GGR111H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Disconnection, Cash Crop, Agribusiness
Document Summary
Economic geography review: agriculture in the 21st century, population/food supply dilemma, the challenge, produce more food or existing/declining land area, how apply scientific agriculture. Increase input fertilizer, pesticides, insecticides, irrigation, machinery. Increase in output but balanced diets: food security, cash crop focus, narrow genetic range. The green revolution impacts: displacement of farmers, capital requirements, migration onto marginal lands, marginalisation of females. Increased environmental pressures: soil erosion, salinization, contamination of water, destruction of traditional systems. Scientific animal management: the goal, reduce time to slaughter. Mechanism: breeding of animals, trait selection, specialization beef, dairy, etc , housing of animals, control feeding, temperature, light. Increased purchase of food to feed animals: manipulation of food, additives, animal-by-products, use of steroids and antibiotics. Results: economies of scale larger operations. Increasing dependence on input: specialization, disconnection between land and animal numbers. Consequences: quality of food, treatment of animals, feedlots, light, exposure, conditions, transfer of disease.
