5.6 Agricultural Regions

Which of the following is a variable that can differ in agricultural practices around the world?

• The population density of the region

• The availability of freshwater sources

• The level of education of the farmers

• The crops or animals raised

Answer explanation

Other variables mentioned in the passage include the level of technology, methods for production, percentage of the population working in agriculture, importance of agriculture to the economy, and gender roles in farming. These variables can all impact farmers' decisions about agricultural practices and land use.

What is the bid-rent theory used for in agriculture?

• To determine the types of crops to grow

• To determine the distance between farms

• To calculate the value of land based on proximity to urban markets

• To determine the level of technology used in farming practices

Answer explanation

the bid-rent theory is used by geographers to discuss the costs of land for different types of agricultural activities. According to this theory, there is a distance-decay relationship between the proximity of land to urban markets and the value of the land. This means that the closer the land is to an urban center, the more valuable it is, and the farmer willing to pay the highest price will gain possession of the land.

Which type of agriculture is typically capital-intensive and labor-intensive, and relies on low-paid migrant workers to tend and harvest crops?

• Paddy rice farming

• Truck farming

• Factory farming

• Aquaculture

What is the main reason for the increasing demand for expensive inputs in agriculture.

• Local increases in demand for food

• Global competition to use land more intensely

• Regional population growth

• Pushing farmers to use land continuously and not allowing it to lie fallow

What is the reason for the difficulty that those who rely on shifting cultivation face, according to the passage?

• Increasing demand for tropical cash crops

• Competition for space to grow timber, rubber, cotton, or industrial products

• Global demand for subsistence crops

• Changes in climatic conditions

Answer explanation

those who rely on shifting cultivation have found it more difficult to continue these methods due to increasing global demand for tropical cash crops, such as coffee, tea, and cacao. As a result, these crops compete for more land use, making it harder for subsistence farmers to grow their crops. The passage also notes that the timber industry has put an economic strain on shifting cultivation, and that increasing population and competition for space to grow timber, rubber, cotton, or industrial products have resulted in food security issues, particularly in Africa.

Which of the following statements about double cropping and intercropping is true?

• Double cropping is the only technique that involves planting and harvesting a crop multiple times a year.

• Intercropping is the planting of different crops on different fields.

• Intercropping involves planting two or more crops on the same field simultaneously.

• Double cropping and intercropping have no impact on the intensity of land use.

What is the difference between multi-cropping and monoculture in agriculture?

• Multi-cropping involves growing different types of crops on the same field, while monoculture involves only growing one type of crop or raising one type of animal.

• Multi-cropping involves only growing one type of crop, while monoculture involves growing different types of crops on the same field.

• Multi-cropping involves growing crops without the use of pesticides, while monoculture involves using pesticides to maximize efficiency.

• Multi-cropping involves growing crops in a controlled environment, while monoculture involves growing crops in open fields.

Which of the following is a negative impact of large scale monocropping farms?

• Higher yields

• Lower per-unit cost of production

• Increased crop diversity

• Soil depletion and decreased yields over time

What is a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)?

• A system in which cattle graze on large expanses of land

• A system in which cattle are raised in a confined space with limited movement

• A system in which cattle are raised in small family farms

• A system in which cattle are raised on a rotating pasture system

What is an example of extensive farming?

• Raising cattle in feedlots in northern Colorado

• Raising cattle in small family farms in the United States

• Raising cattle in large ranches in Wyoming

• Raising cattle in South America