Sustainability
What is sustainable agriculture?
Agriculture that meets current food needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs, maintaining soil fertility and ecosystem health.
What is the difference between subsistence and commercial farming?
Subsistence farming produces food mainly for the farmer’s own use, while commercial farming produces for sale and profit.
What is the Green Revolution, and how did it change global agriculture?
A mid-20th century movement that increased crop yields through high-yield varieties, fertilizers, and irrigation; it improved food supply but caused pollution, soil degradation, and social inequality.
What is crop rotation, and how does it promote sustainability?
Alternating crops on the same land to replenish soil nutrients, reduce pests, and minimize the need for chemical fertilizers.
What is mixed farming?
A system where both crops and livestock are raised together — animal waste is used to fertilize crops, and crops feed the animals.
What are the main factors influencing land use decisions?
Physical (soil, climate, slope), economic (profitability, technology), social (tradition, diet, population), and political (land rights, subsidies) factors.
What is the difference between intensive and extensive farming in terms of sustainability?
Intensive farming uses high inputs (fertilizers, machinery, energy) per area, often harming the environment; extensive farming uses more land with lower inputs and can be more sustainable.
What is intensive farming, and how is it different from extensive farming?
Intensive farming uses high inputs (fertilizers, energy, technology) per unit of land; extensive farming uses larger areas with lower inputs and outputs per hectare.
How can globalization influence agricultural practices?
It increases access to markets, technology, and information, but can also promote monocultures, dependence on exports, and loss of local food traditions.
What is organic farming, and why is it considered sustainable?
It avoids synthetic chemicals, uses compost and crop rotation, enhances biodiversity, and maintains long-term soil health.
What is shifting cultivation, and where is it commonly practiced?
A form of subsistence farming in which land is cleared by “slash and burn,” farmed for a few years, then left to regenerate; common in tropical rainforests like the Amazon.
What are the connections between culture, tradition, and farming practices?
Cultural and traditional values influence what people grow and eat; for example, religious or regional food customs determine crop choices and livestock practices.
How can we evaluate the sustainability of an agricultural system?
By assessing indicators such as soil quality, water use efficiency, biodiversity, energy input-output ratio, and long-term productivity.
What is nomadic pastoralism, and why is it becoming less common today?
The movement of herders with animals (e.g. camels, cattle) in search of pasture and water; it’s declining due to land ownership, urbanization, and modernization pressures.
How are marginalized groups more vulnerable if not considered in land-use decisions?
They risk losing land access, facing food insecurity, displacement, and cultural erosion, which increases inequality and reduces sustainability.