• Author / Uploaded
• Marga Bendicho Bernal

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• La rotación de cultivos
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• Agricultura
• Agronomía
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Factors affecting farming Physical factors

A hill farm Like other primary industries, farming is highly dependent on physical inputs such as: • • • •

Weather and climate Slope or relief of the land Soil fertility Water and drainage

These inputs are naturally occurring, so farmers must work with the physical factors of their farm's location. They can intervene in these inputs - for example by growing crops in a polytunnel (plastic tunnel greenhouse) to protect them from frosts and improve plant growth. However, such human interventions require extra inputs in the form of money or work. Physical factors will determine which type of farming takes place in a particular area. Climate and relief are the dominant factors in determining which crops will grow and which animals are suited to the landscape.

Human factors

A market garden Like physical factors, these vary according to the type of farm and the country where the farm is located. Factors include: • • •

Government policy - eg EU subsidies and loans and US tax reductions. Labour - some farms require more labour than others, eg a market garden will employ more labourers than a hill sheep farm. Finance - money is needed for wages, seed, buildings, animal feed, fertilisers, pesticides and machinery.

TEST AGRICULTURE What is commercial farming? When a farmer rears animals and grows crops to sustain his family Rearing animals and growing crops to sell at market for a profit When a farm has to be sold because it doesn't make enough profit A group of people buying a farm together as a cooperative Selling a farm for a good profit 4. What are the key areas of employment in the primary sector? Teaching, education and schools Construction and building Manufacturing and production Banking and financial services Farming, mining and fishing 5. Which of the following is not a factor which influences farming? Government grants Labour Climate Power supply

The Arable Farming System As with other types of farming arable farming is influenced by human and physical factors. The diagram below demonstrates some of these factors.

Arable crops such as oat and wheat require good soils and a warm climate to be grown successfully. To be grown and harvested successfully they require flat land that allows machinery such as combine harvesters to be used. As such this type of farming is concentrated in the east and south of the UK where the climate, soil and relief of the land allow it to be profitable.

Seven Year Crop Rotation Arable farmers often utilise crop rotation methods to maximse their crop growth. Crop rotation involves changing what crops are grown in fields each year for a period of time - commonly seven years.

The reason for this is to prevent crops stripping the nutrients from the soil. As different crops require different nutrients rotating the crops grown every year means that the fields are productive for longer and the soil remains healthier.