicide | |
J | Irrigation | |
K | Cash Crop | |
L | Genetically Modified | |
M | Mechanisation | |
N | Felling | |
Definition | Letter? |
A method of agriculture in which existing vegetation is cut down and burned off before new seeds are sown. | |
To cut down (a tree). | |
An amount produced of an agricultural or industrial product. | |
A substance used for destroying insects or other organisms harmful to cultivated plants. | |
Animals that live and breed in a tame condition and depend on humankind for survival. | |
A crop that is grown in order to be sold. | |
Wealth in the form of money or other assets. | |
Genetic material that has been artificially altered so as to produce a desired characteristic. | |
To care for young animals or children until they are able to care for themselves. | |
The introduction of machines or automatic devices into a process. | |
A substance that is toxic to plants, used to destroy unwanted vegetation. | |
The supply of water to land or crops to help growth, usually by artificial channels. | |
A chemical or natural substance added to soil or land to increase its fertility. | |
Originating or occurring naturally in a particular place. | |
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
Get Thinking… ANSWERS
Increasing Agricultural Production
Lesson Outcomes:
- To be able to recap factors influencing farm type (inputs).
- To be able to discuss various methods that help increase agricultural yields.
- To be able to evaluate ‘agriculture of the future’.
Lesson Objective:
To learn about ways to increase agricultural production.
Literacy Link
Genetically Modified
Soil Erosion
Relief
Politics
Factors Influencing Farm Type
The amount of money to invest will influence the type of farming.
Thick well-irrigated, often alluvial soil is usually the best for arable farming. In hilly areas it tends to be thinner and less fertile so is more suited to pastoral farming.
Government policies can provide favorable conditions for certain types of farming. For example, the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy protects farmers within the trading bloc.
The customer. The size, access to, and proximity to the market will influence which type of farming is selected.
How many workers does a farm need? This will depend on the cost of labor and the availability of machinery.
The height and shape of the land. Large areas of flat land are often better for arable farming due to the ease of the use of equipment. Pastoral farming is suited to steeper slopes.
The amount of rainfall, temperature range and hours of sunshine can have a huge impact on what can be farmed.
Learning Activity
Using the images and descriptions below identify 4 human and 3 physical factors that can influence farm type.
Factors Influencing Farm Type
Capital
Soil
Climate
Market
Labor
Relief
Government
The amount of money to invest will influence the type of farming.
Thick well-irrigated, often alluvial soil is usually the best for arable farming. In hilly areas it tends to be thinner and less fertile so is more suited to pastoral farming.
Government policies can provide favorable conditions for certain types of farming. For example, the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy protects farmers within the trading bloc.
The customer. The size, access to, and proximity to the market will influence which type of farming is selected.
How many workers does a farm need? This will depend on the cost of labor and the availability of machinery.
The height and shape of the land. Large areas of flat land are often better for arable farming due to the ease of the use of equipment. Pastoral farming is suited to steeper slopes.
The amount of rainfall, temperature range and hours of sunshine can have a huge impact on what can be farmed.
Learning Activity – ANSWERS
Using the images and descriptions below identify 4 human and 3 physical factors that can influence farm type.
Which factor do you think has the greatest impact on farm type?
Increasing Agricultural Production
Lesson Outcomes:
- To be able to recap factors influencing farm type (inputs).
- To be able to discuss various methods that help increase agricultural yields.
- To be able to evaluate ‘agriculture of the future’.
Lesson Objective:
To learn about ways to increase agricultural production.
Literacy Link
Genetically Modified
Soil Erosion
Relief
Politics
Increasing Agricultural Production
Any attempts to increase agricultural production and food supply should be sustainable . In other words, they must be achieved in such a way that future generations do not suffer as a result.
One main way of increasing agricultural output is by increasing the effectiveness of inputs where possible – mainly soil quality.
A number of methods can be used in order to reduce soil erosion (from both wind and water).
The aim of these methods is to ensure soil does not become exhausted, lose its structure, and become loose and therefore easily eroded.
A series of retaining walls is built on a slope, with the soil piled up and flattened behind each one. This prevents water from running down the slope and carrying soil away. The water is trapped and soaks into the ground.
Ploughing takes place across a slope, rather than up and down it. This means that water does not run down the furrows and wash soil away. The water is trapped and soaks into the ground.
A different crop is grown on a plot of land each year for three or four years, before the first crop is grown again. The different crops take different nutrients from the soil (at different points).
A piece of land is ‘rested’ every few years. This allows it to regain lost nutrients. This means that the soil does not become exhausted and lose its structure.
Different crops are grown in narrow bands in a single field (often at right angles).The crops are harvested at different times, so the field is never left completely bare.
By having fewer livestock, a piece of land does not become overgrazed. There is always a cover of vegetation to protect the soil.
Careful irrigation keeps the soil moist and prevents it from being picked up, especially by the wind.
Trees stop strong winds and heavy rainfall from reaching the soil, and the roots hold the soil together.
Rows of trees are grown at right angles to the prevailing wind on the side of the shield that the wind is blowing from. The trees reduce the speed of the wind, so that it is not strong enough to pick up the soil.
Learning Activity
Method | Type of Erosion Prevented (Wind? Water? Both?) | Description |
Terracing | | |
Contour Ploughing | | |
Crop Rotation | | |
Fallow Periods | | |
Strip cultivation and inter-cropping | | |
Reducing Stock Density | | |
Irrigation | | |
Afforestation | | |
Methods to Preserve Soils
Method | Type of Erosion Prevented (Wind? Water? Both?) | Description |
Terracing | Water | A series of retaining walls is built on a slope, with the soil piled up and flattened behind each one. This prevents water from running down the slope and carrying soil away. The water is trapped and soaks into the ground. |
Contour Ploughing | Water | Ploughing takes place across a slope, rather than up and down it. This means that water does not run down the furrows and wash soil away. The water is trapped and soaks into the ground. |
Crop Rotation | Both | A different crop is grown on a plot of land each year for three or four years, before the first crop is grown again. The different crops take different nutrients from the soil (at different points).. |
Fallow Periods | Both | A piece of land is ‘rested’ every few years. This allows it to regain lost nutrients. This means that the soil does not become exhausted and lose its structure. |
Strip Cultivation and Inter-cropping | Both | Different crops are grown in narrow bands in a single field (often at right angles).The crops are harvested at different times, so the field is never left completely bare. |
Reducing Stock Density | Both | By having fewer livestock, a piece of land does not become overgrazed. There is always a cover of vegetation to protect the soil. |
Irrigation | Both | Careful irrigation keeps the soil moist and prevents it from being picked up, especially by the wind. |
Afforestation | Both | Trees stop strong winds and heavy rainfall from reaching the soil, and the roots hold the soil together. |
Shelter Belts (windbreaks) | Wind | Rows of trees are grown at right angles to the prevailing wind on the side of the shield that the wind is blowing from. The trees reduce the speed of the wind, so that it is not strong enough to pick up the soil. |
Learning Activity – ANSWERS
Increasing Agricultural Production
Lesson Outcomes:
- To be able to recap factors influencing farm type (inputs).
- To be able to discuss various methods that help increase agricultural yields.
- To be able to evaluate ‘agriculture of the future’.
Lesson Objective:
To learn about ways to increase agricultural production.
Literacy Link
Genetically Modified
Soil Erosion
Relief
Politics
Read the following article and next slide on the ‘Green Revolution’: bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18813075
GO for GOLD!
Which one do you think has the greatest potential to fix food shortages and why?
1) Summarize the 5 possible solutions outlined within the article – what are the potential benefits ?
2) Rank the 5 ‘solutions’ 1-5.
Learning Activity
The Green Revolution is a system of agricultural improvements used in LICs, especially India, from 1960-1990 to increase world food supplies with the adoption of technology.
New hybrid seeds were introduced for 5 cereal crops (maize, wheat, rice, millet, sorghum). These were very responsive to fertilizers and had shorter growing seasons. This resulted in, increased yields, more varied diets, and surpluses that could be sold.
However, there were some concerns. Some of the new varieties were more susceptible to pests and disease. Some required large inputs of fertilizer which farmers couldn’t afford. Some new varieties were lower in vitamins and minerals which meant the rate of diseases did not decrease.
The Green Revolution
Increasing Agricultural Production
Lesson Outcomes:
- To be able to recap factors influencing farm type (inputs).
- To be able to discuss various methods that help increase agricultural yields.
- To be able to evaluate ‘agriculture of the future’.
Lesson Objective:
To learn about ways to increase agricultural production.
Literacy Link
Genetically Modified
Soil Erosion
Relief
Politics
Keep Thinking…
Complete the practice exam questions! Figure below for part (b) question (i).