5.4what are the agricultural characteristics of

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Part 5 Combating famine―Is technology a panacea for food shortages?

5.45.4 What are theWhat are the agriculturalagricultural characteristics ofcharacteristics of irrigation farming inirrigation farming in southern California?southern California?

Part APart A



Where is California? What comes to your mind when you

think of California?

What comes to your mind when you

think of California?

Oranges

Windsurfing

HollywoodGolden Gate Bridge of

San Francisco

California is famous for gold mining, golden fields and sunshine. It is known

as the Golden State.



Where is California?

California has the largest agricultural output among the 50 states.It is the leading producer of fruits, nuts and vegetables in the USA.

California’s percentage share of gross cash income by farm products, 2006

Source: California Agricultural Resource Directory 2007, California Department of Food and Agriculture



Where is California?

Southern California extends roughly from 32°N to 38°N.

California

United States

Where is southern

California?

Where is southern

California?



What is the physical environment of southern California?

1 Relief and drainage

3 Soil and vegetation

2 Climate

Are these characteristics

similar to those in the Sahel?

Are these characteristics

similar to those in the Sahel?

Little drainage?

Hot? Dry/Scanty

rainfall?

Infertile soil?

High evaporation?



Types of farms run in Fresno county, California in 2007Source: 2007 Census of Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture

The farmers in southern California

mainly practise ( arable farming / livestock rearing )

What do people farm in southern California?



In southern California, farming is characterized by heavy reliance on irrigation. Therefore, the farming system is know as irrigation farming.

Inputs

Physical inputs

Cultural inputs1 Irrigation water from various water schemes2 Research and technology3 Chemicals, including pesticides and fertilizers4 High capital investment5 Hired and contract labour6 Government aid/policies7 Rail or road transport

Farming processes

Ploughing, seeding, planting, irrigation, pest control, fertilizing, harvesting

Local and overseas markets

Outputs

Useful outputs: cash crops (e.g. fruits, vegetables)

Useless outputs: waste and excess chemicals

Cash

What are the characteristics of the irrigation farming system in southern California?



In southern California, farming is characterized by heavy reliance on irrigation. Therefore, the farming system is know as irrigation farming.

Inputs

Physical inputs

Cultural inputs1 Irrigation water from various water schemes2 Research and technology3 Chemicals, including pesticides and fertilizers4 High capital investment5 Hired and contract labour6 Government aid/policies7 Rail or road transport

Farming processes

Ploughing, seeding, planting, irrigation, pest control, fertilizing, harvesting

Local and overseas markets

Outputs

Useful outputs: cash crops (e.g. fruits, vegetables)

Useless outputs: waste and excess chemicals

Cash

What are the characteristics of this

farming system?

What are the characteristics of this

farming system?

( Arable farming / Livestock rearing )( Intensive / Extensive ) farming( Subsistence / Commercial ) farming

( Low-technology / High-technology ) farming( Sedentary / Non-sedentary ) farming

What are the characteristics of the irrigation farming system in southern California?



In Part B, we will study the farming constraints in southern California.




Relief: Mostly over _____ metres

Highland: The _______ ________ and the _______ ________Ranges

400

Nevada

Lowland: The _______ _______ and the ________ _______

CoastSierra

CentralValley ImperialValley

Describe the relief of southern California.




Rivers:The ____________ River and the _____________ River

Describe the drainage of southern California.

The water in San Joaquin River comes from the melted snow of the ________ to the east of the valley

San Joaquin

Rockies

Colorado



2 Climate

Eureka

Fresno

Palm Springs

Eureka

FresnoPalm Springs

R: 962mmTC: 11.5C

R: 260mmTC: 17C

R: 144mmTC: 22.8C

R: Annual rainfall (mm)TC: Annual mean temperature (C)

Temperature ( increases / decreases ) towards the

south.

A Temperature



2 ClimateB Rainfall

Eureka

Fresno

Palm Springs

Eureka FresnoPalm Springs

R: 962mmTC: 11.5C

R: 260mmTC: 17C

R: 144mmTC: 22.8C


Rainfall ( increases / decreases ) towards the south.In southern California, rainfall becomes scanty.



Eureka

Fresno

Palm Springs

2 ClimateB Rainfall

Rainfall ( decreases / increases ) from the coast towards the inland.

Higher rainfallHigher rainfall

Lower rainfallLower rainfall

Wet onshore winds rise over the Coast Ranges, forming _______ rain.relief

Central Valley is in the ______________, resulting in low rainfall.

rain shadow



2 ClimateB Rainfall

Eureka

Fresno

Eureka

Fresno

R: 962mmTC: 11.5C

R: 260mmTC: 17C


In most parts of California:In winter, it is warm and ( dry / wet ). In summer, it is hot and ( dry / wet ).It is known as ______________ climate.Mediterranean



2 ClimateB Rainfall

Palm Springs

R: 144mmTC: 22.8C


At the southern tip of California, ____________ _______ climate exists.

subtropicaldesert

This is caused by the ( onshore / offshore ) winds blowing in most of the year, which bring little rain.

Palm Springs



3 Soil and vegetationHigh temperature

High evaporationrates

SaltSalt

Alkaline soilAlkaline soil

Bringing salts beneath the soil

to the surface

Alkaline soil

Most soils are alkaline in southern

California.



In places where a Mediterranean climate prevails, woodland and scrubland are found.

Towards the south where the climate is drier, grassland and desert plants dominate.

As there is not much vegetation here, soils contain ( little / much ) organic matter. Grassland in California

Therefore, most soils are ( fertile / infertile ) in southern California.

3 Soil and vegetation



Physical inputs

Climate• Temperature: 12°C–32°C

• Annual rainfall: Scanty, about 200–450 mm

Soil ________ and ________

LandExtensive lowland in the _______ Valley and the ________ Valley

Water supply

From the ____________ River and the _________ River

Seeds Seeds of one or two crops

Alkaline infertile

CentralImperial

San JoaquinColorado



Cultural inputsTo compensate for the less favourable physical environment, cultural inputs are ( low / high ):

Developing irrigation systems

Applying pesticides and fertilizers

Using machinery

Undertaking research for advanced

technologies in farmingFarm workers are harvesting lettuce in California(Credit: Richard Hamilton Smith/Corbis)



Cultural inputs

Import barriers40%

Government payments(such as market lossassistance payments)

25.7%

Marketing13.4%

Input assistance (such as crop

insurance, irrigation system, etc.)

10.3%

Research 5.1%

Economy-wide policies 4%Export assistance 1.5%

Government aid to farming in California

Source: Agricultural Marketing Resource Centre (2003), Commodity policy and California agriculture, Agricultural Issues Centre, University of California

The federal government has adopted

different policies to

help farming in California.

5.4what are the agricultural characteristics of

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