10: Agriculture and Food
- Page ID
- 382133
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- Understand: the origin and evolution of agriculture across the globe
- Explain: the environment-agriculture relationship, market forces, institutions, agricultural industrialization, and biorevolution versus sustainable agriculture
- Describe: agricultural regions, comparing and contrasting subsistence and commercial agriculture
- Connect: the factors of global changes in food production and consumption
- 10.1: Introduction
- This page discusses the transition from a nomadic lifestyle based on hunting and gathering to settled agriculture during the Neolithic revolution. This significant shift, known as the First Agricultural Revolution, involved the domestication of plants and animals and fostered new social, cultural, political, and economic dynamics.
- 10.2: Agricultural Practices
- This page provides an overview of agriculture as a complex field combining science, business, and art, divided into subsistence and commercial practices. It outlines subsistence farming methods like shifting cultivation and intensive subsistence in densely populated areas. For commercial agriculture, it details types such as mixed crop and livestock, grain, dairy, and commercial gardening, emphasizing technology's role in productivity.
- 10.3: Global Changes in Food Production and Consumption
- This page examines the links between commercial agriculture, biotechnology, and food security. It notes that agribusiness is market-driven, with major companies shaping production, illustrated by New Zealand's agricultural adjustments to global demands. The role of biotechnology in improving crop yields through genetic engineering is discussed, along with concerns about GM foods' unknown effects.
- 10.4: Conclusion
- This page discusses the critical role of agriculture in the development of sedentary civilizations through food surpluses and market expansion. It highlights the independent emergence of agriculture globally and the current prevalence of subsistence farming in certain regions. The transition to commercial agriculture prioritizes profit over self-sufficiency, while farmers confront challenges posed by regulations and global organizations.
- 10.5: Key Terms Defined
- This page defines and explains key agricultural and agribusiness terms, covering practices such as commercial, subsistence, organic, and conventional farming. It discusses concepts like food security and biofuels, alongside techniques including crop rotation. Advancements such as the Green Revolution and biotechnology are highlighted, as well as traditional practices like hunting, gathering, and pastoralism. The content emphasizes agriculture's diverse nature and its global significance.
- 10.6: Works Consulted and Further Reading
- This page provides an extensive compilation of references and online resources on agriculture, food security, and biotechnology. It covers topics such as world agriculture projections, GMOs, organic farming, and the impacts of climate change. Additionally, it explores subsistence agriculture, transhumance, and the effects of economic globalization on agricultural practices.