08. Intensification of food production - Physical

Intensification of food production- farmers grow more types of crops on the same piece of land or allowing more cycles of planting and harvesting in a year. This is achieved by increasing the productivity of the land which results in higher yields.

Productivity in food production is measured by the amount of food produced compared with the amount of resources used to produce the food.

• What do you see in the image?

• What do you think is the relationship between the population and arable land?

• Why do you think there is such a relationship?

What are the factors which affect the intensity of food production and supply?

Physical Factors: include relief, soil, drainage and climate

Relief

• Slopes can be modified to create flat land for farming such as cutting of steps into the slopes of a hillside (known as terracing)

• For example Longji Rice Terraces in China and Banaue Rice Terraces in the Philippines

• Lowland areas such as floodplains are flat and gently sloping and able to retain water for crops to grow successfully, thus increasing the intensity of food production.

• Steep slopes are not able to retain water but instead causes soil erosion due to surface runoff, less crops can be grown on steep slopes, thus decreasing the intensity of food production.

• However sloping land is suitable for the growing of crops such as grapes, tea and coffee which needs well-drained soil.

• The higher the altitude of a place, the lower the temperature will be.

• The increasing altitude restricts the number and types of crops that can be grown

• For example, in the Cameron Highlands, broccoli and peas are grown in cooler climate

• This is because the growing seasons for the food crops are shorter in areas of higher altitude, thus reducing the intensity of food production.

• In lowlands, the long period of warm temperature allows more varieties of food crops to be grown.

• For example, in Java, Indonesia, rice and more varieties of vegetables are grown

· Thus the longer growing seasons for the food crops helps to increase the intensity of food production.

Climate

• In the tropics, most crops can be grown because of the long period of warm and sunny weather which helps the food crops to grow and develop, thus increasing the intensity of food production.

• For example, in the southern provinces of China, farmers may be able to grow two or even three rice crops a year.

• In the temperate areas, temperatures vary with the seasons and this restricts the number of crops that can be grown because of the cold winter period, thus decreasing the intensity of food production.

• For example, in the north-eastern part of China, only a single wheat or soya bean crop can be grown due to the long cold winter period.

• In areas with high rainfall or farmers with irrigation facilities gives food crops sufficient water to grow, thus this helps to increase the intensity of food production.

• For example, the tropical climate in the Philippines enables two to three harvests of rice per year.

• In addition, high rainfall is also needed for more grass to grow so that more animals can be raised and thus this helps to increase the intensity of livestock production.

• In areas with low rainfall or dry areas (deserts), farmers must rely on the rain that falls in their immediate area for food crops to grow and generally less water leads to less growth, thus intensity of food production is reduced.

• For example, the semi-arid areas in Australia support only low grass cover.

Soil and drainage

• Soil rich in minerals provides nutrients which allows more types of crop that can be grown and harvested, thus increasing the intensity of food production

• For example, the highly fertile soils in combination with flat terrain and a large water supply in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, results in very high production of rice

• Sandy soil drains well and this makes the land becomes dry easily and infertile therefore reducing the intensity of food production.

• For example, sandy soil can plant crop like oats.

• Clayey soil can retain water readily and this makes the land wet and fertile therefore increasing the intensity of food production.

• For example, clayey soil can plant crop like wet rice.

Watch the video on how rice is grown. Take note of the climate, soil and relief needed for the growing of rice.