Farms as a system

Farm systems

Farm systems

• All farms are systems; they have inputs, processes and outputs

  

• Impacts of farming systems

• All farming systems impact the ecosystem in which they are located

• Some have more impact than others:

  • Monocultures reduce diversity by limiting animals' food access

  • Nutrient cycling often depends on natural (manure) or artificial fertilisers

  • Ecosystems are modified with inputs of seed, fertiliser, pesticides, herbicides and the use of machines

  • Where food webs are reduced, so too is the amount of biomass

Inputs

• Inputs into the farm system can be either natural (physical) or human

Natural inputs

• The natural inputs influence the type of farming and include:

  • Temperature

    • All crops have a minimum temperature below which they will not grow or will not produce a good yield; wheat grows best between 21 and 24 ^ºC

  • Growing season

    • The length of the growing season affects the type of crop grown—barley needs about 90 days from sowing to harvest, whereas rice takes about 120 days

  • Precipitation

    • Both the average annual rainfall and the distribution of rain over the year affect the types of crops grown

    • In dry/arid areas very few crops can be grown unless irrigation is used

  • Relief and slope aspect

    • The altitude of the land affects temperature and the steepness affects the suitability for crops

    • In local areas, different crops may be grown on south-facing slopes, which get more sunshine and are warmer

  • Soil type and fertility

    • In areas with thin, infertile soils, grazing is likely to dominate as crops need deeper, more fertile soil

  • Drainage

    • For most crops to grow, the land needs to be well drained so that roots do not get waterlogged

Human inputs

• Tradition

  • Many farms simply grow the crops or raise the livestock that have been on the farm for generations

• Subsidies

  • Farmers may change crops or livestock depending on the money available from the government

• Transport

  • The cost of transporting the product may affect what is produced

  • Livestock transport is more expensive than grain transport

• Farm size

  • Due to economies of scale, larger farms can afford more in terms of feed, fertiliser and machinery; this may affect what is produced

• Market demand

  • The changing demand for produce

  • There has been an increase in demand for meat such as buffalo and ostrich, which may affect the choice of what is produced

• Capital

  • The amount of money a farmer has to invest will affect the machines and artificial inputs (irrigation, pesticides, fertilisers) they can afford

Processes

• The processes which take place on a farm will depend on the type of farm

• They are the things which change the inputs into outputs

Outputs

Commercial farming

• The aim of commercial farming is to make a profit

• In HICs commercial farming may be individual farmers or occasionally agribusinesses

• In LICs individuals often do not have the money to farm land commercially

  • Commercial farming is often done by large agribusinesses such as Nestle and Del Monte

  • Commercial farming in LICs usually results in monocultures where cash crops such as coffee, tea, cocoa and palm oil are grown.