Agricultural Practices and Fishing Techniques Across the Globe

Posted on Nov 27, 2024 in Geography

Monoculture Agriculture

Monoculture agriculture focuses on a single crop. Landscape irrigation uses extracted groundwater or reservoirs, while rainfed crops rely on rainfall and specific techniques.

Populated Areas

In densely populated areas with intensive agriculture and limited land, small properties maximize production in a small space. This involves increased use of fertilizer, seed, and labor, particularly for fruits and vegetables.

Sparsely Populated Areas

In sparsely populated areas, agriculture utilizes vast land and minimal labor to produce affordable products. Machines are commonly used, and fallow periods are practiced.

Rural Populations

Rural areas, inhabited by humans, can have scattered or concentrated populations. Globally, 39% of the population lives in rural areas, with 65% in Asia, 85% in Nepal, 35% in Europe, and 3% in Belgium.

Subsistence Farming

Subsistence farming aims to produce essential necessities using primitive techniques rooted in the Neolithic period. Farmers primarily work with their own hands and basic tools like hoes, representing a significant portion of the global population.

Types of Agriculture

Various natural resources support different agricultural practices:

  • Itinerant Cremation (Africa, South America, and Asia): Involves burning forests or savannas, cutting vegetation, and using the resulting ash as compost, stirred with hoes.
  • Extensive Rainfed Agriculture (Africa): Combines agricultural and livestock activities, with sustenance derived from animal exploitation. Land is divided into fallow areas, grazing pastures, and cultivation plots for peanuts and millet, using a three-year rotation.
  • Irrigated Rice Agriculture (Monsoon Asia): Rice cultivation in areas with high rainfall, often yielding two crops annually.

Market-Oriented Agriculture

The transition from subsistence to market-oriented agriculture occurred in developed countries during the Industrial Revolution, leading to surplus production, enabling farmers to feed the population and invest in machinery, seeds, and fertilizers.

Market Agriculture

Practiced in North America, Western Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Argentina, market agriculture focuses on increasing sales and reducing costs through:

  • Mechanization of fieldwork to save labor, increase production, and lower farm product prices.
  • Specialization of agricultural production for increased output and improved marketing.
  • Rapid commercialization of agricultural products using appropriate methods.

Mediterranean Agriculture

Modern techniques enhance production and profitability in Mediterranean agriculture, including irrigation, enabling the cultivation of non-native plants. This includes low-yield dryland farming (vineyards, olives, and wheat), profitable irrigated crops (fruits and vegetables), and greenhouse production (pineapples, avocados, and mangoes).

Speculative Agriculture

Speculative agriculture prioritizes profits in the international market.

  • Specialized Agriculture (U.S.): Large holdings dedicated to monoculture, highly automated with advanced technology.
  • Large Plantation Agriculture: Labor-intensive, high-profit farms, often operated by foreign companies in intertropical areas.

Livestock

Animals play a crucial role in agriculture, with small herds of sheep and goats providing meat, milk, and wool.

  • Subsistence Livestock: Practiced by pastoralists in arid areas.
  • Commercial Livestock: Products sold in the market for profit.
  • Intensive Livestock Operations: Capital-intensive operations maximizing animal production, often in confined spaces (cattle and poultry).
  • Ranching: Extensive grazing on large land areas, primarily for wool production (Patagonia, Argentina, South Africa).
  • Stabled Livestock (Europe and North America): Animals raised in stables with sanitary and quality controls.
  • Maremma (Europe, USA, New Zealand): Factory farming with natural pasture feeding.
  • Stabled (USA, Argentina, Australia): Primarily for meat production.

Fishing

Industrial fisheries utilize advanced technology and port infrastructure to maximize catches.

  • Small-Scale Fishing: Uses nets and lines, often selling catches at auction.
  • Large-Scale Fishing: Employs radar, cold storage, and distant-water vessels.
  • Trawling: Nets sweep the seabed.
  • Electric Fishing: Attracts and catches fish using electric shocks.

Main Fishing Areas

  • Continental Shelves (e.g., North Sea, Japan): Shallow waters with favorable temperatures.
  • Ocean Current Convergence Zones: Attract diverse fish populations (e.g., Japan Sea, Newfoundland coast).
  • Coastal Upwelling Zones (e.g., Chile, Peru, Southwest Africa): Rich in plankton, attracting tuna, herring, sardines, cod.

Overfishing

Overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction threaten fish populations. Organizations regulate fishing practices through mesh size restrictions, fishing seasons, and fleet capacity limits.

Aquaculture

Aquaculture involves breeding and raising marine animals and plants in controlled environments (pools, ponds, or coastal areas) as a sustainable alternative to traditional fishing.