5.2 what are the factors affecting agricultural production? · means benefits irrigation and...

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Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?

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5.2 What are the

factors affecting

agricultural

production?

Part B



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What are the factors affecting agriculture? A B

C

Which of the

places is/are

suitable for

farming? Why?

Flat lowland

River (irrigation

water supply)



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What are the factors affecting agriculture? The location of different farming system is determined by the interaction of physical and cultural factors.

Physical factors

1 Climate 2 Land

A Temperature

B Rainfall

C Wind

A Soil

B Relief

C River

Physical factors strongly affect where a particular crop or type of livestock will be found.



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What are the factors affecting agriculture? The location of different farming system is determined by the interaction of physical and cultural factors.

Cultural factors

1 Labour

2 Capital

3 Technologies

4 Market

5 Transport

6 Institutional factors

Cultural factors refer to variables from the socio-economic environment.



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Let’s look at the example

of vegetable farming in

Lam Tsuen Valley.

How do these factors shape the

characteristics of farming in an area? Physical and cultural factors interact and produce the distinctive characteristics of farming.

Physical factors

Sunshine

Around 1,948 hours a year

Temperature

High monthly mean

temperatures

Water supply

Total annual rainfall: 2,214 mm

River: Lam Tsuen River

Land

Lowland or gentle relief

Alluvial soils

Cultural factors

Captial

Labour

Farmer and his/her family

Technology

Carrying out research and

applying new technologies

Transport

By lorry

Market

Tai Po Market or Cheung Sha

Wan Wholesale Food Market



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How do these factors shape the

characteristics of farming in an area?

How do these factors

contribute to the

characteristics of

vegetable farming in

Lam Tsuen Valley?

Interplay of physical and cultural factors

Farming characteristics in Lam Tsuen Valley

Type of farming

( Intensive / Extensive )

commercial farming

Farming skill

( Primitive / Semi-modern /

Modern )

Farm size

( Small / Large )

Level of mechanization

( Low / Medium / High )

Farming method

( Labour-intensive /

Capital-intensive )

Outputs

• 6-8 crops of vegetables

• Waste materials



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1 Climate A Temperature

________________ refers to the period of a year when farming is possible.

Crops can only grow at ____°C or above.

Under favourable temperatures, plant growth is active.

At the freezing point, frost may appear and destroy crops.

The longer the frost-free period, the ( shorter / longer ) the growing season.

Growing season

6



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1 Climate A Temperature

Frost-free periods of the world

What is the

relationship between

the length of the frost-

free period and

latitudes?



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1 Climate A Temperature Temperature affects world patterns of agriculture.

Wheat is grown in areas

with a ( low / moderate /

high ) mean temperature

Wet rice is grown in areas

with a ( low / high )

mean temperature



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1 Climate B Rainfall

Annual rainfall determines the types of crops grown and the size of the production.

In areas with abundant rainfall, the number of crops grown in a year can be ( less / greater ).

Wheat is grown in

( drier / more

humid ) areas

Wet rice is grown

in areas with

abundant rainfall

In South China, double

cropping or triple

cropping of rice is

practised each year



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1 Climate B Rainfall Seasonal variations in rainfall, the intensity and duration of rainfall can have a great influence on crops.

Prolonged drought could be disastrous to

agriculture

Unusual precipitation

patterns may damage

crops and cause huge

economic losses to

farmers:

• Rainstorms

• Hailstorms

• Frost

• Drought

Frost can kill crops



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1 Climate C Wind

Wind may bring positive and

adverse effects on crops.

Positive effect

Crops

Sea

Onshore wind brings

moisture to coastal areas,

lengthening the growing

season.

Onshore wind

Adverse effect

Strong winds may

increase ___________ rates and cause soil erosion;

evaporation

damage crops.

Tropical cyclones damage crops



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2 Land A Soil

Soil quality depends on the following soil properties:

Characteristics Favourable soil

quality for crops

Unfavourable soil

quality for crops

Acidity Slightly acidic Strongly acidic or

alkaline

Soil thickness Thick soil Thin soil

Nutrient content/

Soil fertility High (Fertile soil) Low (Poor soil)

Moisture content Sufficient, stable

and well-drained

Insufficient, unstable,

wet and poorly-drained



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A

B

C

2 Land B Relief

Place ( A / B / C ) is suitable for farming.

Why?

Altitude: It is located on ( lowland / highland ), where temperatures are usually ( lower / higher ).

27°C

6°C

Aspect: It ( is / is not ) facing the sun and have more sunshine.

It is on the windward slope which can receive _____ rain. relief

30°C

Gradient of the field: ( Gentle / Steep ) slope and thick soil



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A

B

C

2 Land B Relief

30°C

6°C

Place B

Why Place B is not

suitable for farming?


Aspect and gradient: Although it is facing the sun and receives ______ rain, its gradient is ( gentle / steep ) and the soil is too ( thin / thick ) for crops.

relief

27°C



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A

B

C

2 Land B Relief

30°C

6°C

Place C

Why Place C is not

suitable for farming?


Aspect:

It ( is / is not ) facing the sun.

It ( receives / does not receive ) relief rain. It is in the ____________, which is ( dry / wet ).

rain shadow

Gradient: It is too ( gentle / steep ) for growing crops.

27°C



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2 Land B Relief

Soil

Bedrock

Surface run-off is fast on steep

slope. Soil erosion is active

Little

infiltration

and soil

moisture

content

Can we still

grow crops on

highland? How?

Original

slope

Surface run-off is

slow on flat slope

More infiltration

and soil moisture

content

Stone wall helps to

stabilize the slope

Yes, we can grow crops on

highland by terracing.



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2 Land C River

Alluvial soil

Crops

The fertile ________ soil on flood plains is favourable for growing crops.

alluvial

The river provides water for _________ and transporting agricultural produce.

irrigation

River valleys and deltas are favourable locations for cultivation.

e.g. the deltas of River Nile and Ganga River

Cultivation along the Zhu Jiang in Kaiping,

Guangdong (Credit: Tsui Chung Pong David)



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1 Labour

Is there any

difference in the

demand for

labour in

different regions?

Less developed

regions

Asian farmers harvesting rice

The farming systems usually require ( less / more ) labour as they employ traditional and labour-intensive farming methods.

Their yield per unit of land is ( low / high ) but yield per worker is generally ( low / high ).



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2 Capital

More developed

regions

Crop harvesting in a more developed region

The farming systems usually require ( less / more ) labour because __________ are widely used.

machines

Capital is more available. Farming rely more on _______-intensive methods. Production per farmer is ( low / high ).

capital



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3 Technology The use of various technologies can help to overcome physical constraints and improve farm production. Means Benefits

Irrigation and

drainage

Improve the physical conditions for

crop and livestock production

Mechanization Improve farm production, farm

efficiency and quality of farm work

Applying chemicals • Fertilizers to improve quality of

farmland

• Pesticides to protect the crops from

pests

• Herbicides to prevent weeds from

competing for nutrients with crops

Biotechnology, better

seeds and breeds

Improve the quality of crops and

increase the yield of crops or livestock



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4 Market

A vegetable market in Thailand

There are two types of markets for farm produce, local and overseas markets.

Market forces affect farmers’ decisions on the types of crops grown or animals reared.



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Farmers need transport systems to bring inputs to the farm and send the produce to markets for sale.

Farms with good transport can have more choices for crops.

5 Transport Inputs

Produce

With good transport,

__________ produce can

be delivered to local and

international markets

within a short time.

perishable



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6 Institutional factors Institutional factors include land ownership and government policies on farming.

I own my farmland. I

am willing to invest

on a long-term basis.

We receive subsidies

from the government.

We can rear more herds

at a lower cost.

5.2 what are the factors affecting agricultural production? · means benefits irrigation and...

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