1. Shifting Market
1.1. Focused on feeding themselves and those in their groups with little advancements; people did what was best for them, not the environment
1.1.1. Past
1.1.1.1. Pastoral Nomadism
1.1.1.1.1. Herding domesticated animals moving from place to place with no set home
1.1.1.1.2. Feeding those in their nomadic group, no more
1.1.1.2. Shifting Cultivation
1.1.1.2.1. Clearing an area with vegetation and cultivating, or caring for plants, in that area
1.1.1.2.2. Leaves after a few years of cultivation to restore fertility in the land
1.1.1.3. Subsistence Agriculture
1.1.1.3.1. Provide goods for themselves and local community
1.1.1.3.2. Not many advanced agricultural technologies used - not necessary for few people to feed
1.1.1.3.3. Still present in in LDCs today, but shifting towards commercial agriculture
1.2. Focused on feeding larger populations using enhanced technologies; with sturdy food production, people start to recognize the importance of keeping the environment healthy
1.2.1. Present
1.2.1.1. Commercial Agriculture
1.2.1.1.1. Provide goods for a much larger group of people
1.2.1.1.2. Use advanced agricultural technologies for larger input
1.2.1.1.3. Most common amongst DCs, MDCs, and somewhat in VDCs
1.2.1.2. Biofuels
1.2.1.2.1. Intended to replace primary economic activities acquiring gasoline, diesel, and coal (fossil fuels)
1.2.1.2.2. Made from plants that have just been harvested
1.2.1.2.3. 3 main types are ethanol (corn, sugarcane), biodiesel (veggie oils and liquid animal fats), and biogas, like methane (animal manure & digested organic material)
1.2.1.3. Green Technology
1.2.1.3.1. Environmentally friendly technologies
1.2.1.3.2. Reduces emissions, conserves water, reduces waste, consumes less energy
2. Climate Change
2.1. Agriculture/Related Primary Activities in Developing Regions
2.1.1. Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming
2.1.1.1. Has the potential to adapt to climate change (developed regions are not as much at risk as are developing regions)
2.1.1.2. Technology to genetically modify crops to adapt to global warming and poorer soil conditions
2.1.1.3. Diversification (as opposed to monocultures) increases resilience
2.1.2. Mining
2.1.2.1. Climate change reduces demand for mining industries (eg. coal)
2.1.2.2. Major source of GHG emissions
2.1.2.3. Reduced investor confidence since mining is often associated with climate change
2.2. Agriculture in Developed Regions
2.2.1. Intensive Subsistence Agriculture, particularly wet rice farming
2.2.1.1. Wet rice vulnerable to rise in sea level
2.2.1.2. Wet rice in Bangladesh and India susceptible to flooding
2.2.1.3. Increase in water salt content harms rice
2.2.1.4. Droughts and increases in temperature can make rice plants sterile
2.2.2. Shifting Cultivation (slash and burn agriculture)
2.2.2.1. Contributes to climate change - introduces CO2 into the atmosphere
2.2.2.2. Combination of deforestation and Greenhouse effect may not be sustainable
2.2.2.3. Climate change and rising temperatures encourages weed growth
2.2.3. Pastoral Nomadism
2.2.3.1. Heavily dependent on environmental conditions
2.2.3.2. Climate change reduces soil qualities and water availability
2.2.3.3. Lack of vegetation and drought unfavorable for animals
2.2.3.4. May result in forced migration
3. Resource Consumption and Environmental Impact
3.1. Water (over 70% of freshwater is used in agriculture)
3.1.1. Maintaining Livestock
3.1.1.1. Used to give livestock a source of liquid to increase overall health
3.1.1.2. Used to cool off livestock in summer month to make sure animals have optimal living conditions
3.1.2. Crop Growth
3.1.2.1. Irrigation used in areas where water is scarce to ensure healthy growth
3.1.2.2. Used in the application of pesticides in order make sure pests don't consume crops
3.1.2.2.1. Leads to other organisms suffering like the Bald Eagle, where DDT severely cut down their population
3.1.2.3. Water used in fertilizers to increase crop growth, health, and yield
3.1.2.3.1. Led to fears over food quality and decreased demand
3.1.2.4. Crop cooling to prevent overheating of crops and less yield
3.2. Arable Land
3.2.1. Techniques to maintain
3.2.1.1. Three Field System - two thirds of land use to maximize nutrients and crop yields in following yields
3.2.1.2. Crop rotations to avoid using all of the minerals in one area's soil, maintains soil integrity and future crop yields
3.2.1.3. Integrating livestock by feeding them crop, their manure fertilizes soil, and maintains soil quality and crop yield
3.2.1.4. Tillage, and elevation differences to cause water and nutrients to spill over and increase crop growth
3.2.2. Desertification
3.2.2.1. Overgrazing of livestock (cattle) depletes warmer regions of grass, arable land turns into desert
3.2.2.2. Deforestation - caused by slash a burn agriculture, turns arable land (forests) into desert
3.2.2.3. Tillage practices cause soil to be more vulnerable to wind and erosion
3.2.3. Historic Trends
3.2.3.1. Droughts cause a loss in arable land
3.2.3.2. Floods cause a loss in some arable land, however it is good for crops like rice, that grow back relatively easily
3.2.3.3. In Status quo in regions like Sahel, desertification is happening rapidly and causing famine
3.2.3.4. Agricultural yield has increased over years due to advancements in tech
3.2.3.4.1. First Agricultural Revolution - Sedentary Agriculture increases food and subsequent population, Big Era 3/Neolithic Period
3.2.3.4.2. Second Agricultural Revolution - crop rotation, three field system, scientific advancements, population booms, 16th century Europe
3.2.3.4.3. Third Agricultural Revolution - GMOs and plant DNA manipulated for higher crop yield, population booms again mid 1900s
3.2.3.4.4. Fourth Agricultural revolution - Vertical farming, GIS, and even further manipulation of plant genome to increase yields
4. Global Disparity
4.1. Exploitation
4.1.1. Past:
4.1.1.1. 1700's Industrial Revolution results in need for cheap resources and an expanded market
4.1.1.1.1. Imperialism, Colonization; Triangle Trade
4.1.1.1.2. Colonial powers had no intention of developing the colonies - only want materials
4.1.1.1.3. Increase in extractive economic activites
4.1.2. Today:
4.1.2.1. Green Revolution: fertilizers, genetically modified foods = increased yeild
4.1.2.1.1. Cycle of debt in less developed countries as they try to take advantage of the new advancements
4.1.2.2. Black Market Activites
4.1.2.2.1. Cash Crops
4.1.2.2.2. Conflict Resources
4.2. Modern Technology Divide
4.2.1. Rapid Advancements in Tech
4.2.1.1. Increase demand for rare elements (e.g. cobalt)
4.2.1.1.1. Democratic Republic of Congo needs wise government to capitalize on cobalt deposits
4.2.1.1.2. U.S. wants to decrease dependency on imports
4.2.2. Developed Nations
4.2.2.1. Affordable access to resources
4.2.2.1.1. More efficient, large scale farms
4.2.2.1.2. Can result in overproduction which drives down income
4.2.2.2. Ability to import foods
4.2.3. Underdeveloped Nations
4.2.3.1. Lack of proper training, poor infrastructure, stiff government regulation
4.2.3.2. Womens' Issues
4.2.3.2.1. Less rights, less representation, high fertility rates, limited access to FoP's
4.2.3.2.2. More likely to be taken out of school to work towards the family's income
4.2.3.2.3. Generate most of the household income
4.2.3.3. Spend larger percent of income on food
4.2.3.3.1. Global food prices doubled between 2006-2008
4.3. Health Differences
4.3.1. 1/8th of the global population is food insecure
4.3.1.1. 870 million people are undernourished
4.3.1.1.1. India
4.3.1.1.2. China
4.3.1.2. Some areas struggle to keep food production ahead of population growth (especially Sub-Saharan Africa)
4.3.2. More developed countries consume much more food than required
4.3.2.1. Issues such as obesity and diabetes
4.3.2.1.1. United States
4.3.2.1.2. Australia