Farming techniques
Thousands of years ago many people grew small amounts of crops and raised small numbers of livestock to feed their families. As the human population has increased and we have moved from small villages into larger towns and cities farming has become modernised to meet the demands of a larger and more urban lifestyle.
Intensive farming
Farming methods that usually involve monoculture (growing one crop) and using pesticides and fertilisers to improve crop yield. uses machines, natural and artificial fertilisers, and The mass of product made in a chemical reaction. The percentage yield is a measure of the yield obtained compared to the maximum possible yield. crops to maximise the amount of food produced. Most of the meat, fruit and vegetables, dairy products and eggs found in our supermarkets come from intensive farming so it is important for our food security. Farmers growing When crops are grown. crops can specialise in growing only one crop to maximise the food they produce. This is called Growing one type of crop.. This can reduce key nutrients in the soil and can lower The range of animals and plants in a given area. .
Hedgerows have been removed from many fields to make them bigger and easier to farm. This allows farmers to make more food. Often, more animals and plants live in hedgerows than fields and so their removal can also reduce biodiversity.
Some intensive farming can also mean keeping livestock in smaller pens with regulated temperatures. This reduces the energy they need for movement and temperature regulation and so maximises their size and yield. Some animals are fed high protein foods to increase their growth. They can also be fed Substance that controls the spread of bacteria in the body by killing them or stopping them reproducing. in their food to prevent diseases. Many scientists think this is a contributing factor to antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
Advantages and disadvantages of intensive farming practices:
| Advantage | Disadvantage |
| Higher yields | Some people have ethical objections to some modern intensive farming methods |
| More efficient use of land | Can increase risk of antibiotic resistance |
| Advantage | Higher yields |
|---|---|
| Disadvantage | Some people have ethical objections to some modern intensive farming methods |
| Advantage | More efficient use of land |
|---|---|
| Disadvantage | Can increase risk of antibiotic resistance |
Organic farming
Some people object to some modern intensive farming methods. Some farms have become When crops are grown without the use of chemicals. to address this. Organic farmers do not use machines to the same extent as intensive farming. They do not apply artificial A chemical used to kill pests, such as the potato cyst nematode which is a pest that destroys potato crops. to their crops and use natural fertilisers such as Decayed organic matter which can be used as a plant fertiliser. and Animal dung (solid waste) used as fertiliser.. They rotate their crops to avoid monoculture.
This image shows how crops planted in a field are rotated each year. This helps keep the soil heathy.
Organic food is often more expensive than intensively farmed food because it often has a lower yield.