4rd Unit: Primary Sector

Unit 4: Primary Sector

1. FARMING.................................................................................1
1.1. PHYSICAL FACTORS: CLIMATE, RELIEF, SOIL...............................................1
1.2. SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, TECHNOLOGICAL AND POLITICAL FACTORS............................2
A) SOCIAL FACTORS.......................................................................................2
B) ECONOMIC FACTORS.................................................................................3
C) POLITIC FACTORS.......................................................................................3
D) TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS........................................................................4

2. CLASSIFICATION ......................................................................4

3. WORLD FARMING SYSTEMS.......................................................4

3.1. UNDEVELOPED COUNTRIES: TRADITIONAL FARMING......................................4
3.2. DEVELOPED COUNTRIES: PLANTATION, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ...................5
A) PLANTATION FARMING..........................................................................................5
B) COMMERCIAL FARMING.........................................................................................5
C) INDUSTRIAL FARMING...........................................................................................5

1. Farming
Farming is the growing of crops and the rearing of animals.

1.1. Physical factors: climate, relief, soil.

- Temperature: crops need a minimum of 6°C to grow.
CLIMATE (Look over climates in the world)
- Rainfall: crops need between 250 mm and 500
mm a year.

- Flat land is easier to grow crops on, there is less soil

erosion and machinery can be used safely.
RELIEF
- Some places are too high to grow crops because they are
too cold. Temperature decreases 6°C each 1000 m.
- Only south facing slopes are warmer because they face
the sun

SOIL needs to be fertile, deep and well

drained.

Social Studies Department, 2010/2011. 3rd ESO Geography. Bilingual Program 1

 4rd Unit: Primary Sector

1.2. Social, economic, technological and political factors.

A) SOCIAL FACTORS

Social Studies Department, 2010/2011. 3rd ESO Geography. Bilingual Program 2

 4rd Unit: Primary Sector

B) ECONOMIC FACTORS

C) POLITIC FACTORS

Social Studies Department, 2010/2011. 3rd ESO Geography. Bilingual Program 3

 4rd Unit: Primary Sector

Rural
 Quotas are limits on the amount of some produce
developme set by the governments.
nt Policies
 Subsidies are money paid by the government to
encourage some types of produce.

D) TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS

2. Classification

Esquema elaborado por los alumnos

3. World Farming Systems

3.1. Undeveloped Countries: Traditional Farming

- It is technically and technologically primitive.

- Everything that is produced is needed for survival.
- 1/5 of the world farms in this manner.
- Two kinds: nomadic extensive agriculture and intensively farmed
rice paddy.
- Nomadic extensive agriculture: simple tools and crops, burn the
plants and sow in the ashes, use of cattle raising
- Intensively farmed rice: southeast Asia, high soil humidity.

Social Studies Department, 2010/2011. 3rd ESO Geography. Bilingual Program 4

 4rd Unit: Primary Sector

3.2. Developed Countries: plantation, commercial and

industrial

a) Plantation Farming
- Location: near the Tropics
- Born: 17th century
- Crops are destined for marketing
- Single crop farming (more benefits)
- Managed like business.

Problems: some countries depend on the fluctuation of markets,

because they produce only one product. If the market for that product
is collapsed, the economy of that country will suffer. This happens to
undeveloped countries.

b) Commercial Farming
• Specialise in certain crops, dictated by prices and profits, by the
market.
• Located mostly in Europe
• Medium-sized and require large capital investments.
• Employs temporary labour (jornaleros in Andalucía)
• Oceanic climate Europe: intensive cattle raising (milk, cheese)
• Mediterranean climate Europe: vineyards and orchards.

c) Industrial Farming
• Located in the United States
• Family business, managed as companies and crops produced for
the market.
• Extensive farming with complete mechanisation.
• Products: wheat, maize, cotton and tobacco.
• Production is cheap, because they use little labour and a lot of
machinery.

Social Studies Department, 2010/2011. 3rd ESO Geography. Bilingual Program 5