Agriculture

HOW AGRICULTURE BEGAN

Gathering wild plants, hunting wild animals and fishing

•From simple tools to advanced technology•Produce food and materials•For own consumption and economic purpose

=Moving from place to place to look for food=Growing crops (suitable land for growing crops)

=Rearing animals

Nomadic life

Arable farming

Pastoral

• What is Shifting Cultivation?

• Where is it practiced in the world?

• How do Shifting Cultivators carry out their cycle of activities?

• What are the characteristics of Shifting Cultivation?

A type of farming in which basic tools and burning are used to clear a small area of land for growing crops.

When the soil is no longer fertile, the farmers move on to another plot of land to start the process again.

Eg Rice, maize, tapioca

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pQng2qZbqQ

Select site

Slash and Burn forests (fertilize)

Plant crops Move to new site

Eg Indonesia

Fig 7.4 pg 48

Infertile soil

(a) A small plot of land approximately 1 to 2 hectares is selected.

(b) The trees are felled at the beginning of the DRY season using very simple tools.

(c) After 1 to 2 months, when the felled trees have dried out, they are set on fire and the resulting ashes add nutrients (fertilizer) to the soil.

(d) Planting takes place at the beginning of the rainy period, when the soil is cool and moist.

Long, pointed sticks are used to make holes in the ground and seeds are dropped into the holes.

Once the seeds are sown, the shifting cultivators do not spend much time tending their crops.

Before Clearing

After Clearing

(e) Harvesting takes place when the crops are ready. Some of the best seeds from the harvest are kept for the next planting season.

Select area and slash

HarvestPlanting crops

Burn

(f) The soil may become infertile after 2 to 3 years of planting.

The shifting cultivators will look for another plot of land to carry out the slash-and-burn method again.

The original plot of land is left to fallow. They may return to the same spot after 7 to 10 years when the land has regained its fertility.

Lets look at text page 49.

1. What do you see in the first picture?

2. What does the second picture tell you about the level of technology?

Relief Flat land for easier farming

Soil Infertile after few years

Fertiliser Burnt vegetation from trees

Tools Traditional eg Dibble

Capital Little or no (poor farmers)

Seeds From previous harvests

Pesticides / Herbicides

No (cannot afford to)

Labour Family members

Sunlight/ Rainfall High temperature , high rainfall, high humidity

Inputs for Shifting cultivation

Shifting Cultivation (Indonesia) Wet Rice Cultivation (Thailand/China)

Plantation agriculture (Malaysia) High Tech farming (Singapore)

Agricultural Types

1.What is Wet Rice Cultivation?

2.Where is it practiced in the world?

3.How do Wet Rice Farmers carry out their cycle of activities?

4.What are the characteristics of Wet Rice Cultivation?

Inputs (Wet rice)

Relief

Soil

Fertiliser

Tools

Capital

Seeds


Labour

Sunlight/ Rainfall High temperature , high rainfall, high humidityCut terraces onto slopes to create flat land

Clayey soil, Flooded rice fields, Fertile alluvial soil

Animal manure Chemical fertiliser

Basic Intermediate

Low High

Previous harvests Purchased (may be HYVs)

Little or none Yes

Family/Some workers Hired workers

Traditional Commercial

Wet Rice Cultivation (Traditional VS Commercial)Grow padi on flooded field (pg51)

1. Plough (loosen soil) : Using animals or tractors

2. Transplant (Transfer) : Nursery to rice fields

3. Irrigation : Artificial water supply

4. Ripen crops

5. Harvest crop yield

6. Threshing for rice grains ( separate rice grains)

eg Thailand

Irrigation : To supply (dry land) with water by means of ditches, pipes, or streams; water artificially. (Worksheet page 5)

Growing of padi on flooded flat land

Main farming activity in Southeast Asia, East Asia and South Asia

Availability of clayey alluvial or volcanic soil = Fertile/rich in minerals

Abundant rainfall and suitable temperature of more than 25°C

(a) Before the rainy season, farmers build and repair bunds to separate and retain water in rice fields. At the same time, sowing of rice seeds in the nursery begins.

(b) Rainy season arrives and ploughing is done with water buffaloes or tractors.

(c) Transplanting the seedlings from the nursery to the main field in neat rows.

Bunds Close up of a bund

Ploughing by tractorsPloughing by water buffaloes

- Irrigation is practised in areas where rainfall is not adequate.

- Fertilisers are added to increase nutrients for the rice plants.

- Use of pesticides and herbicides to kill pests and weeds respectively. If left alone, the weeds would use up the soil nutrients.

- Rice fields are kept flooded during the entire growing season.

Growing rice seeds into seedlings in the nursery

Transplanting seedlings into the main field in neat rows

(e) When dry season arrives, bunds are broken to let the water drain off.

(f) Harvesting is carried out manually using a sickle or through use of machines such as combine harvesters (tools).

Beginning of Rainy season in Asia – October to December

Rainy season in Asia– January to March

Beginning of dry season in Asia – April to June

Lets look at text page 52 fig 7.10.

Qn: What kind of settlement pattern do you think Udon Thani has?

Some questions:

1.Why is repairing of bunds done before rainy season?

2.Why transplanting needs to be done in neat rows?

3.Why must harvesting be done in dry season?

High Tech farmingUse modern tech (pg57)

1. Hydroponics (Add nutrient solution using computers) - Water

2. Aeroponics (Spray nutrient solution to roots) - Air

Eg Singapore

Fig 7.21 pg 60

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6o5LTl6GJw

1.What is High-tech Farming?

2.What are the examples of High-tech farming?

3.What are the characteristics of High-tech Farming?

Relief

Soil

Fertiliser

Tools

Capital

Seeds


Labour


Inputs

Flat land

Soiless / Soil

Organic fertiliser

High tech

Highest

HYVs

Yes & No (Organic)

Educated & skilled workers

The use of modern science and technology to obtain high quantity and high quality outputs.

Usually take place around densely populated urban areas where land is limited and costly.

•Chemical fertilisers - adding essential nutrients for crops to grow well and fast

•Irrigation - getting water from rivers though canals and supplying water to the crops through automated sprinklers at regular intervals

•High-technology - using machines, refrigerated vehicles, computers and Research & Development to raise production

Automated sprinklers

High-tech poultry farm

Hydroponics – plants are grown in a trough filled with a nutrient solution instead of soil.

Aeroponics – roots of the plants are suspended in the air and nutrient solution is sprayed onto the roots at preset intervals.

The greenhouse is covered with a layer of netting to prevent pests. The temperature and moisture in the greenhouse is carefully controlled through computers.

Netting

Aeroponics

High Yielding Variety Seeds (HYV)

•Genetically enhanced seeds

•Increased growth speed

•To increase crop yield

•Resistant to disease

•Expensive

•Eg maize, wheat, rice

Spraying pesticides using aircraft

Spotlight to speed up growing process

AGRICULTURE IN SINGAPORE

Where does some of the food found in our local markets come from?

- Singapore produces only a small proportion of its food locally.

- Most of our food is imported from countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China and Australia.

How many percent of Singapore’s land area is used for farming?

1.6% of the total land area (692 sq km)

Why agriculture in Singapore has shown a decline in importance over the years?

- Land shortage and competition for land to meet residential, transport, commercial and industrial needs.

- Shortage of labour – Singaporeans are unwilling to work in farms.

What did Singapore do to increase our

own food production?- Setting up Agrotechnology parks to

practise high-tech farming - 6 Agrotechnology parks

- They house hundreds of farms producing vegetables, livestock, fruits, eggs, milk, fish, orchids for sale locally and abroad.

Plantation agricultureGrow 1 type of crop for money

1. Cultivation of oil palm

2. Processing for commercial purpose

Eg Malaysia

Fig 7.11 pg 54

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYfM9R8JZo8&feature=related

1.What is Plantation Agriculture?

2.Where is it practised in the world?

3.How does oil palm plantation farmers carry out the cycle of activities?

4.What are the characteristics of Plantation Agriculture?

Commercial cultivation of cash crops (normally monocrop) on large estates of more than 40ha under favourable climatic conditions

High annual rainfall and high annual temperature

Found in the tropical regions in Asia, South America and Africa

Relief

Soil

Fertiliser

Tools

Capital

Seeds


Labour


Inputs

Flat land

Fertile

Chemical fertiliser

Intermediate

Higher

HYVs

Yes

A lot of hired labourers

Processes - Growing oil palm

1) Germination (grow)

~ in small plastic bags in pre-nursery

beds

2) Transplanting

~ after 8 weeks/ 2 months

~ seedlings transplanted to nursery

~ irrigation & weeding – done manually

Oil Palm Plantation

Tea Plantation


3) Growing in main fields

~ after 9 months

~ seedlings arranged in rows

~ growing cover crops between

rows of oil palm eg. legumes to prevent

soil erosion

~ weeding & adding fertilisers

The oil palm fruit Using a long-handled chisel to remove the fruits


4) Harvesting~ after the 3rd or 4th year – bear

1st fruits~ harvest once in 10 days (10 -20 years – perennial crops)~ use a chisel fitted to a wooden

pole

Refinery of palm oilAt the Processing Factory

Processing of oil palm

Done on the oil palm plantation itself Fruits must be quickly transported to

the factory – delay in processing – poor oil quality – less oil will be extracted from fruit bunches

Outputs of oil palm plantation

oil palm fruit crude palm oil palm kernal oil

palm kernal cake - made into animal feed

As raw materials for soap, margarine, cooking oil

Lets try to guess the order of a standard farming process…

1. Ploughing

2. Sowing5. Harvesting

4. Fertilising 3. Irrigating

URPOSE.. Intention/reason

NPUT… Resources put in

ARIETY…Type produced

UTPUT… What’s produced

ECHNOLOGY…Machines/tools

P

I

V

O

T

PURPOSEFactors Subsistence

FarmingCommercial Farming

Land size Small plot of land Large plot of land

Labour type Family members Hired workers

Capital cost Low capital input High capital input

Types of fertilisers

Natural fertilisers Chemical fertilisers

Tools/machines

Traditional tools/machines

High technology tools/machines

Level of technology

Low level High level

Output For own use For sale

PURPOSE.. Intention/reason

Commercial

-Majority of produce to be sold for $$$ in market

Subsistence

-Consumption for the family

INPUT… Resources put in

Human*Manmade itemsFertiliser ( Nutrients for growth)Farming tools (eg machines)Capital (money invested)Seeds Pesticides (kill crop pests )Herbicides (kill unwanted plants eg weeds)Labour (workers in the farm)

Physical *Natural features of EarthSunlightRainfall (Water the crops)Relief (gradient of land eg Flat land)Soil (Arable/fertile)

ImportantText pg 43Memorize these 11 inputs

High input per unit area

Eg High capital, HYV seeds, hired workers

Wet rice – commercial, plantation, high tech

Extensive

Input per unit areaIntensive

Low input per unit area

Eg Little capital, seeds from previous harvest, family members

Wet rice – traditional, shifting ( uses small area at a time)

Fixed area

vs

IntensiveExtensive

Different area

vs

Low input per unit area

Larger land area

Plantation, Shifting (over many years use up a lot of area)

High input per unit area

Smaller land area

High tech farming

VARIETY…Type produced

Monoculture1 type of crop

Different varieties

Eg Maize, rice, veg, fruits

OUTPUT… What’s producedKeywords

•Big/Small quantity of output

•High/Low amount of output

•Double/triple cropping (grow 2/3 times of crops in same space during growing season)

•High/Low quality of yield

TECHNOLOGYSimple Complicated

•Natural fertiliser (animal manure)

•Seeds from previous harvests

•Chemical fertiliser (expensive)

•High yielding variety seeds (genetically enhanced seeds = More resistance to pests & diseases, grow faster)

•Machines eg tractors

•Irrigation facilities (watering of soil in dry areas /when no rainfall)

•Dams/drainage canals (Control water supply)

SicklesDribbling sticks

Plough Machetes

Shifting Agriculture

Wet Rice Agriculture (Traditional)

Wet Rice Agriculture (Commercial)

Plantation Agriculture

High-Technology farming

Subsistence Subsistence Commercial

-Sale in local & overseas markets

Eg Export Rice

Commercial

- Exports

- Raw materials for local markets

Commercial

PURPOSE






- Low input/unit area

- Extensive

- Low input/unit area

- Extensive

- High input/unit area

- Intensive

- High input/unit area

-Intensive

-High input/unit area

- Intensive

INPUT

Inputs/ Resources






Sunlight/ Rainfall

High temperature , high rainfall, high humidity e.g. tropical countries like Thailand, Malaysia, India

Relief Flat land Cut terraces onto slopes to create flat land

Flat land Flat land

Soil Infertile after few years

Clayey soil, Flooded rice fields, Fertile alluvial soil

Fertile Soiless / Soil

Fertiliser Burnt veg Animal manure

Chemical fertiliser

Chemical fertiliser

Organic fertiliser

Tools Traditional Basic Intermediate Intermediate High tech

Capital Lowest Low High Higher Highest

Seeds Previous harvests

Previous harvests

Purchased (may be HYVs)

HYVs HYVs


No Little or none

Yes Yes Yes & No (Organic)

Labour Family Family/Some workers

Hired workers A lot of hired labourers

Educated & skilled workers






Rice, vegetables, sugar cane, bananas, maize, sweet potatoes

Mainly Rice, with some variety of vegetables & fruits

Only Rice Monoculture, Cash crops, Raw materials eg Oil palm/rubber

Organic & healthier vegetables, Orchids farm, Fish farm

VARIETY






Very small -enough to feed family only

Small -1 crop/year-Vegetable & fruits to supplement

Large

-Double to triple cropping

High quality & quantity yield

(major export)

Very high quality yield-Organic

(A lot of capital put in for R&D)

OUTPUT

Shifting cultivation


High Tech FarmingWet Rice (Commercial)

Wet Rice (Traditional)

Quiz time:

Name the agriculture type that produces this crop

Shifting cultivation


High Tech FarmingWet Rice (Commercial)

Wet Rice (Traditional)

Quiz time:

Name the agriculture type that uses this technology






Traditional

-Simple tools

Eg Dribbling sticks, machetes, sickles

Basic

-Wooden plough drawn by buffalo, sickle, animal manure

Intermediate

-Irrigation, dams, drainage canals,

-HYVs

-Fertilisers/ pesticides

Intermediate

-Fertilisers/ Pesticides

-HYVs

- Machinery

High Tech

-Computers

-R&D

TECHNOLOGY

Lets think further What are some of the advantages of each

type of farming? Do you think farmers might change their

type of farming? What can they do in their farms to

improve the outputs? Brainstorm for questions that might

come out in the CA.

Class activity

You are tour guides that will be bringing a group of Xinmin students on a tour around the farm.Prepare as much information about the farm using your textbook and general knowledge on the materials provided. :(One guide to answer one question) Your presentation should include

1. What is the farming process? Describe it briefly.

2. What is the purpose of this type of farming? Why? Hint: Subsistence or Commercial

3. What type of resources (input) are needed in the farm?

4. What crops are produced (variety/output)?

5. What tools (technology) are being used?

Revision for Agriculture

Shifting Cultivation Wet rice (traditional) Wet rice (Commercial) High tech farming

What are the INPUTS for this type of farming?

Explain the PROCESS for this farm type

What are the examples of OUTPUTS for this type of farming?

What are some of the differences between the 3 types of farming?

What are some of the similarities between the 3 types of farming?

Education

Agriculture