Farming Systems
The Farm as a System
Inputs
Processes
Outputs
Climate
Soil
Relief
Aspect
Accessibility to Market
Cost of land
Tradition
Demand for products
CAP (EU)
Ploughing
Harvesting
Weeding
Shearing
Milking
Crops
Animals
Animal products
Arable, pastoral, mixed, organic
Subsistence or commercial
Intensive or extensive
Sedentary or nomadic
Arable is the growing of crops.
Pastoral is the keeping of animals. The only crops grown are fodder crops.
Mixed is when farmers grow crops and rear animals.
Organic farms are environmentally friendly. Chemicals and pesticides are not used. Animals are not reared intensively.
Subsistence farmers only produce enough food to survive. There is little, if any surplus left to sell.
Commercial farmers sell their crops and animals in order to make a profit.
Intensive – high inputs of money, labour or technology to achieve high outputs or yields per hectare. The farms are usually quite small.
Extensive – low inputs, large areas of land, low outputs or yields per hectare.
Sedentary is when the settlement is permanent and the landscape farmed every year.
Nomadic farmers move around looking for fresh pasture or new plots to cultivate.