Differences in Agriculture Between Developing and Developed Regions and Its' Impacts

1. Impacts on Diet

1.1. 3 Factors Lead to Differences in Diet

1.1.1. Level of Development

1.1.2. Physical Conditions

1.1.3. Cultural Preferences

1.2. Different Sources

1.2.1. Protein

1.2.1.1. Majority of protein consumption in developed countries comes from meat products

1.2.1.1.1. Beef

1.2.1.1.2. Pork

1.2.1.1.3. Poultry

1.2.1.2. Majority of protein consumption in developing countries comes from cereal grains

1.2.2. Cereal Grains

1.2.2.1. Wheat is mostly consumed in the developed areas of Europe and North America

1.2.2.2. Rice is mostly consumed in the developing areas of East, South, and Southeast Asia

1.2.2.3. Maize/Corn is mostly consumed in sub-Saharan Africa

1.2.2.4. Other crops like cassava, sorghum, millet, and others are mostly consumed in sub-Saharan Africa

1.3. Different Amounts of Consumption

1.3.1. In developed countries, the average kcal consumption for one person is 3,600 kcal per day

1.3.2. In developing countries, the average kcal consumption for one person is 2,600 kcal per day

1.3.3. Undernourishment - consumption that is below the amount necessary to maintain a healthy life with light physical activity

1.3.3.1. 99% of undernourished people live in developing countries

1.3.3.2. East Asia has had the largest decrease in undernourished people

1.3.3.3. South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa have had the largest increases in undernourished people

2. Challenges

2.1. Developed countries

2.1.1. Losing Agricultural Land

2.1.1.1. As urban areas are growing, farms are being replaced by urban buildings.

2.1.1.2. Loss of 200,000 hectares of most productive farmland.

2.1.1.3. Precipitation damages the farm fields of the midwest because rainfall washes away the protective layer of topsoil and deposits it into bodies of water.

2.1.2. GMO usage

2.1.2.1. Many countries are opposing GM crops because of their harmful health impacts. Africa also has export problems with GMOs

2.1.3. Desertification

2.1.3.1. Farmland is abandoned due to the lack of water.

2.1.3.1.1. Land deteriorates into a desert-like confidition

2.2. Developing countries

2.2.1. Global Food Trade

2.2.1.1. Subsistence farmers lack the money to buy agricultural equipment and materials from developed countries.

2.2.1.2. USA's share of exports has declined as Latin America's increased

2.2.2. Undernourishment

2.2.2.1. 795 million people in the world are undernourished. Sub Saharan Africa, East Asia, and South Asia have the most undernourished people.

2.2.2.2. 4 Factors:

2.2.2.2.1. 1. Poor weather: especially in crop-growing regions of North America and South Pacific

2.2.2.2.2. 2. Higher demand, especially in China and India.

2.2.2.2.3. 3. Smaller growth in productivity

2.2.2.2.4. 4. Use of crops as biofuels instead of food, especially in Latin America

2.2.3. No ability to develop

2.2.3.1. The production of certain agricultural products tends to have a negative effect on developing countries' economies

2.2.3.1.1. Ex: Cotton in Sub-Saharan Africa

2.2.3.2. Lack of stable government to aid in development

2.2.3.2.1. Ex: Democratic Republic of Congo's unstable government prevents it from developing, even with its large cobalt reserves

2.3. Subsistence farming

2.3.1. Subsistence and commercial agriculture face the tasks of producing more food for a growing world, while also making sure to preserve and protect Earth’s resources.

2.3.2. USA government has 3 agriculture policies to help farmers

2.3.2.1. 1. Farmers are encouraged to avoid producing crops that are in excess supply

2.3.2.2. 2. The government pays farmers when certain commodity prices are low

2.3.2.3. 3. The government buys surplus production and sells or donates it to foreign governments

3. Background

3.1. History

3.1.1. Why did Agriculture Start

3.1.1.1. Cultural

3.1.1.1.1. Humans wanted to live in a fixed place and have permanent settlement, rather than being nomadic hunters and gatherers

3.1.1.1.2. They wanted to create surpluses of vegetation

3.1.1.1.3. Generations of humans learned to cultivate plants and make improvements over time

3.1.1.2. Environment

3.1.1.2.1. First domestication of crops coincided with climate change (10,000 years ago)

3.1.1.2.2. This was the end of the last Ice Age

3.1.1.2.3. This caused the redistribution of Humans other animals, and plants

3.1.2. Where did Agriculture start?

3.1.2.1. Crop hearths: agriculture originated in multiple hearths around the world

3.1.2.1.1. Southwest Asia

3.1.2.1.2. East Asia

3.1.2.1.3. Sub-Saharan Africa

3.1.2.1.4. Latin America

3.2. Statistics

3.2.1. % of Farmers in the Labor Force

3.2.1.1. 5% of workers are engaged directly in farming in developed countries

3.2.1.1.1. Why does the number of farmers decline in developed countries

3.2.1.2. 44% of workers are engaged directly in farming in developing countries

3.2.2. Use of Machinery

3.2.2.1. Developed Countries

3.2.2.1.1. Small number of Commercial Farmers can feed many people

3.2.2.1.2. Rely on machinery rather than people or animals

3.2.2.1.3. transportation has helped Commercial farmers greatly with transporting crops

3.2.2.1.4. Scientific Advancements

3.2.2.2. Developing Countries

3.2.2.2.1. Subsistence farmers use mainly hand tools and animal power to feed themselves

3.2.3. Farm Size

3.2.3.1. Commercial farming

3.2.3.1.1. Farms are large - about 161 hectares

3.2.3.1.2. It is often expensive to own a huge commercial farm, because of the large amount of land and machinery

3.2.3.1.3. Commercial Agriculture is typically dominated by multiple large farms

3.2.3.2. Although the number of farmers has gone down, the amount of land for farming has gone up

3.2.3.2.1. Between 1990 and 2000, the number of farmers increased, but the amount of land for agriculture increased by 13%

3.3. Commercial vs. Subsistence Agriculture

3.3.1. Commercial Agriculture

3.3.1.1. Found in developed countries

3.3.1.2. The production of food primarily for sale off farm

3.3.2. Subsistence Agriculture

3.3.2.1. Found in developing countries

3.3.2.2. The production of food primarily for consumption by the farmer's family

4. Types of Agriculture

4.1. Developed

4.1.1. Dairying

4.1.1.1. most important commercial agriculture in US near large urban areas

4.1.1.1.1. first ring on the von thunen model

4.1.1.1.2. improvements on transportation allow for further travel

4.1.1.2. Challenges

4.1.1.2.1. Labor intensive

4.1.1.2.2. Winter feed

4.1.2. Grain

4.1.2.1. The McCormick Reaper

4.1.2.1.1. permitted large scale wheat production

4.1.2.1.2. combines reaping, threshing, and cleaning

4.1.2.2. Winter wheat

4.1.2.2.1. Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma

4.1.2.2.2. planted in autumn for a strong root system so it can survive winter

4.1.2.3. Spring Wheat

4.1.2.3.1. Dakotas, Montana, South Canada

4.1.2.3.2. winters too severe so planted in the spring

4.1.3. Ranching

4.1.3.1. Started because of demand for Beef in the East coast

4.1.3.2. Process:

4.1.3.2.1. Texas

4.1.3.3. Decline of Ranching

4.1.3.3.1. irrigation techniques and better land lead to ranches being converted for crops

4.1.3.3.2. Cattle still raised but mainly for fattening

4.1.3.3.3. Ranching generates lower income per area per land

4.1.4. Mediterranean

4.1.4.1. lands bordering Mediterranean Sea, NA

4.1.4.1.1. sea winds = moisture, summers hot and dry, hilly land

4.1.4.2. small percent of livestock

4.1.4.2.1. crops grown for human consumption

4.1.5. Commercial Gardening

4.1.5.1. Southeastern US because of long growing season and humid climate

4.1.5.2. Truck farming: grow many fruits and vegetables, take full advantage of machines at every stage

4.1.5.2.1. Specialty farming: growing crops with increasing demand

4.1.6. Mixed Crop and Livestock

4.1.6.1. west of Appalachians, from France to Russia

4.1.6.2. integrate crops and livestock

4.1.6.2.1. can distribute workload more evenly throughout year

4.1.6.3. Crop rotation

4.1.6.3.1. Differs from shifting cultivation because shifting cultivation hs lower overall production because crops cannot be planted in most of an area's field

4.2. Developing

4.2.1. Shifting Cultivation

4.2.1.1. practiced in much of the world's tropical regions

4.2.1.2. Two distinctive features:

4.2.1.2.1. Slash and burn agriculture

4.2.1.2.2. Farmers grow crops until nutrients are depleted

4.2.2. Pastoral Nomadism

4.2.2.1. adapted to dry climates such as the large belt of arid and semiarid land

4.2.2.2. Depend on animals rather than crops

4.2.2.2.1. milk

4.2.2.2.2. clothing and tents

4.2.2.2.3. security

4.2.2.3. Strong sense of territorialism

4.2.2.3.1. precise migration patterns from intimate knowledge of the land

4.2.2.3.2. Reluctant to cooperate with governments who want to resettle them

4.2.3. Intensive Subsistence, wet rice dominant

4.2.3.1. Densely populated East, South, and Southeast Asia

4.2.3.1.1. Fields often irregularly shaped, narrow roads and paths

4.2.3.2. Cultivation of wet rice

4.2.3.2.1. Field preparation

4.2.3.2.2. Flooding

4.2.3.2.3. Transplanting

4.2.3.2.4. Harvesting

4.2.4. Intensive Subsistence, crops other than rice

4.2.4.1. India and northeastern China

4.2.4.2. primarily human power with assistance of animals

4.2.4.2.1. reorganization is difficult

4.2.5. Plantation

4.2.5.1. Tropics and subtropics

4.2.5.2. Most plantation workers are imported

4.2.5.2.1. Plantation owners provide them food, housing, and social services

4.2.5.2.2. Until the Civil War, US South used slaves from Africa

5. Technology

5.1. Agriculture in developing countries tends to use little or no technology

5.1.1. Developing countries' low dependence on technology in agriculture means that more people are required to work in agriculture in order to provide enough food for the countries' people

5.2. Agriculture in developed countries heavily depends on the use of technology

5.2.1. Replacement of manual labor with industrial power

5.2.2. Smart Farming

5.2.2.1. Autonomous/Robotic Labor

5.2.2.1.1. Agricultural labor is very repetitive and standardized, making it easy for robots

5.2.2.1.2. Driverless Tractors

5.2.2.1.3. Autonomous weed and crop maintenance by robots

5.2.2.1.4. Autonomous harvesting of crops by robots

5.2.2.1.5. Drones

5.2.2.2. Precision Seeding

5.2.2.2.1. Plants seeds at the correct depth and spaces seeds away from each other at optimal distances

5.2.2.2.2. Geo Mapping and sensor data reveal soil quality, density, moisture, and nutrient levels, which allows precision seeding to be possible

5.2.2.3. Automatic watering and irrigation based on data from sensors revealing moisture levels and plant health

5.2.2.4. Instead of actually farming, "smart farmers" will spend most of their time doing things like repairing machinery, fixing robot software, analyzing data, and planning farm operations

5.2.3. Developed countries' high dependence on technology in agriculture means that fewer people have to work in agriculture without sacrificing agricultural output