Early Agriculture in Africa

17/10/2020

Early Agriculture in Africa

In Africa, agriculture first spread to Egypt along the Nile valley, where it was practiced as early as 700BC.

Agrarian Revolution in Continental Europe

16/10/2020

Agrarian Revolution in Continental Europe

Reasons why farming in continental Europe was not as advanced as it was in Britain. Continental European countries learnt modern methods of farming from Britain. Initially, farming in continental Europe was not as advanced as it was in Britain because:

The French were affected by frequent wars
Italy was restricted to Spain, which was prospecting for minerals in South America
Holland, Denmark and Germany were involved in large scale world trade, which was more profitable at that time
Continental European farmers went for practical scientific and agricultural research in England

Agrarian Revolution in Continental Europe

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Early Agriculture in Asia and Europe

16/10/2020

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Early Agriculture in Asia and Europe

Places associated with early agriculture in Asia.

The Yellow River valley,
The Middle East,
The Indus River valley.

Map - Kingdoms of the Diadochi 200 BC

Animals that were domesticated in Asia.

Zebu cattle,
Water buffaloes,
Elephants,
Horses,
Goats,
Sheep,
Pigs.

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Agrarian Revolution In Britain

15/10/2020

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From mid 18th century onwards, scientific ideas and new techniques of farming were applied as a result of the scientific and industrial revolutions.
The changes that marked the Agrarian Revolution in Britain. (What were the characteristics of the agrarian revolution in Britain?)

The land enclosure system (fencing and hedging of plots), which replaced the Open Field system in 1750.
Mechanization, i.e. use of new farming methods, which required large farms as opposed to the previous small strips.
Abolition of fallows. Farmers could no longer leave the land fallow to regain its fertility as was the tradition. Increase in population meant demand for more food, which required most of the land to be put to use.
Introduction of crop rotation. Lord Viscount Townsend developed a four-course rotation system called the Norfolk, which consisted of barley, clover, turnips and wheat on the same plot of land over a four-year period, by which land retained or gained but would not lose its fertility.
The introduction of inter cropping. It was discovered that growing crops like maize and beans on a given piece of land at the same time enabled land to regain fertility, since such crops did not require the same nutrients from the soil and they gre w well if planted together.
Use of fertilizer. This was pioneered by Lord Viscount Townsend, who recommended manuring of land to increase yields per hectare.
Use of machines. This changed agriculture from a small scale subsistence activity to a large scale business for both subsistence and commercial purposes.
Selective breeding of livestock. This was invented between 1725-1795 by Robert Bakewell.
Introduction and all-time availability of cattle feed, which helped ensure supply of fresh meat all the year round.

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The Open Field System

15/10/2020

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Describe the Open Field system as practiced by farmers in Western Europe before the 18th century (Explain farming in Britain as practiced under the Open Field system.)

A piece of land was divided into three portions: one for growing corn and wheat, the second for beans, peas, barley, oats and bush wheat, while the third was left fallow to regain fertility. Sometimes, this third piece was left for grazing and homes.

Each portion of land was divided into several strips, depending on the number of peasants in a village.

Each peasant had his own strip, on which he was meant to cultivate just enough for the needs of his family since agriculture had not yet been commercialized.

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Agrarian Revolution

15/10/2020

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Introduction to Agrarian Revolution

Vertical Divider

Definition of the term Agrarian Revolution

Agrarian Revolution refers to radical changes and improvements in agriculture and animal domestication

Describe the characteristics of agriculture in Western Europe before the 18th century.

Agrarian revolution started with invention and use of machines from mid 18th century, when food production increased as the number of workers on the farm reduced. By the Neolithic period, agriculture had reached Europe, particularly Switzerland, Spain, Italy and Turkey, where rice and barley were mainly grown.

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Food Situation in Africa and the Rest of the Third World

12/10/2020

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Food Situation in Africa and the Rest of the Third World

Most third world countries underwent colonialism. This greatly weakened their economies, which explains why most of them had very poor food situations by the time they got their independence.

The main causes of food shortage in Africa.

Population growth rate that is higher than that of food production.
Poor land use and inefficient agricultural practices.

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Agrarian Revolution in North America

12/10/2020

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Agrarian Revolution in North America

The Americas is the origin of many crops in the world today. Indigenous Americans (American Indians) were subsistence farmers. They grew a wide range of crops. From the 17th century, many people, particularly from Western Europe, migrated into America, bringing with them skills, enterprise and enthusiasm. They took and established animal breeds and crop varieties, which led to increased export trade.

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The Beginning of Agriculture

11/10/2020

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The Beginning of Agriculture

What is agriculture?

Agriculture is cultivation of crops to satisfy human needs.

Identify the factors that made it necessary for human beings to discover agriculture. (Explain the factors that led to (facilitated) development of agriculture)

Increased human population, for which the natural environment could not provide adequate food
Climatic changes, which hindered pure reliance on nature for livelihood
Competition for food among and between people and animals
Calamities such as floods and bushfires, which cleared vegetation for wild animals

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Early Agriculture in Mesopotamia

10/10/2020

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Early Agriculture in Mesopotamia

In Mesopotamia, which today is part of Iraq, food production began around 8000 BC having been introduced by settlers from the Iranian plateau. Jarmo in the Kurdish foothills represents the earliest stage of Agriculture. As men went hunting and gathering, the women they left behind may have experimented with wild grasses that grew around their compound until they found out and grew the edible plants, paving the way for organized agriculture.

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Beginning of Animal Domestication

10/10/2020

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Beginning of Animal Domestication

Animal domestication started about 10,000 years ago in some regions of earliest civilizations like south-west Asia, Greece, Crete, Algeria, Egypt, North Africa, Sahara, the Lake Turkana region and southern Africa
Animal domestication started before crop growing. Development of both crop growing and animal domestication were by chance
Animal domestication was gradual. While hunting and fetching water, man established close ties with, caught, took care of and bred the animals in captivity until they were tamed
Domestic animals like dogs, goats, sheep, cattle and camels were useful in various ways, e.g. provision of food and protection. The dog, which was the first animal to be domesticated, assisted in hunting, driving away dangerous wild animals and herding livestock

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