Transcript Agricultural Territories - Class Notes For Mr. Pantano

AGRICULTURAL
TERRITORIES
http://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/803410/ecofriendly-food-on-sundance-channel
 The image above is a rice paddy.
 Besides wheat, rice is the most
commonly grown crop throughout the
world.
 Rice feeds a large portion of the world’s
population.
 Rice is a relatively inexpensive crop and
it could provide a large portion of one’s
daily calories.
 Traditionally rice is grown in flooded
fields. This deters weeds and “pests” from
destroying crops.
Agricultural Areas: Under threat:
 Everyday floods, earthquakes, storms, and
other disasters destroy crops and farm land.
 These natural hazards can also pose a threat
to humans as well.
 Many of the world’s largest farming
communities are located in very fragile
areas.
Fragile:
 delicate: easily broken or damaged or destroyed
 Farmers in these areas are at constant risk of
loosing their crops.
Agricultural Environments at Risk:
Environment:
 the area in which something exists or lives.
At-risk environment:
 It is an environment that is threatened by
natural disasters or human actions or both.
 Natural disasters include: floods, storms,
earthquakes, volcanoes, fire, drought, etc.
 Human actions include: war, pesticides,
growing cities, fire, over farming, etc.
Consequences for at Risk Areas:
1. At-risk areas become degraded with
every passing year.
Degrade:
 reduce the level of land, as by erosion
 reduce its worth
Erosion:
 condition in which the earth's surface is
worn away by the action of water and
wind
2. Land could also dry out.
 This means that this area is open to soil
erosion by wind and water.
3. At risk areas will also become polluted,
with the overuse of pesticides and
fertilizers.
 This means that the land will not produce
as much crops and force people to look
elsewhere for their food.
At risk agricultural land: Location
 Some agricultural environments are
more fragile than others.
 You already learned that any region in
the world is vulnerable to natural hazards
(tornadoes etc.) and human hazards
(war, pesticides etc.).
 Both types of hazards cause the
degradation of farmland.
 This explains why degraded soil exists all
over the world.
Stable:
 resistant to change of position or
condition
 firm and dependable; subject to little
fluctuation;
 not taking part readily in change
 maintaining equilibrium (balanced)
 static: showing little if any change; "a
static population"
 Canada and Russia both have relatively
stable soil. This is due to the short growing
season.
 Europe and Asia have mostly very
degraded soil. This is due to years of over
farming and large populations.
 Finally there are some parts of the world
that nothing could grown ex: Greenland
and the Sahara.
 These areas force more people to
continue to use degraded soil areas.
The Greatest Risks for Farming:
1) Growing populations
 With an increase in population there is
an increase in the demand for food.
 Developed countries (ex: US and
Canada) demand specialized crops to
fill their diverse diet.
 To meet these needs farmers have
monoculture farms (1 crop). This
increases the risk of disease.
2) Growing Cities
 As cities expand they begin to use
farmland for housing developments and
industry.
 Transportation systems; roads, highways,
etc, need to be built as well.
 Power lines and other energy
transportation systems need to be
passed.
 All of this means that the more land used
for cities less land that could be used for
farming.
3) Farming techniques
 Farming in fragile areas requires very
specific practices as to ensure the
survival of crops.
 Farmers must include systems to protect
their soil against erosion (dries up) and
ensure proper water distribution.
 Very intensive practices are needed in
some areas since the growing seasons
may be shorter.
Feeding the World:
 Unfortunately millions of people live
below the poverty line and do not have
an adequate food supply.
 There are major international meetings
held every year to discuss agricultural
development.
 Representatives discuss the four major
issues facing agricultural areas.
 The following are greater issues for at risk
areas:
1) Sustainable agricultural practices:
 This includes maintaining small farms
and recognizing that some areas we
live in or farm on are fragile.
Maintain:
 keep in a certain condition, position,
or activity
 conserve: keep in safety and protect
from harm, decay, loss, or destruction
 Ex: teaching proper water management
 Water management is practices involving
both drainage (removing water) and
irrigation (compensating for lack of water).
2) Food security for populations:
 Taking action to prevent food
shortages and famines that can result
from natural disasters (flooding) or
human actions (wars).
3) Territorial autonomy (not controlled
by outside forces):
 Outside aid cannot hurt an area’s
economy.
4) Quality of trade communities:
 Groups involved in food trade must
meet the needs of the area they are
trading to.
 They must think about the interests of
the people in other areas.
 In other words, communities that are
wealthier must not take advantage of
trading partners from developing
nations (poor nations).
The Sahel:
 The Sahel region is located in Africa,
south of the Sahara dessert.
 The Sahel is a semi-arid area, this
means very low and irregular
precipitation (25-60 cm per year).
 This area stretches across ten countries
and is home to almost 60 million
people.
 It is also one of the poorest regions in
the world.
Sahel Region
 Over the past 30 years the Sahara desert
has been increasing in size.
 This means that the Sahel is getting
smaller.
 However, the Sahel has large stores of
groundwater and an extensive river
system.
 This helps since rain is becoming
increasingly rare.
 The climate is suitable for growing cereal
crops (millet and sorghum) and cotton.
 There are regular droughts in the Sahel.
 The three major rivers; Senegal, Niger,
and Volta provide water and a constant
supply of fish.
 The people of the Sahel are rural, there
are very few major industries in this
region.
 Residents rely on crop and livestock
farming for a living.
 High degradation, population growth,
disease, and poverty are threatening the
way of life for many in this region.
A Shoreline:
 Sahel comes from the Arab word “sahil”
which means edge or coast.
 It is believed that this Sahel region
received its name after the Sahara
came into being.
 Some argue that middle eastern
merchants and traders gave this area it’s
name.
 They saw the Sahel as a paradise after
crossing the Sahara.
Why is the Sahel a fragile
environment?
 There are two main reasons why the
Sahel is an “at risk” area.
1) Rain is rare and unpredictable
 The Sahel is known as a transition zone.
The area is between two different
climates.
 The northern part of the Sahel is mainly
desert.
 The southern part is semi-arid which
receives very little rain.
 Many of the plant species found in the
Sahel have adapted to the very little
rainfall.
 However, despite this, there are periods
of drought and most of the time the
rainfall is unpredictable.
 Furthermore, there are times during the
year when it is so hot that the rain
evaporates before it hits the ground.
 This region relies heavily on the
surrounding rivers.
2) Farmland is difficult to manage
 Most farms are located in the south.
 Most farmers have subsistence crops.
This means they grow only what they
need to survive.
 Many grow cereal crops since they
are very nutritious, cheap, and could
grow in the harsh climate.
 There are some areas that have larger
cash crops (can be sold for profit)
 As the population of the region increases
so does the need for food.
 This means that farmers must clear more
farmland.
 Once the vegetation disappears strong
winds begin to extend the borders of the
Sahara.
 Vegetation (small trees and shrubs) keep
the Sahel from becoming part of the
desert.
Water in the Sahel:
 Water is essential for life. Nothing will
grow without an adequate water supply.
 Since the Sahel receives very little rain
use of the rivers are a necessity.
 However, the rivers are very poorly
developed and managed.
 This is due to a lack of funding and
government assistance.
 There are three rivers running through the
Sahel; The Senegal, Niger, and Volta
rivers.
 Water is unfairly distributed in this region.
 Some nations have an abundance such
as Mali, Niger, and Senegal. Others are in
desperate need.
 In 2000 it was estimated that only 47% of
the total population of the Sahel had
access to water.
 Moreover, in some nations governments
have contracted water distribution to
private companies.
 This means that many do not receive
water since they cannot afford it.
 Some areas are loosing their water
sources.
 This is due to a change in global weather
caused by global warming.
 One example is Lake Chad.
Meeting land and water needs:
 Soil degradation is the biggest problem
in the Sahel.
 There are some solutions to preventing
soil degradation and meeting food
needs.
1.Planting trees/shrubs with deep roots to
reach underground water.
2.Plant drought resistant plants like;
cowpea
3.Digging and managing community
wells.
4.Using water saving irrigation methods
5.Protect crops from animals by planting
thorny bushes (natural fence).
 Areas like the Sahel must first develop
programs to fight poverty before they
can use any of these solutions.
 Sahel countries have formed the
Permanent Inter-State Committee for
Drought Control.
 In their platform they include water
management and hunger reduction.
 International Organizations have
created drought awareness and hunger
campaigns to help these regions.
Food Crisis and Famines:
 Food crisis occur regularly in the Sahel.
 The causes are varied; insufficient rain,
locusts, or war.
 The result is that many farmers leave their
land to open small businesses.
 The result is that there is not enough food
to support the population.
 When food crisis occurs international
donations are not the best solution.
 Donations may hurt the local economy.
 The best solutions are community-based:
1.Distributing food supplies
2.Selling food at reduced prices
3.Creating local grain/food banks
4.Supplying farmers with seeds.
 During famines (extreme lack of food)
international aid is needed to prevent
death and widespread starvation.