Chapter 12 : Intensity of Food Production

Demand

- A high demand for food, encourage food producers to increase their output & productivity

- so they can earn more money by selling more crops or liverstock.

Capital

- It is the sum of money used to start/expand food production.

- large amount of capital, farmers can buy machines such as tractors.

- enables farmer carry out farming faster.

- Hence, productivity of land increase.

The Green Revolution (land)

High-yielding varieties (HYVs)

- developed with different valuable traits e.g. pest resistance or shorter growth duration

- shorter growing period results in higher yield of crops produced.

higher outputs, increase in productivity.

Modern irrigation methods

- Irrigation is the practise of supplying water to land through artifical means.

- water sprinklers & sluice gates, are used to control amt. of water for watering crops.

- ensures crops receive enough water during dry season.

Use of Chemicals

- Fertilisers: substance added to soil to provide nutrients for healthy plant growth & continuously cultivation.

- different mixtures of nutrients increase output of crops.

- Pesticides: toxic chemicals used to destroy pests.

- Insecticides: kill insects.

- Herbicides: removing weeds by hand is laborious & time-consuming. Thus, spray herbicides to remove weeds.

The Blue Revolution (sea)

- Fish farming

Subtopic

Relief

- It is the physical height & slope of land.

- easier for farmers to transport & operate heavy machines on gentle relief than on steep relief.

Soil

- nutrients in soil consist of minerals; phosphours, iron & zinc, which are helpful for healthy plant growth.

- this influences the fertility of soil, hence affecting the productivity of the land.

- soil fertile, less need for a resting period for a resting period. Hence, farmers able to produce more crops. Thus, productivity increases.

Climate

- output is higher in areas with high temperature & rainfall because such conditions are more favourable for plant growth.

- Farmers in these areas are often able to produce 2 or more successive crops in a year on the same field.

Land Tenure

- does not promote efficient use of the land to increase productivity.

- cause harvest eventually go to government or landlords who own the land.

- therefore there is little motivation for farmers to use improved farming methods.

Land Fragmentation

- where a piece of land is divided into smaller plots.

- normally by inheritance, over many generations.

- with limited output of a small farm, it is unprofitable to use expensive machines. Hence, productivity is low as more labour is need to work on farm.

- Countries such as China & North Korea, are still practising such tradition.

Government Policies

- It is the plan of action that a government takes.

- may also affect productivity on a regional level.

- can encourage greater productivity by building new farming facilities or by providing loans & subsidies to farmers.