Agricultural Land use Pattern - Von Thunen Model：.ppt

Discussion Positive impacts Negative impacts Possible remedies Effectiveness 1. Mechanization Farm mechanization Processes that can be mechanized due to advancement of farming technology substitution for man power increasing agricultural productivity extending agriculture to marginal land Machines for cultivation, harvesting and processing of crops Examples ONLY! (DO NOT COPY!!!) Ploughing machines and tractors Sowing machines Transplanting machines Electricity operated pumps to draw water from nearby rivers e.g. plain of East China Sprinkler Helicopters ? broadcasting seeds systems/ watering crops Spraying machines ? Fertilization of soils Combine harvesters ? Harvesting crops Conveyer belts ? Selection of fruits for sale Trains and trunks ? Transport crops Machines for rearing animals and harvesting animal products Examples ONLY! (DO NOT COPY!!!) Air conditioning ? lower the temperature in summers Heaters ? raise the temperature in winters Pipes, tapes and electric pumps ? provides drinking water for animals Electric shearers ? wool cutting Milking machines and refrigerated tankers ? keeping the milk fresh Lorries with refrigeration facilities ? transporting highly perishable products to nearby urban markets e.g. milk tankers Effects of farming mechanization Farm size ? enlarged and made less fragmented Farmland? opening of some marginal lands for cultivation Higher efficiency of each worker? quicken farming operation, more cropping in a year and farm yield and profits also increases Rural-urban migration ? rapid rural-urban migration/ depopulation in rural are Supply of workers ? solve the problem of labour shortage in MDCs Higher productivity and quality of products Lower cost of production ? cheaper in long term Problems of farm mechanization Unemployment Machine management ? Deterioration of machines due to lack of maintenance ? Inappropriate use of machine Uneven mechanization High initial cost of farm machines ? Poor farmers in LDCs Bio-fuels