Understanding Primary Sector Economic Activities

The primary sector encompasses activities related to obtaining raw materials and food. This includes agriculture, livestock farming, fisheries, and forestry (the production of usable forest products).

Agriculture: Foundation of Food Production

Feeding the public depends significantly on agriculture. Agricultural activities are heavily influenced by the physical environment, including climate, topography, and soil conditions.

Soil Characteristics for Farming

• Texture: The measurement of soil particles, which determines its ability to retain water.
• Acidity: Measured by an index called pH. A pH of 7 indicates neutral soil.

The Agricultural Landscape

The agricultural landscape is a human-modified environment designed to produce natural products. Key elements characterizing this landscape include:

• Plots: Divisions of a single farm.
• Tillage Systems: Methods of preparing land for crops.
• Settlement Patterns: How human populations are distributed in agricultural areas.

Types of Agricultural Plots

Plots, or parcels, are single pieces of land dedicated to cultivation. They differ by:

• Size: Small or large.
• Form: Regular or irregular.
• Limits: Open or closed.

Specific plot types include:

• Open Fields: Open parcels with no fences, typically small in extension and regular in shape.
• Closed Fields: Large and irregular parcels, often enclosed by walls or fences.

Cultivation Systems

• Polyculture: An agricultural area divided into many plots, cultivating different species.
• Monoculture: Dedicated to cultivating a single product.

Water Management in Agriculture

• Irrigation: Water extracted from underground reservoirs or led to the field.
• Dryland Farming: Relies solely on rainwater.

Agricultural Intensity

• Intensive Agriculture: Aims for the maximum quantity of products from a small space. It typically uses fertilizers and is very labor-intensive.
• Extensive Agriculture: Produces large quantities of products at a low price, with low labor input, often across vast areas.

Purpose of Agriculture

• Subsistence Agriculture: Geared towards producing everything necessary for survival, dedicating more than two-thirds of the land and labor to products for personal consumption.
• Market Agriculture: Focuses on two main objectives: increasing sales and reducing costs. This is achieved through mechanization, production specialization, and fast commercialization.

Specific Agricultural Practices

• Slash-and-Burn (Cremation): Involves cutting all vegetation and setting fire to clear the field. This practice is sustainable for approximately 4 years in a given area.
• Dryland Farming with Animal Manure: Based on agriculture associated with livestock, where animal manure enables permanent land exploitation.
• Irrigated Rice Cultivation: Requires abundant rainfall, warm winters, and fertile land. This practice can impoverish the soil and may not sustain large populations over time.

Market Agriculture Strategies

• Mechanization: Saves labor, increases production, and lowers prices.
• Specialization: Increases production quantity and improves marketing efficiency.
• Commercialization: Expedites trade and optimizes transportation use.

Agricultural Speculation

Agricultural speculation often has multiple objectives, frequently targeting the international market. This includes agriculture specialized in plantations.

Livestock Farming: Complementing Agriculture

Livestock farming often complements agriculture, providing both field work and natural fertilizer.

Market-Oriented Livestock Farming

The primary goal of market-oriented livestock farming is to achieve maximum profit.

Livestock Farming Intensity

• Intensive Livestock: Practiced on specialized farms, requiring significant capital for labor, installations, and feed. It focuses on obtaining many animals in a small space.
• Extensive Livestock: Involves large grazing areas where many cattle feed with relatively little manpower.

Fishing: Harvesting Aquatic Resources

Traditional Fishing

Traditional fishing is typically conducted near the coast, relying on human strength and simple fishing gear.

Industrial Fishing

Industrial fishing aims for large catches, operating in various zones:

• Coastal Fishing: Near shore.
• High Seas Fishing: In open ocean waters.

Industrial Fishing Techniques

• Trawling: Uses large nets that sweep the seabed. This method can damage the seabed and indiscriminately catch young fish and marine flora.
• Pumps/Suction Fishing: Draws fish to a specific area where they are then sucked up into the vessel.