Agrarian and Rural Spaces: Activities, Land Use, and Impact
Agrarian and rural spaces
The term agrarian space is only used to refer to land where agrarian activities are undertaken. It includes cultivated land, pastures, meadows, and woodland. Meanwhile, the term rural space refers to all non-urban areas. It also includes agrarian spaces and land where other activities are also carried out, some of which were, until recently, more typical of cities, such as leisure areas, shopping centers, housing estates, and factories.
Agrarian activities
Agriculture is concerned with cultivating the land to obtain plants for food. It provides food for people (wheat and vegetables), feed for livestock (maize and alfalfa), and raw materials for industry (flax). Livestock farming is concerned with rearing animals for human use. This activity provides food (meat, milk, and eggs), fertilizer, raw materials for industries (leather and wool), and in some cases, a form of labor force. Silviculture is concerned with the use of woodland. It provides food (nuts and wild mushrooms) and raw materials for various industries (the furniture industries).
The agrarian population
In the most underdeveloped countries, more than 50% of the population is usually employed in this sector, which provides more than 10% of the nation’s wealth. In some countries, above all those located in Sub-Saharan Africa, these activities are undertaken by more than 80% of the population and provide more than 50% of the nation’s wealth. In contrast, in the most developed countries, agrarian activities play a minor role, as they only employ 10% of the population and represent very little of the nation’s wealth. It generally accounts for less than 4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Agrarian activity: Physical factors
Climate- All types of plants need a certain number of sunlight hours and can tolerate specific maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation levels, and winds. Therefore, agriculture is impossible in regions with temperatures below 0ºC or above 45ºC as well as in very arid regions or those with very cold or very hot winds. Furthermore, different crops adapt better to different climatic conditions. Some require more humidity, for example, maize and rice; while others can support the cold better, for example, potatoes. Others require very high temperatures such as sugar, cane, and coffee.
Relief of the land
Farmers prefer to grow their crops on plains and in valleys. They avoid mountainous terrain because the slopes lead to soil erosion, hinder work and the use of mechanical tools, and require the construction of hillside terraces, which are flat, horizontal sections built into the land. Furthermore, above a certain height, low temperatures prevent crops from growing. Livestock farming and silviculture, along with certain crops, such as trees and shrubs, are better suited to mountainous terrain.
Agrarian activities: Demographic pressure
Since ancient times, population increase has led to a rise in the surface area of land dedicated to crops and pastures, which in turn results in deforestation or the reduction of natural vegetation. Today, high population densities lead to agrarian space being used to its maximum potential, which sometimes leads to overexploitation or excessive use. Low population densities can lead to the growing of some crops being abandoned, which leads to environmental decline in that area.
Technological development
Farming tools vary greatly. In traditional societies, basic tools such as spades, hoes, sickles, and plows are used; In advanced societies, modern tools such as tractors, combine harvesters, and milking machines are used. Farming techniques also vary. In traditional societies, the soil is farmed until it is exhausted, a section of land is left fallow, or natural fertilizers are used so the soil recovers its nutrients; Advanced societies use chemical fertilizers, irrigate crops with advanced systems, use pesticides to protect crops against insects and infestations, protect crops in greenhouses, and carefully select vegetable and livestock species.
Economic and social organization
Different types of agrarian economies produce different ranges of products. Subsistence economies only produce enough to cover their food needs. They cultivate various products and combine crop growing with livestock breeding. Market economies produce food to sell it and tend to specialize in one crop or type of livestock; Social organization has an impact on agrarian activity in terms of property, which can be private or collective and land exploitation or use, which can be direct if landowners or their employees work the land themselves, or indirect if the owner allows a tenant or partner to work the land; Agrarian policies implemented by governments also influence agrarian activities. The most common are agrarian reforms that aim to provide a more balanced distribution of property, and policies aimed at raising levels of modernization and competitiveness.
The agrarian landscape
Agrarian activities transform the natural environment over time and give rise to agrarian landscapes. These landscapes vary greatly from one another. They are all composed of two elements: inhabited space and space farmed to obtain agrarian products.
Inhabited space
Settlement is the way in which the agrarian population is distributed across the land. Dispersed settlement, farmers’ dwellings are separated from one another and surrounded by the land they farm; Concentrated settlement, dwellings are grouped into a village or hamlet; Interspersed settlements, some dwellings are grouped together, while others are isolated. Habitat includes dwelling and agricultural buildings, such as barns, stables, and wine cellars. These buildings are traditionally made from local materials.
Farmland
The land dedicated to agrarian activities is organized into fields, which are the basic division of agrarian land. They are separated from one another by borders and distinguished from one another on the basis of size, shape, location, and use. In terms of their size, fields can be small (less than 10 hectares), medium-sized (between 10 and 100 H) or large (more than 100 H). Their shape can be irregular. With regard to their location, they can be open (if they are separated from one another by a furrow or boundary markers) or closed (if they are surrounded by fences, trees, or walls). Their use can be for agriculture, livestock farming, or silviculture.
Agriculture
Different cultivation methods; Crop varieties: The term monoculture is used when fields are used to grow just one crop, while the term polyculture is used when they are used for various crops. Water supply for plants: Dryland crops only receive rainwater, while irrigated crops are provided with additional water from rivers, wells, and springs. Irrigation requires farmers to invest major amounts of money on infrastructure, which explains why this is limited to crops with a high market value. This is especially true of arid regions; Soil use: soil may be used for continual cultivation of the land, which does not involve leaving the land fallow for a certain period of time, or crop rotation, which consists of alternating the crops grown in fields. Degree of land use: Agriculture can be intensive, if the land is used to its full potential, or in the opposite case, extensive. In either case, the yield or output according to the surface area may be high or low, as it depends on the capital invested and the technology used.
Types of agriculture
Traditional agriculture: this type is used when most of the produce is intended to supply the farmer and their family. It is also known as subsistence farming. Modern agriculture: This type refers to the growing of crops for sale in national or international markets, and is also known as subsistence farming. Industrial agriculture- This has become the most widespread since the 1940s and its aim is the mass-production of agricultural products. To achieve this, chemical products, inorganic fertilizers, and machinery are used, as well as biotechnological advances, such as genetically modified seeds. Organic farming- this has spread since the 1990s and aims to grow healthy products without harming the environment. Organic fertilizers and the rotation of local crops are used. It is also known as bio-extensive farming.
Characteristics and locations
Traditional agriculture uses outdated technology and requires a great deal of work and a large labor force. Production is low and is for self-consumption. It is typical of regions with low levels of development in Africa, South East Asia, and Latin America. Migratory or slash-and-burn agriculture: this type of agriculture is found in countries with an equatorial and humid tropical climate in Africa, Central and South America and, to a lesser extent, Asia. The agrarian landscapes consist of irregular shaped fields created in woodland by ‘slashing’ or cutting back trees, then burning them along with the undergrowth. These fields are used for polyculture farming, to produce cereals and other products such as sorghum, millet, maize, cassava, yams, and sweet potatoes. The soil is cultivated continuously and is exhausted in two or three years. The farmer then repeats the process on another site.
Silviculture
Forest spaces: Humid equatorial and tropical woodland- is located in the torrid zone. It consists of tall, hardwood trees with many species combined together. Therefore, in order to harvest the most profitable timber, such as mahogany, ebony, and teak, extensive areas have to be deforested. Temperate woodland- covers the middle latitudes. It includes smaller trees that are grouped in a more homogeneous manner. The most profitable species such as oak, beech, and chestnut were exploited in past eras. Today, they are sometimes replaced by more profitable, non-native species, such as pine and eucalyptus. The boreal forests- or taiga are located in the northern regions of the temperate zone. They are dense forests containing few species, which are generally softwood. The predominant species are conifers, such as pineapple and fir, as well as birch.
Fishing
Use of the sea: fishing is the activity that provides products from the sea. It provides food for people and raw materials for industry, such as tinned and frozen products, oils, flours, and fertilizers. The areas of the sea where fishing levels are particularly high are called fishing grounds.
Fishing systems
According to the place where fishing is practiced and the period of time required, shallow-water fishing takes place near the coast on a daily basis; deep-sea fishing is undertaken far from the coast over several days or weeks and ocean fishing is undertaken at high sea for several months. According to the technology used on fishing boats, fishing may be traditional or industrial; traditional fishing uses small boats, traditional technology, and a limited labor force. Production is limited and intended for the local market; Industrial fishing uses large factory boats, modern technology (radars and sonars), and a large labor force. Production levels are high and intended for sale on national or international markets.
The future of the fisheries
Fisheries now face three main problems; overfishing, which leads to the exhaustion of marine resources, damage caused by sea pollution, and the increasing difficulty of gaining access to fishing grounds belonging to other countries (in 1982, exclusive national fishing grounds were established within 200 nautical miles (370 km) of each country’s coastline). The fishing policies implemented by countries and international organisms aim to find solutions to these problems. Of particular importance amongst these are the prohibition of harmful fishing practices, the establishment of fishing quotas, the application of anti-pollution measures, the signing of international fishing agreements, and the promotion of aquaculture or the breeding of fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.