5.3 Agricultural Production Regions

Global Agricultural Regions

Agricultural production varies by climate, terrain, and culture, creating distinct regions like shifting cultivation (tropics), pastoral nomadism (arid/semi-arid), intensive subsistence (Asia, rice/wheat), plantation agriculture (tropics, cash crops), mixed crop/livestock (Midwest US, Europe), commercial grain farming (US Great Plains), livestock ranching (arid grasslands), Mediterranean agriculture (Med climate zones), and dairying (near urban markets).

Von Thünen's Model

Von Thünen's model explains agricultural location based on distance to market and transportation costs, assuming an isolated, uniform landscape. Perishable, high-value goods like dairying and market gardening locate closest to the city center; livestock ranching and extensive grain farming locate farthest, since land is cheaper and transport costs matter less for less perishable goods.

Influences on Farming Type

Climate (e.g., Mediterranean climate favors grapes/olives), soil fertility, government policy, technology, and market access shape which agricultural type dominates a region. Subsistence agriculture dominates in developing regions with lower technology, while commercial agriculture dominates in developed regions with mechanization and access to global markets.

Key terms

Von Thünen's Model

A model explaining agricultural land use based on distance to market and transportation costs on a uniform landscape.

Pastoral Nomadism

Herding livestock seasonally across arid/semi-arid lands in search of pasture and water.

Plantation Agriculture

Large-scale monoculture farming of cash crops (coffee, sugar, bananas) for export, often in the tropics.

Mediterranean Agriculture

Farming grapes, olives, and citrus fruits in regions with dry summers and mild, wet winters.

Intensive Subsistence Agriculture

Farming small plots of land intensively (often rice or wheat) to feed a family, common in densely populated Asia.

Try an AP-style question

Mediterranean agriculture typically grows…

1. cattle and dairy only
2. wheat and corn only
3. rice and tea
4. olives, grapes, and citrus