Agriculture


Introduction

Agriculture is the most important means of food supply and major occupation for man and it is likely remain so. It is an important source of row material for industries like textile, food processing, leather and rubber. Agriculture was the top employer until the industrial revolution.

Types of agriculture

(a)Shifting cultivation this is practiced by primitive tribes where the same piece of land is used for 3to4 years and then abundant.

• Areas of shifting cultivation

Shifting cultivation is practiced in South East Asia (Bangladesh, to Indonesia)
Central Africa and tropical parts of Americas (Mexico to the Amazon basin)
It is called jhuming in Bangladesh, taungya in Burma, lading in Indonesia, zande in Africa, and milpa in the America.

• Agricultural practices

A forest with minimum under growth is selected for cultivation. Tall trees are felled and then burnt along with other trees and bush as burning result in an accumulation of ashes, which adds potash to the soil.
Sowing starts a few days before the rains, so that the seed may be germinate with first rains. Seeds of different crops are mixed together and put into the holes. Various crops are ready for harvesting at different times and they are harvested accordingly.


Crops
Rice in Asia, millet on Africa and Mize in America are important crops grown by shifting cultivators.

Intensive substances farming

It is practiced in monsoon land in Asia the main emphasis of food crops for domestic purpose, extending from Pakistan in the west to china, and Japan, in the west. This is the region of high density of population with small forms. Therefore every inch of arable land is cultivated and if possible more than one crop produced in a year.


Vast region of substances formation is divided into following sub regions.

(a) south Asia
(b) south east Asia
(c) china
(d) Japan


(a) South Asia – extending from Bangladesh, sir Lanka, India, Pakistan, and Nepal are the main countries of south Asia. In this region temperature remains adequate all over the year. The monsoon brings rainfall in summer and the western disturbances in winter.
(b) East Asia extending from Burma in the west and Philippines in the east. And Indonesia is also included in this region. It is region drained by rivers.
(c) South china is warm and wet, rice and tea dominated in this region. In middle china cotton, millet ant corn are produced in summer and wheat in winter
(d) Japan- agriculture in Japan has been called gardening,


Mixed farming

Emphasis is placed both on crop production and keeping animal. It is mainly practiced in Western Europe, Russia, and USA.

USA- the corn belt of USA is also called the grain and livestock region, is the most important mixed farming region in US

Western Europe-this is a region of mixed farming; wheat, potato are important crops, cattle are kept for beef and dairy products.

Russia-wheat and potato are important crops and cattle are kept for meat and dairy products. Mixed farming regions are an area between the coniferous forests in north and the desert in the south.

Commercial Grain forming

Food grains particularly wheat constitute main crops. It is primarily practiced in the temperate grasslands, the grassland is located in semi arid belt where the rainfall is precious and grass is the natural vegetation.

• Its best development has taken place in the prairies of Canada and USA, downs in Australia, the pampas in Argentina, and the steps of Russia.


Plantation Farming

This is commercial farming where rubber, tea, coffee, coca, and other crops are grown. Usually, one farm is specializes in one produce. It’s practiced in tropical region and the products are sold in temperate areas.
• East Asia, Africa, and central and south America are major regions, farms are usually large and an army of cheap labor is required.


Truck Farming

Growing vegetable on commercial scale is truck farming. Truck farming is often done in areas of poor soil. The deficiency in soils is made good by the use of heavy soils
• It developed around the large cities. The single largest truck farming region in the world is located on the Atlantic coast of USA.


Extensive Herding
Animal like cattle, sheep, and goats are kept which room about in search of a pasture from place to place. It is practiced over an extensive area in central Asia, south Asia, and North Africa.


Livestock Ranching

Animals, primarily cattle are kept in large ranches for marketing purposes.
• USA, Russia, Australia, and Argentina, are noted for large ranches.



Dairy Forming
Cattle are an important source of dairy products like milk, butter, cheese, ghee (clarified butter) and curd.
• Eastern USA, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand are important dairy areas.