IV.3 - Rolnictwo uprzemysłowione i rolnictwo ekologiczne - kl.2LO PR

INDUSTRIAL AND ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE

INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE

• characteristic for economically highly developed countries
• type of agriculture with high progress and high efficiency, thanks to:
• productive (wydajne) varieties of crops and livestock breeds
• mineral fertilizers, plant protection products, veterinary treatments
• use of the latest agrotechnical knowledge
• mechanization and computerization
• good organization of work (careful and timely
• cultivation procedures)
• little employment
• large area of farms
• high commodity (wysoka towarowość)
• may have a negative impact on the

environment

In Western Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia, large capital expenditures (nakłady kapitału) are allocated to agricultural activities. Thanks to high mechanization and modern equipment, it was possible to develop new areas for cultivation, which led to the creation of farms with a very large area. In the USA, the average size of a farm is approx. 180 ha (in Poland, approx. 10 ha). Such large farms are able to produce a large amount of products at low prices.

FACTORS OF DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE

TECHNOLOGICAL

ECONOMICAL

SOCIAL

• the need to increase production efficiency and productivity
• the need to lower the price for the manufactured product (greater competitiveness)

• a greater demand for food because of the increase in the number of the population

• the possibility of using the latest production technologies
• introducing new, more and more resistant varieties of plants and animals

ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE

• organic farms are established in rich countries (organic food is more expensive to sell)
• high prices of organic products are related to the low efficiency of this type of agriculture
• ecological farmers do not use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and other substances that cause a faster increase in animal weight
• organic crops are more vulnerable (podatne) to pests (szkodniki) and diseases and animals grow more slowly
• organic farming has lower crops

Ecological farming is based on 3 main principles:

• increasing the fertility of soils thanks to the use of ecological cultivation methods
• maintaining biodiversity
• care for feed and fertilizer balance (closed loop of the farm)

INDUSTRIALIZED AGRICULTURE

DISADVANTAGES

ADVANTAGES

• chemicalization of agriculture (less plant and animal diseases and less pest losses; faster weight gain of animals; cultivation on poorly fertile soils)
• mechanization of agriculture (greater production efficiency; development of the industry producing agricultural machinery)
• creation of large-scale farms with high production efficiency
• larger harvests = reduced hunger and malnutrition problem
• lower product prices due to high production

• chemicals in agriculture (soil and water pollution with fertilizers and chemicals; extinction of aquatic organisms)
• mechanization of agriculture (greater fuel consumption, greater air pollution, increased unemployment in the countryside - machines replace people)
• development of large-scale farms (soil sterilization, faster spread of plant and animal diseases, reduction of biodiversity)
• disappearance of the traditional rural landscape

ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE

ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

• use of natural fertilizers and plant protection products
• high quality of agricultural produce
• adaptation of mechanization to environmental conditions (giving up the heavy equipment that has a negative effect on the soil)
• maintaining the traditional rural landscape
• the possibility of developing agritourism

• greater probability of plant and animal diseases and pest attack

• unskillful use of natural fertilizers may harm the environment
• lower harvest and yields
• higher production costs = higher prices
• less impact on the development of the industry producing machinery for agriculture

Small acreage of GMO cultivation in Europe - the production and use of food products from genetically modified organisms is prohibited in many countries (including Poland).

In 2017, GMO cultivation was carried out in 26 countries (189.8 million ha in total).

GMO cannot be used in ecological agriculture as the results of using it aren't well-known.

GMO

Genetically Modified Organism

The change of genes causes the formation of organisms with characteristics other than the parent species:

• resistant to pests, fungi, viruses, herbicides
• more tolerant of various conditions during transport
• higher quality

The most commonly grown GM crops are:

• soya beans,
• corn
• cotton

DILEMMAS RELATED TO GMOs

Healthy or dangerous to health?

Arguments for: GMOs may turn out to be healthier than industrial agriculture products because they do not require that amount of chemical plant protection products; there are no unequivocal studies confirming the harmful effects of GMOs on health. Arguments against: Some suspect that GM crops may have negative effects on human and animal health.

DILEMMAS RELATED TO GMOs

Expensive or cheap?

Arguments for: GMOs are more resistant to pests and diseases, so you don't need a great amount of chemicals spraying. Arguments against: GMO seed is expensive and can only be purchased from licensed producers; farmers are dependant on GMO seed producers.

DILEMMAS RELATED TO GMOs

Can it be helpful in solving the problem og hunger in the world?

Arguments for: using GMO we can obtain more yield (plony), so they can meet the nutritional needs of more people Arguments against: GMO crops can help fight hunger where there is a problem of pests and plant diseases. In poor countries, farmers would not be able to afford GM seeds.

Prepared by Daria Płatek

THAT'S ALL! :)

Prezentacja wykonana na podstawie podręcznika Nowa Era: Oblicza Geografii 2 (zakres rozszerzony), bazy Internetu.