Understanding Primary Sector Agriculture and Farming Systems

Primary Sector: Food Production

The primary sector encompasses activities related to procurement and food production.

Environmental Factors

• Climate: Temperature and humidity are essential for proper crop development.
• Relief: Agriculture is typically located in plains and valley bottoms. To maximize land use, farmers build terraces or terraced slopes.
• Soil: Productivity depends on:
  • Texture: Determines water retention conditions.
  • Acidity: Determines fertility conditions.

Agricultural Landscapes

Agricultural landscapes are environments modified to obtain natural products. Key elements include:

• Plots
• Tillage systems
• Settlement

The Plot

The division of agrarian land varies by shape, size, and limits. We distinguish between:

• Open-field landscapes (Central Europe): Plots are open, without boundaries, and feature regular shapes.
• Bocage/Enclosed landscapes (Atlantic Europe): Large, irregular plots enclosed by fencing.

Tillage Systems

1. Polyculture: Farm plots divided into many different species.
2. Monoculture: Farms that grow a single product.
3. Irrigated Agriculture: Water is extracted from underground or channels and directed toward fields.
4. Dryland Farming (Secano): Crops rely solely on rainfall.

Production Intensity

• Intensive Agriculture: Practiced in densely populated areas where land is scarce. It maximizes production in limited space using fertilizers and intensive labor to produce fruits and vegetables.
• Extensive Agriculture: Practiced in sparsely populated areas with abundant land. It requires little manpower and often utilizes fallow periods.

Rural Settlement

Rural settlements are areas where people live:

• Sparse: Housing units are isolated from each other.
• Concentrated: Houses are grouped together.

Subsistence Farming

Subsistence farming focuses on producing only what is necessary for survival and self-consumption. Techniques are often rudimentary with low labor input and low yields.

Global Subsistence Practices

• Shifting Cultivation (Slash-and-Burn): Common in Africa, South America, and Asia. Fields are cleared by burning forests; the ash serves as fertilizer. Fields remain productive for 3 to 4 years.
• Extensive Dryland Farming: Common in Africa. Animal manure allows for ongoing soil exploitation. Farmlands are divided into three sections: one fallow and two for cultivation (millet and peanuts) using triennial rotation.
• Irrigated Rice Farming: A highly intensive form of agriculture requiring thorough and constant labor to prepare the fields.