5.6 Agricultural Production Regions

Intensive Practices

Aqua Farming: One example of intensive practices is aqua farming. Aqua farming is a major farming practice within South Africa. The AMSCO textbook defines aquafarming as "a type of intensive farming. Rather than raising typical farm animals in close quarters with a controlled environment, fish, shellfish, or water plants are raised in netted areas in the sea, tanks, or other bodies of water." According to "Southafrica.co.za" it states, "Freshwater fish farming is severely limited by the supply of suitable water: of both the correct quality and quantity. The most important areas for the production of freshwater fish species in South Africa are the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Kwazulu-Natal" (Freshwater Fish Farming in South Africa). According to, "South Africa Factsheet" it states, "Given its growth potential, aquaculture has been earmarked as a priority sector by the government and is a target sector of Operation Phakisa. > Both marine and freshwater aquaculture are currently conducted in about 200 marine and freshwater farms in South Africa" (Investing in South Africa’s Aquaculture Sector).

Factory Farming: Another example of an intensive practice in South America is factory farming. The AMSCO textbook defines factory farming as, "a capital-intensive livestock operation in which many animals are kept in close quarters, and bred and fed in a controlled environment." According to "Engineering News" it states, "More than 99% of the eggs and 60% of the pork on the South African market are produced from hens and sows that are factory farmed...Factory-farmed eggs are produced from hens that have their toenails clipped, and are unable to dust bath or use their beaks because of restricted confinement. Meanwhile, factory-farmed bacon and ham products come from sows that are kept in metal crates, unable to turn around or move backwards and forwards" (Stronger regulation of livestock treatment needed).

Method of Planting: In South Africa, both monoculture farming and crop rotation farming are used as major planting methods. Monoculture farming, or monocropping, is the practice of relying on a very small number of genetic variants to produce a food crop for sale at the market. Monocropping increases efficiency, maximizes yield earnings, etc. The process of crop rotation is rotating crops in and out of fields to keep them ready for farming year-round. However, it also promotes the growth of pests, degrades the soil, pollutes the environment, etc. "South African Journal of Plant and Soil" states, "Crop rotation is the successive growing of different crop species on fields with the aim to assist sustainability. Monoculture cropping, the opposite of crop rotation, of maize was and still is the main practice in the summer rainfall area of South Africa" (Crop rotation in the summer rainfall area of South Africa).