Farming intensity tends to decline with increasing distance from the market in some areas, but increases in intensity

in other areas
Explain the above statement with the help of appropriate examples and agricultural land use models. Assess the impact of globalization on the changes of farming intensity over distance in China. The major motivating force of the two models Von Thunen Model and Sinclair Model is the bid-rent mechanism. The bid rent mechanism incorporates the idea of economic rent, distance from market and transport cost. Von Thunen Model Statement: Farming intensity tends to decline with increasing distance from the market Brief introduction of zones: Centre City centre Zone 1 Market gardening Zone 2 Forestry Zone 3 6-field crop rotation Zone 4 7-field crop rotation Zone 5 3-field system Zone 6 Extensive Livestock farming [graph of model] [Bid-rent curves graph] The Economic rent is the income earned by the farming activities and thus determines its bid rent capacity (the ability to occupy a land) the zone directly next to the market has the highest economic rent. In the Von Thunen Model, 1) Market gardening cultivating vegetables and flowers a) Economic: (i) Highest intensity of farming: high bid-rent ability (profit) which outbid other agricultural activities (e.g. commercial livestock farming) (ii) Highest Demand: High profit -> bid rent ability (highest) -> out bid others -> occupy the land closest to the market (ii) Due to high perishability resulted in high transport cost: required refrigerating technology (lorries/ trucks)-> high transport cost -> locate near city centre. Resulted in steeper gradient Increasing distance with the market, increasing transport cost: Other agricultural products like field crops and commercial livestock farming -> affected by transport cost -> low intensity (extensive) -> profit earned lower -> thus econ rent is also lower -> bid rent capacity is lower -> low competitiveness to outbid others thus land occupied are further away from the market. Resulted in gentler gradient Distance-decay concept Examples:

In Uruguay, intensity of agricultural land use decline with increasing distance from Monetevideo (capital/market). Generally matched the order of Von Thunen rings. Horticulture nearest to the market/cattle ranching located at the northen part and north eastern part of the market farther away. Sinclair Model Statement: increases in intensity in other areas Brief introduction of the zone: Centre City centre Zone 1 urban farming Zone 2 vacant and grazing land Zone 3 field crops and grazing Zone 4 dairying and field crops Zone 5 specialized feed grain livestock [graph of model] Major motivation force: Urbanization -> in which urbanization and population growth in the city periphery. Land closest to the market have highest land value and econ rent. Sinclair model also consider land uses outside of farming. Direct competition between urban land uses and rural land uses -> Urban highly available than rural land. Urban land uses occupy land in the city fringe. -> Urban encroachment Intensity of agricultural land uses increases with increasing distance. Around an expanding urban centre, with high anticipation of urbanization, the agricultural land use value decreases. Thus intensity towards city centre -> low or even land is abandoned and wait for speculation [vacant land] The agricultural intensity tends to increase up to a distance till the anticipation of urbanization ceases. -> It remains static eventually. Examples:

Globalization Under the influence of globalization -> international market and free trade are now available. - import of cheap farm produce - competition between local and global farm produce - local farmers might be of less competitiveness against transnational agro-business - in turn, farmers must lower their production cost to be competitive - Move away from high cost land near market to relative lower land cost in the suburbs and rural areas - Due to lack of competitiveness, the econ rent of farmers also decreases and thus being outbid by urban forces and fringe of agricultural land uses encroached by commercial/industrial land uses. The highest farming intensity area is away from the market but not directly next to it.

CHINA Chinas is the largest importer of soybeans and other food crops. After Chinas entry towards the World Trade Organization, its agricultural produce market has been more liberalized than before. Entering the WTO also encouraged the development of industries for manufactured products and thus required more land -> agricultural land in competition with industrial land uses ->agri land use would be outbid thus the zone in the city centre and next to city centre are dominated by commercial and industrial land uses.

1990 and 1993 are more concentrated in the eastern part of China, probably mainly due to the increase in the built-up area.

Using appropriate examples of farm systems in developed countries, explain the ways man alter the operation of natural ecosystems to maximize yield. Evaluate the ecological implication (impact) of these alterations. Description and Explanation (explain) Farmers can improve the environmental conditions to attain high profit. Most of the inputs are cultural inputs which aim to subsidize the energy and nutrient from sun

Ways of to improve/alter natural ecosystems: Mechanically: In mechanized farmland, fuel is used directly to run farm machines which is used to cultivate and harvest the crops e.g. combine-harvester in USA, Canada & Australia wheat farming. [Abiotic elements] Chemically: Agro-chemicals Fertilizers, weedicides and pesticides - the use of fertilizers facilitate the increase of nutrient store in the soil - Pesticides decrease the energy/nutrient loss from agro-ecosystem to other ecosystem* [energy flow] Biologically: High yielding and disease-resistant breeds - Bio-technology (GM) >artificial selections of high yield crops [monoculture] >rear high-yielding breeds e.g. new breed of wheat in USA, Canada and rice in Japan/new breed of livestock e,g, Jersey cattle in New Zealand, Hereford cattle in UK Natural inputs: Abiotic elements: - Relief terracing/drainage of wetlands/deforestations/terracing -> obtain land for farming - Water Irrigation system - Temperature the use of greenhouse to increase favorable grounds for high-yielding crops [Abiotic components] Evaluation Negative impact Ecological implications Adverse effects on natural ecosystem

1) Biosphere: a. Destruction of natural habitats and reduction of biodiversity: -monoculture -drainage of wetlands -deforestations

b. Simplification of food web c. Chemicals can be accumulated in the food web [use of DDT in early days caused the near extinctions of American bald eagles] d. forest degradation [over-cultivation] e. Reduced nutrient supply from the nutrient recycling as exports to local or global market now available. f. Creation of super pests over dorsage of pesticides
Other effects to this plant community include agriculture and development. California's coastal prairie, like most other California grasslands, has been greatly affected by the invasion of non-native species, including earthworms, snails, slugs, pill bugs, earwigs, and annual Mediterranean grasses.

2) Lithosphere a. Soil contamination by toxic chemicals b. Salinization* - strong irrigation used -irrigated water seeps underground - rises of water table - evaporation from soil - mineral salt remain in soil c. Soil compaction -> difficult for root penetrations XYZ d. Deforestation -> soil erosion -> desertification e. land degradation and desertification -> over-cultivation/grazing 3) Hydroshpere a. water pollution (poor management of wastes water and chemicals) b. fertilizers are drained into river and create the problem of eutrophication -> red tides c. Depletion of underground water sources - decrease of water table - seawater intrusion - reducing recharge rater of soil water - ground subsidence 4) Atmosphere a. change in micro-climate - dryer - higher surface temperature - lower RH - higher wind speed