Understanding Primary Economic Activities

Understanding the Primary Sector

The primary sector includes economic activities related to obtaining resources from nature.

Main Economic Activities

Agriculture: Cultivating the Land

Agriculture is the cultivation of land to obtain:

• Grasses
• Vegetables
• Bushes
• Trees

Livestock Farming: Raising Animals

Livestock farming is the breeding of animals in order to obtain products for human use.

Fishing: Harvesting from Water

Fishing is any activity which obtains natural products from the sea. Products obtained include canned goods, frozen goods, and oils.

Factors Influencing Primary Production

Natural Factors: Climate and Land

Climate: The growth of plants depends on the temperature, humidity of the land, and the amount of light received.

Land Relief: The best lands are flat lands and valley bottoms. Mountains are less suitable because slopes are difficult for machines to use, although livestock and forestry can adapt.

Human and Economic Factors

Population Growth: An increase in the population has the consequence of needing more space for crops and for pasture.

Technological Progress: Traditional farmers use very simple tools.

Social and Economic Organization: The agricultural economy affects the choice of crops to be cultivated.

Subsistence Economy: It produces what humans need, and several types of crops can be planted for them.

Land ownership can be:

1. Private: When the land belongs to an individual or company (e.g., a cooperative).
2. Collective: When the land belongs to a tribe, town, city, or state.

Agricultural Landscapes Explained

Agricultural Fields: They are basic divisions of agricultural land. Every single field is dedicated to one particular crop and is limited and separated by borders or fences.

• Size: Small fields are less than 10 hectares.

Settlements and Product Destination:

Subsistence Agriculture: The produce is used to feed the farmers and their families.

Commercial Agriculture: The produce is intended for sale.

Settlement patterns can include:

• Concentrated Settlements: Houses are grouped together.
• Dispersed Settlements: Farmers' and workers' houses are separated from each other and surrounded by agricultural lands.
• Linear Settlements: Where the houses are arranged along a road or river.

Types of Agriculture

Traditional Farming Methods

The main objective is production for self-consumption. They use simple technology and involve a great deal of labour.

1. Itinerant Agriculture: Consists of irregular fields which are cleared in the forest (trees are cut).
2. Dry Sedentary Agriculture: It is found in the tropical savanna areas of Africa, some parts of South America, and some parts of Asia. The agricultural landscape is composed of vegetable plots and small fields near the houses, which are fertilised with waste and animal manure.
3. Monsoon Irrigation Agriculture: It is found in the monsoon tropical zone of South and Southeast Asia. The typical agricultural landscape is the rice paddies in the alluvial plains and on the river deltas.

Developed Agriculture Practices

These are areas where farmers practice market agriculture, use advanced technology, and require less intensive labour.

Livestock Farming Systems

Livestock farming has several functions. Sometimes it complements agriculture by providing food and animals.

Types of Livestock Farming Systems

1. Traditional Systems:
   • Nomadic Livestock Farming: Found in dry areas at the edge of deserts. Shepherds move constantly with their herds of camels, goats, and sheep.
2. Market Livestock Farming System: (This section seems incomplete in the original text, but is included as implied).

Types of Fishing

1. Artisanal Fishing: Small boats are used with traditional techniques. It requires little labour, production is small, and it is intended for the local market.
2. Industrial Fishing: Big boats are used. They include technology and machinery such as radars.