Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the primary purpose of commercial pastoral farming?
What is the primary purpose of commercial pastoral farming?
- To cultivate crops for food
- To rear animals for milk or meat (correct)
- To promote tourism
- To reduce soil erosion
What is the significance of agriculture in the Caribbean economy?
What is the significance of agriculture in the Caribbean economy?
- It employs a large number of people and helps economies be more self-reliant (correct)
- It only promotes tourism
- It provides a source of foreign exchange
- It reduces the rate of soil erosion
Which of the following physical factors affects the type of crops that can be grown?
Which of the following physical factors affects the type of crops that can be grown?
- Soil erosion
- Market demand
- Climate (correct)
- Relief
What is the likely outcome of producing crops that are in high demand?
What is the likely outcome of producing crops that are in high demand?
What is the significance of soil type in agriculture?
What is the significance of soil type in agriculture?
What may prevent farmers from producing perishable items?
What may prevent farmers from producing perishable items?
Which of the following factors does not affect what can be grown on a farm?
Which of the following factors does not affect what can be grown on a farm?
What is a benefit of sugar cane cultivation?
What is a benefit of sugar cane cultivation?
What is a problem facing sugar cane cultivation?
What is a problem facing sugar cane cultivation?
What is a factor that affects the type of agriculture a farmer practices?
What is a factor that affects the type of agriculture a farmer practices?
Study Notes
Commercial Pastoral Farming
- Involves rearing animals for milk (dairy farming) or for meat and hides (ranching)
Importance of Agriculture in the Caribbean
- Employs a large number of people
- Second largest earner of foreign exchange in many Caribbean countries, after tourism
- Helps economies to be more self-reliant by providing a local source of food
- Reduces soil erosion due to crop roots binding the soil
- Plays a significant role in cultural traditions and special celebrations, such as the Crop-over festival in Barbados
Factors Influencing Land-use/Agriculture
Physical Factors
- Climate: affects crop growth, e.g. tropical regions suitable for crops needing year-round sunshine and high temperatures
- Soils: chemical composition, depth, and drainage affect crop suitability, e.g. sugar cane needs well-drained loam soil
- Relief: affects machinery use and erosion rate, e.g. steep land suitable for fruit trees and animal rearing
Economic Factors
- Market: demand and location influence crop production, e.g. high demand leads to increased production
- Capital: necessary for purchasing seeds, animals, equipment, and fertilizers, e.g. lack of capital limits crop production
Human Factors
- Land Tenure: ownership or rental of land affects long-term investments, e.g. dairy farming or sugar cane cultivation
- Labour: availability of workers affects crop production, e.g. rice cultivation requires a large labour force
- Government Incentives: offers such as loans, subsidies, and duty-free concessions influence agricultural practices
- Inheritance Practices: fragmented farms due to inheritance affect cultivation and production levels
Market
- EU under the LOMÉ agreement
- Local market
Benefits
- Employment opportunities
- Foreign exchange earnings
- Soil erosion reduction due to crop roots
- Used in creation of other products, e.g. rum
Problems
- Reduction in land used for agriculture
- Competition from artificial sweeteners and other sugar sources
- Unprofitability of growing sugar cane
- Climatic hazards, e.g. drought and flood
- Fires
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Description
This quiz covers the aspects of commercial pastoral farming, its importance in the Caribbean, and its economic contributions.
