RURAL AREAS

DEFINITIONS OF UNIT S CONCEPTS:

-Rural areas: place in the countryside, a non-urban space.

-Agricultural landscape: natural landscape transformed by agricultural activities.

-PROBLEMS:

How do agricultural activities transform the landscape?

PLANNING:

1.- Elements of the agricultural landscape.

2.-Factors

3.- Types of landscapes

Introductions: rural areas

tertiary

habitats

RURAL

PRIMARY

livestock

forestry

AGRICULTURAL

agriculture

secondary

fishing

1.-Elements of agrarian areas

1.1 Rural habitats:

– concentrated

– scattered

1.2. The plots:

–Monocultures/polycultures

–Enclosed/openfields

–Dry farming/ Irrigated

farming

The rural habitatA. Concentrated

B. Scattered

The plots (1)

• Enclosed • Openfield

Privately owned plots with no fences or

separation.

Plots diveded by fences, hedges. Also

called bocage.

The plots (2):polycultures

• Dry farming • Irrigated farming

The plots (3):monocultures

• Dry farming • Irrigated farming

Now your turn!

Q1:Write down the

characteristics of the following

landscapes:

Nº 1

• A)

monocultures, irrigate

d farming

• B)

polyculture, dryfarmin

g

• C) polyculture, dry

and irrigated farming

Nº 2

• A)

polyculture, bocage, dr

y farming

• B)

polyculture, openfield,

irrigated farming

• C)

monoculture, bocage, i

rrigated farming

Nº 3

• A) bocage, dry

farming

• B) openfield, dry

farming

• C)

openfield, extensive

livestock

Nº 4

Nº 5

Nº 6

2.- The factors

• PHYSICAL:

– Climate

– Relief

– Water

– Sun

– Vegetation

• HUUMANS:

– Historical

– Demographic

– Economic

– Political

– Technical

Physical factors: the climate

Physical factors: the relief

Physical factors : the water

Greenhouses in Almeria.

Q2: Where do you think

the water for irrigation

comes from?

Human factors

Ex 1 : Rice cultivation in

Asia

-Demographic pressure

-Increase of demand

-Historically important

-Low technology

Human factors

• Ex. 2 : Great Plains

in North America:

-Commercial

agriculture

-High technology

-Government policies:

aid with subsidies

…

Now your turn!

Q3: What factors influence

the following landscapes?

3.- Types of landscapes

3.1. Subsistance

landscapes:

-Traditional agiculture

-Rice cultivation in Asia

3.2. Developed

landscapes:

-Plantations

-Agriculture in Europe

-The Great Plains in

North America

Subsistance agriculture: Traditional

• Subsistance

agriculture

• Old techniques

• Low productivity

• Intensive methods

Now your turn!

Q4:Why does traditional

agriculture use intensive

methods?

Traditional landscapes : Rice cultivation in

Asia

• Highest rural

population of the

world.

• Old technicques

• Intensive

monoculture: high

yield, abundant labour.

• Several harvests a year

Now your turn!

• Q5: What three physical factors

are necessary for the cultivation

of rice?

Commercial Agriculture: Plantations

• Coastal tropical countries

• Products: coffee, tea, cocoa.

• Commerical agriculture

• High technology

• Strong investments

• Abundant labour, low wages

Now your turn!

• Coffee plantations in Mexico:

• Q 6: Why are

plantations located in

coastal areas?

Developed countries: Commercial

agriculture in Europe

• High yield

• Mechanization, seeds

selection, fertilizers

and pesticides

• Specialization

• Market gardening

• CAP

Now your turn!

• Q 7: Think over:

How has european agriculture been

able to increase production in spite

of reducing the number of farmers

working in the primary sector?

3.2. Developed countries: Great

Plains in North Amercia

• Market oriented

• Big plots of land.

Geometrical shape.

• Extensive method:

high yield and

scarce labour.

Now your turn!

• Q8: Each american farmer can produce

enough food to feed one hundred USA

citizens,

How do you think he accomplishes this

result?

Q9: Which of these agricultural practices is the most

intensive? And the least intensive?

USA France Netherlands

Active surface

(in ha)

153 22,4 8,5

Production per

ha ($)

198 984 4 203

Production per

active farmer

($)

30 250 22 042 35 725