Agricultural Geography

Cultural GeographyC.J. Cox

Chapter 9 Overview

Agricultural Geography Agricultural Hearth Areas Physical and Cultural Factors Influencing

Agricultural Production Subsistence vs Commercial Agriculture Agricultural Trends

Geographer’s Perspective of World Agriculture

Geographers are interested in the patterns and distribution of agriculture in the world today.–What are the patterns of agriculture

worldwide?–Why are agricultural areas distributed

in the manner that they are?

Agriculture Agri - Latin for field culture - to cultivate

The expanded definition of Agriculture includes the cultivation of plants and animals

The goal of agriculture is produce sufficient food supplies

Physical Factors

Land/Soil (fertility) Water (precipitation & rivers) Sun ( temperature, evaporation rates) Climate

Cultural Factors Population Distribution Diet of population

calorie supply, protein, health Living Material

clothes, houses Lifestyle/Cultural Tradition

nomadic, sedentary/rain dances Economics

cash crops with greatest profit ie. viticulture Government/Political Policies

Argentina wheat, Japan rice

Agricultural Hearth Areas

Indus River in Pakistan Mesopotamia in Iraq Huang Ho in China Nile River in Egypt

Agricultural Hearth Areas

Vegetative Planting

– Southeast Asia– West Africa– Northwestern South

America

Seed Agriculture

– western India– northern China– Ethiopia– Southern Mexico– northwestern South

America

Forms of Agriculture Subsistence

– produced for consumption– work by hand– most people work

shifting agriculture nomadic herding rice (intensive

subsistence) plantation agriculture

Commercial– produced for market– mechanized– few laborers

livestock & ranching horticulture dairy farming mixed crop grain medditeranean

Agricultural Trends

Hand Labor Mechanization Small Plots Large corporately owned holdings No fertilizers natural fertilizers chemical

fertilizers Natural Seed Production Hybrid Seeds Farm to family Farm to processing to supermarkets Nature controlled water man controlled water

Chapter 9 Overview

Agricultural Geography Agricultural Hearth Areas Physical and Cultural Factors Influencing

Agricultural Production Subsistence vs Commercial Agriculture Agricultural Trends

Agricultural Geography

Cultural GeographyC.J. Cox