Agriculture in the Americas: Temperate Plains to Industrial Farms
Drip Irrigation Challenges
Installation of drip systems is complex and costly, making it inaccessible for many small and medium producers.
Temperate Plains Agriculture in Latin America
The vast plains of Latin America with temperate climates, like the humid Pampas, are organized around favorable natural conditions: mild climate, sufficient rainfall, flat terrain, and fertile soils. They specialize in cultivating cereals (wheat and maize) and oilseeds (soybeans, sunflower, and flax) without artificial irrigation. Livestock production focuses on forage (alfalfa). These are highly technological, commercial farms with high productivity and reduced labor.
Cattle dominate central areas, with zebu in warmer regions and sheep in cooler ones.
The Pampas region, traditionally cattle-farming, has shifted towards crops with fertilizers and technology due to increased international demand for cereals and oilseeds. The sojización process (soybean cultivation expansion) has impacted Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Uruguay, with both positive and negative consequences.
- Positives: Currency income and high profitability for farmers.
- Negatives: Deforestation, land concentration in few hands, and unemployment.
Agro-Industrial Complexes
An agro-industrial complex combines agricultural production with related industries and services. Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico lead in Latin America. This reflects agricultural modernization trends, with large companies playing a central role in production and management.
Argentina’s agricultural production, especially grains and oilseeds, has risen due to technological advancements and increased international demand. Soybeans are crucial, used for livestock feed, vegetable oil, and biofuel production. Transgenic soybeans, genetically modified for enhanced performance, are widely used. No-till farming reduces costs and soil degradation but doesn’t control weeds.
Agriculture in Anglo-Saxon America
Agriculture covers nearly half of Canada and the USA. Despite not being the primary economic sector, it’s vital due to:
- High production volumes, representing a substantial portion of global production.
- Significant exports to world markets.
- Agro-industrial complexes’ crucial role in both economies.
Commercial orientation drives technological innovation, reducing labor and boosting industrial production.
US agriculture originated from family farms, protected by the government. Recently, production has shifted to larger, business-like farms with modern methods, transforming traditional landscapes.
Agricultural Belts
Dairy Belt: Located near major cities (megalopolises) due to milk’s perishability. Uses breeds like Jersey for milk production. Accompanied by vegetable and forage belts.
Wheat Belt: Canada and USA plant different wheat varieties based on latitude (short-cycle and long-cycle).
Corn Belt: Shifted towards soybeans in the 1950s due to increased demand from China.
Cotton Belt: Diversified into tropical crops, citrus, tobacco, rice, peanuts, and bananas.
Rancher Belt: West of the Cotton Belt, focused on Texas, raising cattle (especially Brangus) for meat on ranches.
California Valley: Unique for grape cultivation and wine production, formed by the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers.
California and Irrigated Agriculture
Industrial Activities
Craft Production: Small-scale, manual production with few tools, time-consuming, and expensive.
Industrial Production: Replaced craft production after the Industrial Revolution (1789). Uses energy (especially electricity), factories, complex machinery, and requires transportation for raw materials and products.
Mass Production and Fordism
Taylorism: Rigid division of labor, with workers specializing in specific tasks and repeating them continuously.
Fordism: Ensured workers could buy goods by promoting full employment and high wages, boosting industrial development in the US and Latin America.
Flexible Production
Latin American Industry
Late 19th-century industries focused on raw materials and simple consumer goods. Later diversified into consumer durables and capital goods. Steel, petrochemical, and automotive industries developed by the mid-20th century.
Latin America traditionally exported raw materials. After three global events (WWI, WWII, and the 1929 crisis), countries industrialized through Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI), especially Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina.