Combating Famine - : What Is Famine? Where Do Most Famines Occur? Is Technology A Panacea For Food Shortages?


Senior Secondary Exploring Geography (Third Edition) Comprehensive worksheets

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

5.1 What is famine? Where do most famines occur?
Focus of this unit:
 Global food situation  Definition of famine
 Food security and food insecurity  Places where famine is most likely to occur
A What is the global food situation? Textbook p. 4
1 Table 1 shows the cereal production and consumption of the world and four selected countries.
Table 1
Region or World Australia USA Central African Democratic
country (2017)1 (2017)1 (2017)1 Republic (Nov Republic of the
Cereal 2016)2 Congo (Nov 2016)2
Local production* 2,703.8 33.5 437.6 0.137 1.496
Consumption* 2,655.3 12.7 358.0 0.213 2.288

* Data in million tonnes
Source: 1FAO. 2018 Food Outlook—Biannual Report on Global Food Markets–November 2018. Rome;
2FAO/GIEWS. Cereal supply and demand balance for sub-Saharan African countries as of November 2016.
a Do we have enough cereals for all people in the world? How do you know?
Yes. It is because the world cereal production exceeds the consumption.
b i Do the four countries listed in Table 1 produce enough cereals for their people? Tick
‘’ the correct answer(s) in the first row of Table 2.
ii Do they have food surplus or food deficit? Fill in the second row of Table 2.
Table 2
Australia USA Central African Democratic Republic
Republic of the Congo
Enough cereals?  
*Food surplus/ Food Food surplus Food deficit Food deficit

Food deficit? surplus
* Food surplus: Production > Consumption; Food deficit: Production < Consumption
c Briefly describe the global food situation with reference to Table 1.

There is enough food to feed everyone in the world. However, the food demand
(consumption) and supply (production) is ( evenly / unevenly ) distributed in the world.
Some places have a food surplus and other places have a food
deficit .
© Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2019 5-1
B What are food security and food insecurity? Textbook p. 5
1 People enjoy high level of food security when they can have sufficient, safe and nutritious
food.
a Figure 1 shows the two elements of food security. What are they?
They are food supply and food access respectively.
Figure 1
b Table 3 shows the cereal production, cereal consumption, stock, imports and food access
of Japan and Central African Republic.
Table 3
Country Japan (2017)1 Central African Republic (Nov 2016)2
Cereal
Production* 8.7 0.137
Consumption* 32.4 0.213
Stock* 7.0 0.001
Commercial imports*# 23.3 0.053
Food access3 Good Blocked

* Data in million tonnes; #excluding food aid.
Source: 1FAO. 2018 Food Outlook—Biannual Report on Global Food Market–November 2018. Rome;
2FAO/GIEWS. Cereal supply and demand balance for sub-Saharan African countries as of November 2016;
3
FAO. Global Report on Food Crises (2016)
i Which data in Table 3 refer to the food supply?
Cereal production, stock and commercial imports refer to the food supply.
ii Refer to the case in Japan. Can Japan produce enough food for its population?
No, Japan cannot produce enough food for its population.

iii Does Japan have risk of food insecurity? How do you know?
Japan does not have risk of food insecurity/Japan has food security. The total
food supply in Japan is more than its food consumption. In addition, its food access

is good.
c Refer to Table 3 (p. 2) again. Does Central African Republic have risk of food
insecurity? How do you know?
Central African Republic has risk of food insecurity. Not only is the food produced in
this country is less than its consumption, the stock and imports are low. The total
food supply is still lower than food consumption. In addition, its food access is blocked.
C What is famine? Textbook p. 5
1 Famine is the extreme form of food insecurity. It occurs when there is an acute shortage
________________ of food, and this affects a large population for a long period
of time. Many people die of hunger .
D Where is famine most likely to occur? Textbook p. 8 HKDSE MCQ 2018 Q29
1 Table 4 below shows the income, level of economic development and the number of
food-insecure people of the four countries listed in Table 2 (p. 1).
a Indicate the level of economic development of these countries in the third row in Table 4.
Table 4
Australia USA Central Democratic
African Republic of the
Republic Congo
GNI per capita in 20181 (US$) 49,930 63,390 870 900
Level of economic development High High Low Low
Number of food-insecure people -- -- 1.1 million 7.7 million

in need of urgent action2
Share of food-insecure people in -- -- 19% 9.8%

total population2
Risk of famine Low Low High High

Source: 1World Bank Indicators; 2FSIN. 2018. Global report on food crises 2018
Note: Countries with GNI per capita of US$12,056 or above are considered as more developed countries,
countries with GNI per capita of US$12,055 or below are considered as less developed countries
b i Is there any relationship between the level of economic development of a country

and its risk of food insecurity?
Yes, the level of economic development of a country and its risk of food insecurity
are negatively related/ Countries with a high level of economic development have a
low risk of food insecurity (and vice versa).
ii Explain your answer above. (Hint: You may refer to Table 3 on p. 2 for evidence.)
It is because if a rich country cannot produce enough food for its consumption, it
can obtain food from imports, as in the case of Japan. A poor country, to the
contrary, does not have enough money to buy and import food from other places.
c Refer to Table 4. Which country is facing the greatest problem of food shortages?
Explain your answers with evidence from Tables 1, 3 and 4 on pp. 1–3.
Central African Republic is facing the greatest problem of food

shortages.
Reason Evidence
• It cannot produce enough food for its • Food consumption is more than food
people supply
• The country is poor. • The GNI per capita is the lowest
among the four countries
• It cannot import enough food for its • The food imports cannot satisfy the
people demand for food of its people
• The share of food-insecure people is the • The share (19%) is higher than that in
highest among the four countries Democratic Republic of the Congo
d Indicate the risk of famine of the four countries in Table 4 on p. 3.
e To conclude, where is famine most likely to occur in general?
In general, famine is most likely to occur in places where level of economic

development is low./Famine is most likely to occur in less developed countries.

5.2 What are the factors affecting agriculture?

Focus of this unit:
 Classifying agriculture  Physical factors affecting agriculture
 Farming system  Cultural factors affecting agriculture
A What is agriculture? Textbook pp. 12–13 HKDSE MCQ 2015 Q29, 2014 Q28, 2015 Q29, 2016
Q27, 2017 Q29, 2019 Q15
1 What is agriculture?
Agriculture refers to the growing of crops or rearing of livestock by people
for food and raw materials .
2 How can we classify agriculture? Complete Table 1 on pp. 5–7 to show the ways we classify
agriculture.
Table 1
1 Inputs-land ratio/outputs-land ratio
Intensive farming Extensive farming
(Credit: Jasmine Halki/Flickr) (Credit: Jeff Weese/Flickr)
Characteristic • Farmland is small with a lot of • Farmland is large with little

( labour / capital ) labour
• The inputs and outputs per unit of • The inputs and outputs per unit
land are high
of land are low
Example  Rice cultivation in Indonesia  Rice cultivation in Indonesia

(Tick ‘’ the  Wheat farming in the USA  Wheat farming in the USA
correct
answer)

2 Types of outputs
Arable farming Livestock rearing/ Mixed farming

Pastoral farming
(Credit: Andrew (Credit: Donald Judge/ (Credit: Bernard Spragg.

Siguenza/Flickr) Flickr) NZ/Flickr)
Farmers grow crops only Farmers raise animals Farmers grow crops and
Characteristic
raise animals on the same
only farm
Example  Grape growing  Grape growing  Grape growing
(Tick ‘’ the in California in California in California
correct  Wheat-sheep  Wheat-sheep  Wheat-sheep
answer) farming in farming in farming in
south-east Australia south-east Australia south-east Australia
 Cattle rearing in  Cattle rearing in  Cattle rearing in
the UK the UK the UK
3 Uses of outputs
Subsistence farming Commercial farming
Characteristic Outputs are for self-consumption Outputs are for sale
Example  Market gardening  Market gardening

(Tick ‘’ the  Nomadic herding  Nomadic herding
correct
answer)
4 Permanence of farmland or pasture used
Sedentary farming Non-sedentary farming
Characteristic Farmers grow crops or rear livestock at

Farmers move from time to time in search
a permanent land site
of suitable land or pasture
Example  Cattle ranching in the USA  Cattle ranching in the USA

(Tick ‘’ the  Shifting cultivation  Shifting cultivation
correct
answer)

5 Level of technology
Low-technology farming High-technology farming
(Credit: Anand S/Flickr)

(Credit: USDA/Flickr)
• Farming activity uses low • Farming activity is
Characteristic
specialised , highly
technology mechanised and
commercialised
• Little energy is used
• Much energy is used to
run the farm
Example  Hydroponics in a greenhouse  Hydroponics in a greenhouse
(Tick ‘’ the  Arable farming in India  Arable farming in India
correct
answer)
B What is a farming system? Textbook p. 11
1 Farming systems are the interactions formed between farmers and the natural environment.
Complete the flow chart below to show how an arable farming system functions.
Inputs Farming processes Outputs
Physical Ploughing, sowing, Useful Useless

irrigating, weeding,
Climate/Sunlight/air Crops/ Waste,
harvesting, etc.
Farm pollutants
temperature/Rainfall , land
produce
and seeds
Cultural
Cash Market
Labour , capital ,
technology, transport, Self-consumption
Know-how
institutional factors

C What are the factors affecting agriculture? Textbook pp. 14–19
1 Physical factors
Physical factors of agriculture affect where a particular crop or type of livestock will be grown
or raised. They include climate and land.
a Complete Table 2 to show how climate affects agriculture.
Table 2
Climatic Favourable condition for farming Unfavourable condition for farming
element
A Air Suitable temperatures ensures a • Below 6 °C: Crops cannot
temperature grow
long frost-free period or
growing season • 0°C: Frost may occur and
can destroy crops
(number of days in a year when
• Over 34°C: High evaporation
farming is possible) rates may cause crops to wither
B Rainfall • Abundant rainfall: Good for • Too much rainfall: Flooding
may drown crops
water-demanding
crops such as wet rice • Too little rainfall: Drought
may cause crops to wither
• Moderate rainfall: Suitable for
• Unusual rainfall patterns:
growing dry crops
Rainstorms, hailstorms, frost may
such as wheat and barley
damage crops
• Too much or too little rain will
cause crop failure and
wear away the topsoil, causing
soil erosion
C Wind Onshore winds: Bring • Strong winds make the soil dry.
moisture to coastal areas They can also wear away the
and provide water for crops to grow topsoil and cause soil
erosion
• Tropical cyclones damage crops
D Sunlight Long hours of sunlight facilitate Crops cannot grow well with short
photosynthesis hours of sunlight

b Fill in the blanks below about the relation between climate and agriculture.
Areas with abundant rainfall Suitable for Arable farming (Can have
and consistently high temperatures two to three crops per year)
Areas with Can support Suitable for Livestock rearing/Pastoral

low rainfall grass only farming
c The factor of land, including relief and soil, affects farmers’ choices of crops and farming
methods. Complete Table 3 to show how land affects agriculture.
Table 3
Land Favourable condition for Unfavourable condition for
characteristic farming farming
a Altitude Lowland areas • ( Highland / Lowland )

(height of
land) • Because the average rate of
decrease in temperature with
height is 6 C/1,000 m
b Aspect • Sun-facing slopes: Leeward slopes which are in the
(direction Receive more sunshine and
rain shadow are dry
to which can support more crops
a slope
• Windward slopes: May receive
Relief
faces)
relief rain
c Field Lowland and gently sloping ( Steep / Gentle ) slopes are subject
gradient
ground: Soils are thick to soil erosion. Water drains easily
and hold more moisture and therefore soil is thin and dry
d Presence • River provides water for Inland areas without rivers
of river
irrigation
valley/
delta • Alluvial soil on
deltas and floodplains is fertile
a pH value Slightly acidic Strongly acidic or alkaline
b Thickness ( Thin / Thick ) soil ( Thin / Thick ) soil
Soil
c Fertility ( Fertile / Infertile ) soil ( Fertile / Infertile ) soil

d Moisture • Well-drained soil • Wet and poorly-drained soil or
content • Stable and sufficient waterlogged soil
• Unstable and insufficient

2 Cultural factors
Cultural factors of agriculture refer to variables from the socio-economic environment. They
include farming technologies, capital, labour, market, transport and institutional factors.
a Farming technologies help overcome physical constraints and improve farm production.
What are the benefits brought by the means of farming technologies shown below? Put
the letters in the second column of Table 4.
Means of farming technologies:
A Irrigation and drainage B Mechanisation C Biotechnology
D Applying herbicides E Applying pesticides
F Greenhouse technology G Applying fertilizers
Table 4
Benefit Means
Ensure a timely and adequate water supply A
Prevent weeds from competing for nutrients with crops D
Increase farm production, farm efficiency and quality of farm work B
Regulate air temperature for crop growth F
Improve the quality of crops/breeds and increase farm yields C
Protect crops from pest E
Improve soil fertility G
b How do farms in more developed countries (MDCs) and less developed countries (LDCs)
differ in terms of labour, capital and technology?
• ( MDCs / LDCs ) are poor. They do not have the capital to buy farm
machines. They also do not have the knowledge to use advanced
technologies. So, farming depends on large input of labour. The farming method is
labour -intensive.
• Farmers in ( MDCs / LDCs ) are rich. They can afford large capital input
to buy farm machines and to adopt advanced technology . The farming
method is capital -intensive.

c Markets are important to commercial farming systems.

i What are the TWO kinds of markets for farm produce?
Local and overseas markets

ii Explain how market forces affect commercial farming.
Market forces affect commercial farmers’ decisions on the types and
quantity of crops grown or animals raised. For example, when the demand
for and price of a particular crop increase, farmers will grow ( more / less ) of that
crops.
d Transport is important to farmers. Explain.

Farmers need transport systems to bring inputs to the farm and to deliver
produce to markets for sale. Farms with favourable transport factors can produce
a wider variety of crops and have access to a larger market.
e How do institutional factors affect agriculture?

Institutional factors affect agriculture in the following two aspects:
• Land ownership
Farmers who own the farmland are ( more / less ) willing to invest in land
improvement.
• Government policies
Government policies such as providing subsidies and loans in farming
encourage farmers to adopt farming technologies and to grow more.

What are the characteristics of nomadic herding in

5.3
the Sahel?
Focus of this unit:
 Physical environment of the Sahel • Characteristics of nomadic herding in the Sahel
 Socio-economic environment of the Sahel • Natural causes of land degradation in the Sahel
 Farming constraints in the Sahel • Human causes of land degradation in the Sahel
A Where is the Sahel? Textbook p. 23
1 Figure 1 shows the map of northern Africa. Figure 2 shows some information about the Sahel.
a Identify the locations of the Sahara Desert and the Sahel in Figure 1. Complete the key.
b Complete Figure 2 about the information of the Sahel.
Figure 1
Information about the Sahel

• It is the strip of land at the southern edge of the Sahara Desert in
Africa.
• It extends over 6,000 km from east to west across Africa, and is 400–600 km wide.
• It lies approximately between 11° N and 20° N.
• It is the transitional zone between the Sahara Desert to the north (drier) and the
savanna to the south (wetter).
Figure 2

B What is the physical environment of the Sahel? Textbook pp. 24–5
HKDSE MCQ 2016 Q30,DBQ 2017 Q3ai, 2019 Q3ai; Essay 2013 Q6, 2015 Q6, 2018 Q6
1 Complete Table 1 on pp. 13–14 to show the physical environment of the Sahel.
Table 1
1 Climate
Figure 3 The climatic

graph of Mopti Figure 4 Annual rainfall and prevailing winds in the Sahel
Figure 5 Rainfall variability in the Sahel

Air temperature Rainfall
 Air temperature is high  Annual rainfall is low/scanty , between 200 mm
throughout the year  High and 600 mm
evapotranspiration rate  Rainfall concentrates in ( winter / summer ) months
 Rainfall is variable and unreliable. It may be
wet in one year and then very dry in other years

• Complete the flow chart below to show how prevailing winds bring about such climatic characteristics
in the Sahel.
The Sahel has hot and dry ( onshore / In summer, onshore winds from the south
offshore ) winds in both summer and cannot penetrate inland and lose most of the
winter
moisture when they reach the Sahel
It is hot and dry throughout the year in the

Sahel. It has a tropical semi-arid climate
2 Relief and drainage
Figure 6 Relief and drainage of the Sahel

Relief Drainage
Much of the Sahel has a • Two major rivers—the River Niger and the River
low relief. Highlands are Nile cover a ( large / small ) area in the Sahel
only found in the area west of the • Lake Chad is the largest lake in the region, but its size
River Nile has shrunk in recent decades
3 Soils and vegetation

Soils Vegetation
Mainly thin • Vegetation are ( densely / sparsely )

and infertile distributed
sandy soils • The major type of vegetation is
grassland , with some areas
covered by thorny shrubs
(Credit: Laika ac/Flickr)

C What is the socio-economic environment of the Sahel? Textbook pp. 26–7
1 Complete Figure 7 below about the socio-economic environment of the Sahel.

Characteristic Impact
Population  Populous ( Small / Large ) demand for food
 ( Fast / Slow )
population growth rate
Employment Mostly engaged in  Income per capita is ( high / low )
structure
agriculture  ( Have / Lack ) the knowledge, skills
Education level ( High / Low ) and capital to improve agriculture
and literacy rate
 ( Able / Not able ) to use farming
technologies to increase production
 The economic development
of the region is low
Political ( Stable / Unstable ) Social unrest and conflict
situation hinder the agricultural and economic
development of the region
As a result of the physical and socio-environment of the Sahel, the

region has a low carrying capacity
Figure 7
D What are the farming constraints in the Sahel? Textbook p. 27
1 The physical and socio-economic environments of the Sahel reveal a number of farming
constraints that farmers in the region face. From the list below,
a tick ‘’ the appropriate boxes to show the farming constraints in the Sahel; and
b for each of the farming constraints, write ‘P’ in the blank if it is a physical constraint or
‘C’ if it is a cultural constraint.
 Infertile soil P  Thin soil P  Shortage of labour
 Sparse vegetation P  Rugged relief  Low level of education C
 Water shortages P  Poverty C  Low level of technology C

E How do people in the Sahel make a living? Textbook p. 28
1 Refer to Figure 8a which shows a type

of farming practised in the northern
Sahel. Name this type of farming.
Nomadic herding
(Credit: David Stanley/Flickr)

Figure 8a
2 Figure 8b shows a type of farming practised in the southern Sahel. Name the type of farming
shown, and explain why it is possible to practise this kind of farming there.
This is sedentary/arable farming.
People stay permanently in a place to farm.
This is possible because in this region,
there is higher annual rainfall.
Farmers there grow both subsistence crops
and cash crops.
(Credit: SuSanA Secretariat/Flickr)

Figure 8b
F What are the characteristics of nomadic herding in the Sahel?

Textbook pp. 28–31 HKDSE MCQ 2018 Q30; DBQ 2017 Q3aii, Q3b, 2019 Q3aii
Nomadic people in the Sahel have adopted a range of measures to cope with the constraints in the
region. Complete the following exercises to show these measures.
1 Migration of herds (refer to Figure 9 on p. 17)
Nomadic people move their herds from one place to another for pastures and
water . When the water and pasture are exhausted in a place, they
migrate to new pastureland . The old site will be left fallow for
soil to recover its nutrients and water , and thereby help the
grassland regenerate .
If the nomadic people move their herds on seasonal basis, the practice is called
transhumance .

Figure 9
2 Keeping a variety of animal species

Figure 10 shows the type and number of herds kept by a nomad household in the Sahel. Table
2 shows the food required by different herds.
Table 2
Herds Food required
Camel The branches and

leaves of trees and
shrubs
Goat The leaves of trees

and shrubs
Cattle Grass
Figure 10
What are the advantages for nomadic people to keep a variety of animal species?
Different animals eat different types of plants. Keeping a variety of animals can:
• prevent the complete consumption of any one particular plant species; and
• provide nomadic people with a rich mix of dairy products at different times.
3 Controlling the size of the herd

Nomadic people in the Sahel manage the size of herds under different conditions. Refer to
Figures 11a and b on p. 18.

a When rainfall is inadequate or when b When rainfall is adequate and vegetation

there is drought condition is favourable
Figure 11
a Briefly describe the size of herds under different conditions.
• When rainfall is inadequate/drought occurs, the size of herd is small .
• When rainfall is adequate and vegetation condition is favourable, the size of herd is
large .
b What is the advantage of controlling the size of the herd under different conditions?
The rough grasses can grow well and the ecological balance can be
maintained.
4 Low farm output

The harsh natural environment and low cultural inputs mean that the average farm output per
unit area is low in the Sahel.
G What is the nomadic herding system in the Sahel? Textbook p. 31
HKDSE MCQ 2015 Q28

1 a Complete the flow chart below to show the nomadic herding system in the Sahel.
Inputs Farming processes
Physical All processes are done by hand .
1 Climate: High temperature; These processes include: grazing,
low and unreliable rainfall watering, milking, mating,
processing dairy products, etc.
2 Soils: Sandy, thin and infertile
3 Vegetation: Scattered grasses and
thorny shrubs Outputs
4 Herds Give TWO examples of the outputs:
Cultural Milk, meat, hides (Any two or other

1 Labour reasonable answers)
2 Simple and traditional
technology • Mainly for subsistence use
3 Little capital and energy input • A small part for sale

b What types of farming does nomadic herding belong to? Tick ‘’ the correct answers.
 Extensive  Arable  Low-technology
 Intensive  Pastoral  High-technology
 Subsistence  Sedentary
 Commercial  Non-sedentary
H How do people in the Sahel overcome the farming constraints?

1 Table 3 on pp. 19 and 20 shows the relationship between the environment of the Sahel and the
farming constraints found in the region. It also explains the low carrying capacity of the region.
Table 3
Physical environment Impact Farming constraint
1 Tropical semi-arid climate • High evapotranspiration • High evapotranspiration

• High annual mean temperature rate  Low relative rate
humidity • Water shortages
• Low and unreliable rainfall
• Frequent drought • Short growing season
• Rain in summer
• Low rainfall hinders soil • Hinder sedentary crop
development growing
2 Low relief Favours farming --
3 Poor drainage • Water shortages • Water shortages

• Only two large rivers running • Cannot support dense • Difficult to develop
Revision table
through the Sahel, and they vegetation efficient irrigation
cover a small area systems
• Lake Chad, the largest lake in • Hinder sedentary crop
the region, has shrunk growing
4 Thin and infertile sandy soil Cannot support dense • Poor/Infertile soil
vegetation  Little organic • Soil is easily eroded
matter in the soil
• Poor crop yield
5 Generally sparse vegetation in • Thin/Infertile soil (little • Cannot support large

the north, mainly scattered organic matter in the herds of livestock
grasses and thorny shrubs. The soil) • Cannot sustain livestock
density of vegetation increases • Little water vapour rearing in a place
towards the southern margin transpired  Low throughout the year
rainfall

Table 3 (Cont.)
Socio-economic environment Impact Farming constraint
1 Large population Large demand for food ---

2 Fast population growth rates
3 Low literacy rates Little knowledge on farming Use simple and traditional
4 Low level of education technology tools to farm and cannot
apply modern technologies
5 People mainly engaged in Lack of capital to adopt Poverty/Lack of capital to

agriculture  Low income cultural inputs to improve adopt cultural inputs to
farm yield improve farm yield
2 Table 4 shows how the people in the Sahel overcome the farming constraints.
Table 4
Type of farming adopted Effect on the ecological system
Nomadic herding in the north, where annual rainfall • The grassland has enough time to
is lower. It has these characteristics: regenerate
• Moving herds from one place to another to search • It minimizes the damage to the
Revision table
for water and pasture environment and poses little threat

to it
• Moving herds on a seasonal basis (transhumance)
• It maintains a balanced ecological
• Keeping a variety of animal species (to prevent system
the complete consumption of any one particular
plant species)
• Controlling the size of herd (larger size of herd
when rainfall is higher, and smaller size during
droughts)
Sedentary farming in the south, where annual rainfall As long as crops are grown within the
is higher. It has these characteristics: carrying capacity of the region,
sedentary farming does not disturb the
• Depending on rain (rain-fed) ecological system
• Growing drought-resistant crop
• Allowing herds from the north to feed on the crop
residues, so that the droppings of the herds can
fertilize the farmland
• Adopting traditional way of farming

I What has happened to the Sahel in recent years? Textbook p. 33
1 Refer to Figure 12 which shows a scene of the Sahel in recent years.

a What has happened to the Sahel in recent
years?
• The amount of natural vegetation is
decreasing .
• Soil erosion has become serious. The
topsoil is blown away. The
land has become degraded.
(Credit: Treeaid/Flickr) • The land gradually becomes

Figure 12 unproductive and finally turns into
barren ground .
b What is the above process called?
It is called desertification.
c How do this process affect the food security of nomadic people?
As the process has greatly reduced the carrying capacity of the Sahel
region, it threatens the food security of nomadic people.
J How does nature cause this problem? Textbook pp. 33–4
1 The variability of rainfall in the Sahel is one of the reasons for causing the land/environmental
degradation in the Sahel. Refer to Figure 13.
Source: Adapted from JISAO (A joint institute between the University of Washington and the
NOAA)
Figure 13 Rainfall variability in the Sahel since 1950

a Describe the rainfall pattern in the Sahel since 1970.
The average rainfall was below the average value most of the time. This situation
has persisted for decades.
b When the rainfall was below the long-term average value for a long period of time,
drought will occur. Complete the boxes in white in Figure 14 to show the effects of
drought on the Sahel.
c It is expected that climate change will affect the rainfall in the Sahel. Fill in the box in
grey in Figure 14 to show the effect.
Drought in Pasture and water Nomadic people

the Sahel for herds ( ↑ / ↓ ) move in search of
water and
pasture
No pastureland Vegetation ( can /
and water cannot ) regenerate.
available for Pasture and water
When drought
livestock are used up
persists
• The entire ecosystem will break

Livestock dies of down
hunger • This threatens the food security of
nomadic people
Higher temperature causes higher

Climate change
evapotranspiration rate
Figure 14 Effect of drought on the Sahel

K How do humans cause the problem? Textbook pp. 34–8

HKDSE MCQ 2014 Q29,
2016 Q31; DBQ 2017 Q3b
1 Complete Table 5 to show how humans have caused land degradation in the Sahel.
Table 5
1 Increase in population
• The Sahel has a ( slow / rapid ) increase in population due to high birth rates
and lower death rates.
• The large population demands for food and land resources. The following practices are
resulted:
Converting grazing land to Overgrazing

farmland
Impact:
Impact: Depletion of soil • Pasture does not have
nutrients and reducing grazing enough time to recover
land for livestock  • The large number of herds will
over-cultivation trample and destroy
the thin soil
( Increase / Reduce ) pressure on

More land becomes barren
the land
Upset ecological balance Land degradation
2 Misuse of water resources
• In order to get taxes from the nomadic people, the local governments in the Sahel have
encouraged nomadic people to become sedentary pastoralists.
• Many local governments dig boreholes to tap water from underground to
increase water supply for nomadic people. This encourages nomads to graze more
animals.
• Overgrazing occurs and the land around boreholes is damaged.
• The water table drops as much of the groundwater is used up.
• People have to dig deeper boreholes and this further upsets the ecological balance.

2 Refer to the natural and human causes of desertification in the Sahel on pp. 21–3. Complete
Figure 15 below to show the process.
Climate becomes drier Increase in population
Drought occurs Increase in demand for food

and land resources
Misuse of land resources

Over-cultivation Misuse of water Overgrazing
resources
Vegetation cover is lost
Soil erosion has

Trampling of soil
become serious
The land has become degraded
The land becomes unproductive

and turns to barren ground
Desertification
Figure 15

L How does the problem related to food shortages in the region in

recent decades?
1 Table 6 shows how the nature and the humans have caused land degradation in the Sahel,
resulting in high risk of food insecurity.
Table 6
Cause of land degradation Effect on the ecosystem Effect on livestock and people
Natural cause: • Amount of natural • During droughts, water and

• Rainfall varies from year vegetation is pasture for livestock
to year decreasing decrease. They cannot
• The soil is becoming support as much livestock as
• Persistent droughts in normal years
depleted of nutrients
• Climate change  Higher • During persistent droughts,
air temperatures lead to • Soil erosion has
become serious. The when water and pasture are
higher evapotranspiration used up, large numbers of
rate topsoil is blown away
livestock will die of hunger
• The land gradually
becomes unproductive • Food from livestock
and finally turns into decreases. This threatens the
barren ground food security of nomadic
Revision table
people
Human cause: The ecological balance is • Grazing land for livestock is

1 Increase in population  upset when: reduced
Demand for more food  • the number of herds • The pasture does not have
• Grazing land is exceeds the carrying enough time to regenerate
converted to farmland capacity of the land • Trampling of soil by the
 Over-cultivation occurs • the land becomes herds damages the thin soil
barren  Soil erosion  Land
• Nomadic people rear degradation  Less food for
more livestock the livestock  Further
 Overgrazing reduce food for people
2 Misuse of water resources When groundwater is used • In the short term, more water
• Nomadic people rear up, the water table drops. is available for the livestock
more herds near People have to dig deeper • As more water is tapped, the
boreholes boreholes to tap water. water table drops. When the
This further upsets the water is used up, water and
• When more water is ecological balance
tapped, the water table pasture are not enough for
drops the large herd. Livestock dies
• Food from livestock
decreases. This threatens the
food security of nomadic
people

What are the characteristics of irrigation

5.4
farming in southern California?
Focus of this unit:
 Physical environment of southern  How the socio-economic environment leads to
California the success of farming in southern California
 Farming constraints in southern  Characteristics of the farming system in southern
California California
 Ways to overcome the farming  Comparing the agricultural characteristics of two
constraints in southern California regions with similar natural environments
A Where is southern California? Textbook p. 43
1 Figure 1 shows a map of California, the USA. Figure 2 shows the information about southern
California.
a Complete the key in Figure 1 to show the locations of northern and southern California.
b Complete the information in Figure 2.
Figure 1
Information about southern California

• California is situated on the western coast of the USA.
• Southern California is a region extending roughly from 32° N to 36°
N.
•
Figure 2

B What is the physical environment of southern California?

Textbook pp. 44–6
HKDSE MCQ 2015 Q30
1 Complete Table 1 on pp. 27–9 to show the physical environment of southern California.
Table 1
Relief and drainage
Figure 3 The relief and drainage systems in California
1 Relief of southern California

• ( Diverse / Uniform )
 Much of the land is highland of over 400 metres, which includes the
Coast Ranges along the coast
 The major lowlands are found in the Central Valley , the
Imperial Valley and the coastal lowland
 Deserts are found in the central and at the south-eastern parts
2 Drainage of southern California
 The biggest river draining the region is the Colorado River, which drains the
Imperial Valley in the south

Table 1 (Cont.)
Soils and vegetation
1 Soils of southern California

• A large part of southern California is covered by upland and desert soils
• Desert soils contain little organic matter and are alkaline and
infertile . They are subject to wind erosion
• In the Central Valley where alluvium is found, soils are generally fertile .
However, some of them have high levels of salts
2 Vegetation of southern California
• In the northern part: woodland and scrubs
• Towards the south: grassland and desert plants
Climate
Figure 4 The climatic differences within California

General climatic characteristics of southern California:
• The climate of southern California is ( diverse / uniform )
• It ranges from a Mediterranean climate along the west coast, to a semi-arid
to arid climate in the inland regions
• Rainfall generally decreases from the coast towards the inland areas

Table 1 (Cont.)
1 Mediterranean climate (along the coast)
Climatic characteristic Factor affecting climate Result
( Dry / Wet ) summers Stable air condition in Little rain
summer
( Dry / Wet ) winters Wet onshore winds Bring rain
( Large / Small ) annual Cold current in summer; Cool summers,

warm onshore winds in warm winters
range of temperature winter
2 Semi-arid climate (further inland)

 ( High / Low ) annual Central Valley is in the Little rain
rainfall rain shadow
 ( Large / Small ) annual Moderating effect of the Hot summers,
onshore winds lessens in cool to cold
range of temperature the inland winters
3 Arid climate (in the inland)

 ( High / Low ) annual • Absence of moist air Scarce rainfall,
• Offshore winds below 250 mm
rainfall
• High evaporation rate
 ( Large / Small ) annual No more moderating effect Hot summers;
of the onshore winds cool to cold
range of temperature winters
How climate affects soil and vegetation in the region
High • Salts beneath the soil are Most soils are

evaporation rate brought to the surface alkaline and
and low rainfall • Low rainfall hinders soil formation infertile
( Little / Much ) organic Can only support ( Favours / Hinders )

matter in soil grassland and shrubs plant growth

C What are the farming constraints in southern California?

Textbook p. 47 HKDSE DBQ 2016 Q3bi; Essay 2014 Q6
1 Farmers in southern California face a number of farming constraints. Complete Table 2 to

show the farming constraints in the region.
Table 2
Farming constraint
Water • Low and unreliable rainfall

shortages • Uneven distribution of rainfall
• Most rain falls in winter
• Few rivers draining the region
Climatic hazard Occasional frost and wildfires, droughts

Alkaline and • High temperatures with low rainfall make it
infertile soil
Physical constraint
difficult for rocks to decompose into soils and

release nutrients  Infertile soil
• High temperatures  High evaporation rates
 Bring salts to the surface (salinization)
Inadequate good • Relief is hilly/rugged as a whole
quality farmland
• The deserts in the region hinder agriculture
• Many good quality farmland is encroached for
urban development
Pests and • Exotic pests and diseases affect crop yield

diseases
• Farmers have to apply heavy dose of pesticides
to control these pests and diseases
Inadequate farm • Few young people are willing to work as farmers

constraint
Cultural
labour • Many farmers hire contract labour from Mexico to do

the farm work

D What kind of farming is practised in southern California? Textbook p. 47
1 Figure 5 shows the farm produce of the leading farm counties (in dark colour) in southern
California.
Figure 5
The farmers in southern California mainly practise ( arable / pastoral ) farming. They carry out
this type of farming on the ( highland / lowland ), including the Central Valley, the
Imperial Valley and the coastal lowland
(hint: Figure 3 on p. 27 of this worksheet).
E How do farmers overcome the farming constraints in southern

California? Textbook pp. 49–53 HKDSE MCQ 2012 Q30, 2015 Q31, 2016 Q29, 2017 Q28, 2018 Q31, 2019
Q16; DBQ 2012 Q3ci, 2016 Q3bii and c, 2019 Q3ci; Essay 2014 Q6, 2018 Q6
1 Use of large-scale irrigation schemes
a Refer to Figure 6. Briefly describes the water schemes in Figure 7 on p. 32.
(Credit: Omar Bárcen/Flickr)

Figure 6 Major water schemes in California

Large-scale irrigation schemes
• The state and federal governments have funded various water

schemes to provide farmers with irrigation water.
• Large dams are built to store water from large rivers.
• Water is transported to farms by canals and
aqueducts .
Figure 7
b Figure 8 shows the irrigation methods commonly adopted by farmers in southern
California. Name these methods in the boxes A, B and C.
A Drip irrigation B Gravity flow irrigation
(Credit: Anthonyata/ Dreamstime.com)

(Credit: Ryo Chijiiwa/Flickr) Irrigation water is drained into the furrows,
Small tubes with pinholes are put above or and the water flows downslope due to
below the ground surface. Water drips out gravity
from these holes to the root zone of a crop
C Sprinkler irrigation
(Credit: Jack Miller/Flickr)

Water is spread evenly on the ground
surface by jetting water into the air
Figure 8

c Complete the flow chart in Figure 9 to show how irrigation affects the income of farmers
in southern California.
Different irrigation methods
Reliable supply of water to Reliable supply of water to farmland

formerly dry areas
• Extend the growing season

Extend farming areas
• More choices of crops
• More crops can be grown in a field
Farm yield ( increases / decrease )
Farmers’ income ( increases / decreases )
Figure 9
2 Use of chemicals
Farmers apply chemicals to crops to help tackle the soil and pest problems. Complete Table 3
to show how this is done.
Table 3
Chemical How it can tackle the soil and pest problems
Chemical fertilizers • Provide nutrients such as nitrogen , phosphorous

and potassium to the plants
• This increases yields and improve crop quality
Pesticides • Kill and control pests
• This improves crop quality and produces higher yields
Herbicides • Kill weeds which use up soil nutrients

3 Use of biotechnology
Figure 10 shows an example of adopting biotechnology to overcome the farming constraints in
southern California.
Genes of
spider
Tomato
Genes of Genetically-modified
(GM) tomatoes
scorpion
Figure 10
a Name the type of biotechnology shown in Figure 10. Genetic engineering
b List the characteristics of genetically-modified (GM) crops.
 Resistant to certain insects or pest

 Resistant to some diseases and virus
 Tolerant to different environmental constraints
 More tolerant to herbicides
c Explain why farmers choose to grow GM crops.
By growing GM crops, farmers can reduce the use of chemicals . It also prevents
crop failure, ensures crop quality , increases crop yields and cut cost .
4 Mechanisation and precision farming

a Explain how machines help in farming in southern California.
Machines can be used to replace farm labour . They can increase the
speed of farm work and improve productivity . In the long run,
production costs can be lowered .
b What is precision farming?
Precision farming is a way of farming using different information technologies ,
such as (give TWO examples): geographical information system, global positioning
system devices, remote sensing, telecommunications, mobile computing, advanced
information processing (any 2) . The conditions of fields and the crops are measured
and recorded in real time. Farmers then analyse the data and decide the most suitable
planning for farm work and crop production. Farmers can also apply inputs more
precisely and effectively. Waste can be reduced .

F How does the socio-economic environment lead to the success of

farming in southern California? Textbook p. 54 HKDSE MCQ 2013 Q29
1 Figure 11 shows the socio-economic environment in southern California. Complete Table 4 to

show how the environment leads to the success of farming in the region.
Information about southern California

• Annual income of southern Californian farmers: US$25,700 to >US$67,000
• Education attainment: Over 80% of the population graduated from high
school or above
• Annual R&D funds in agriculture from the federal government: About
US$22 million
• The federal and state governments adopt policies to support agricultural
development, e.g. building irrigation facilities and infrastructure, providing
loans and subsidies, etc.
• Well-developed road and rail networks
• Social and political stable
Figure 11
Table 4
Socio-economic environment in How this is related to the success of farming
southern California
Income level High Farmers have capital to adopt

different cultural inputs
Education level ( High / Low ) Farmers have knowledge and

skills to apply cultural inputs
Amount of R&D funds ( Large / Small ) Farmers can improve their farm
in agriculture
efficiency and productivity
by using modern farming technologies
Government policies ( Favourable / The federal and state governments provide

Unfavourable ) various supports to farmers
Transport ( Favourable / Farmers can access to more markets for their

Unfavourable ) farm produce and more sources of inputs
Political and social ( Favourable / Farmers become more willing to invest in their
conditions farms
Unfavourable )

G What are the characteristics of the farming system in southern

California? Textbook p. 55
1 Figure 12 shows the farming system practised in southern California.
Physical Farming processes

1 Climate: Most farming processes are
• Air temperature: 8°C–33°C assisted by machines and
• Annual rainfall: Low (mostly below 500 mm) advanced technologies. The
2 Alkaline and infertile soil processes include ploughing,
3 Lowland areas in the southern tip of the Central seeding, planting, irrigation, pest
Valley, the Imperial Valley and the coastal area control, fertilizing, harvesting
4 Water supply from the Colorado River
5 Seeds of one or two types of crops
Inputs
Cultural Outputs
1 Irrigation water from various water schemes Useful: Useless:

2 Chemicals, including pesticides, chemical cash crops waste and
fertilizers and herbicides excess
3 Advanced technologies and farming machines chemicals
4 Hired and contract labour
5 High capital investment
Local and overseas markets
6 Research and development
7 Government policies
8 Rail or road transport Cash
Figure 12
a The farming system in southern California is characterised by a heavy reliance on
irrigation. This farming system is called irrigation farming .
b What are the major characteristics of the farming system shown in Figure 12? Tick ()
the appropriate answers.
 Arable  Sedentary  Low-technology

 Pastoral  Non-sedentary  High-technology
 Subsistence  Labour-intensive
 Commercial  Capital-intensive

H A summary of the farming constraints in southern California and how farmers overcome them
1 Table 5 on pp. 37–8 shows the relationship between the environment of southern California, the farming constraints found in the region
and how they are overcome.
Table 5
Physical environment Impact Farming constraint Way to overcome farming constraint
1 Mediterranean climate • High evaporation rate • High evaporation rate 1 Irrigation

along the coast, • Frequent drought • Water shortages • Water from large-scale water schemes
semi-arid to arid
climate in the inland • Cold winter in the • Frequent drought and • Adopting different irrigation methods,
inland the resultant wildfire including gravity flow irrigation, sprinkler
• High annual mean irrigation and drip irrigation
temperature • High evaporation rate • Occasional frost
draws salts to the • Alkaline and infertile 2 Adopting precision farming can reduce water
Revision table
• Large annual range of surface wastage through precise input of irrigation
temperature in the soil
• High temperature and water
inland • Hinder crop growing
low rainfall hinders 3 Growing drought-resistant crops and GM
• Rainfall decreases soil development crops (tolerant to heat, cold and drought)
towards the inland
4 Using greenhouses
• Rain in winter
2 Few rivers running Water shortages Water shortages

through the region
3 Alkaline and infertile Cannot support dense • Poor/Infertile soil 1 Using chemical fertilizers to enrich the soil
soil vegetation  Little • Crops cannot grow 2 Using irrigation to wash away salts in soil
organic matter in the soil well in salty soil 3 Adopting precision farming to monitor the
• Poor crop yield soil status
4 Growing GM crops which can tolerate saline
soil

Table 5 (Cont.)
Physical environment Impact Farming constraint Way to overcome farming constraint
4 Exotic crops Pest and diseases come Heavy dose of pesticides 1 Using chemicals, including pesticides and
introduced to southern with these crops are used to control pest herbicides
California and diseases 2 Adopting precision farming to study the
pattern of pests and diseases. Farmers can
then plan the best pest control method
3 Growing GM crops which are resistant to
insect/pest and disease/virus
5 Rugged relief in most Lowland is found only at Inadequate good quality Adopting precision farming to monitor the field
parts of the region and the coast, the southern farmland conditions. This can avoid the degradation of
deserts in the central tip of the Central Valley farmland, which further reduces the amount of
Revision table
and south-eastern parts and the Imperial Valley good quality farmland
Socio-economic Impact Farming constraint Way to overcome farming constraint

environment
1 Agricultural salaries Young people are Insufficient farm labour 1 Using machines (mechanisation) to replace
being lower than unwilling to work as for farm work labour
salaries in other farmers 2 Hiring contract labour from Mexico
industries
2 Rapid increase in Good quality farmland is Inadequate good quality Adopting precision farming to monitor the field
population and rapid encroached by urban farmland conditions. This can avoid the degradation of
urbanisation in recent development farmland, which further reduces the amount of
years good quality farmland
2 In order to adopt the cultural inputs above, the farmers need the following:
a Large amount of capital (can be from their own income or from loans and subsidies from the governments)
b Good education so that they have knowledge and skills to adopt modern farming technologies
c Support from governments on R&D, irrigation facilities, infrastructures, as well as loans and subsidies
I Do areas with similar natural environments have similar

agricultural characteristics? Textbook pp. 57–9 HKDSE MCQ 2013 Q27
1 a Complete Table 3 on pp. 57–8 in your textbook.

b In what ways are the Sahel and southern California similar in terms of natural
environments?
Both regions have semi-arid climate, low rainfall, high evapotranspiration rate/ high
evaporation rate, and infertile soil and rivers only cover a small part of the area.
c Are the environments mentioned in Question b favourable for farming?
No, they are not favourable.

d What types of farming do farmers in the two regions practise respectively?
The farmers (nomadic people) in the Sahel practise nomadic herding, while
southern Californian farmers practise arable farming/irrigation farming.
e What has caused such differences?

The differences in the type of farming practised lie in the difference between the levels of
cultural inputs. Farmers in southern California has a ( large / low ) amount of
cultural inputs. They rely heavily on capital and technologies to
modify the unfavourable natural environment to suit their farming activities.
In contrast, the amount of cultural inputs in the Sahel is ( large / small ). Farmers,
i.e. the nomadic people, ( do not have / have ) capital and technologies to modify the
natural environment. They tend to adapt to the environment by practising
nomadic herding/transhumance .
J Are cultural factors becoming increasingly dominant over physical

factors in influencing agriculture? Textbook pp. 59–60
1 Complete Table 6 on p. 40 to summarise the differences of cultural inputs in agriculture in

different regions.

Table 6
Cultural input Less developed region More developed region
Labour input Large (labour intensive) Small
Capital input Small Large (capital intensive)
Level of mechanisation Low High
Knowledge to farming technologies ( Available / Lacking ) ( Available / Lacking )
Transport system ( Less / More ) efficient ( Less / More ) efficient
Government support ( Little / Much ) ( Little / Much )
Factor that dominate agriculture ( Physical / Cultural ) ( Physical / Cultural )
2 What can you conclude about whether cultural factors are becoming increasingly dominant
over physical factors in farming?
It is true that cultural factors are becoming increasingly dominant over physical factors in
farming in the ( more developed / less developed ) regions, but physical factors are still
exerting a strong influence on farming in ( more developed / less developed ) regions.

5.5 Can modern agricultural technologies increase

farm production sustainably?
Focus of this unit:
 The price of using farming technologies
 Sustainable farming methods
A Can technology help increase farm production? Textbook p. 67
1 Refer to Table 1 about some information of farming in the world.

Table 1
Base year Latest year Annual
change (%)
Area of world agricultural land 38.9 (1961) 48.6 (2015) +0.5%
(million square kilometres)
World cereal production 1.7 (1990) 3.0 (2017) + 2.9%
(billion tonnes)
World fertilizer consumption 107.6 (2002) 140.6 (2016) +2.2%
(kg/ha of arable land)
Government spending on agricultural 6.2 (1960) 38.1 (2011) +10%
R&D (billion US dollars)
a Calculate the missing data in Table 1.

b Compare the change in the area of world agricultural land and the world cereal
production in the period mentioned in Table 1.
The rate of increase in world cereal production is much ( smaller / larger ) than the area
of world agricultural land in the mentioned period.
c Explain your answers in Question 1b with reference to Table 1.
Farmers all over the world have been applying more cultural inputs, including
fertilizers. The governments have also provided aid to farmers by spending more money
on agricultural R&D . In this way, farmers can increase the yield without a
major increase in farmland.

B What price do we have to pay for using technologies? Textbook pp. 68–74
1 The price of applying chemicals HKDSE MCQ 2013 Q28, 2015 Q31, 2017 Q30
a Figure 1 shows how the misuse and overuse of pesticides and herbicides threaten the
ecological system and humans. Complete the flow chart.
Increases
Use of pesticides  Kill target Some pest species

and herbicides pests and other But may become
insects resistant
Vicious cycle
to pesticides
 Certain Other insect and Affect the balance of

insects and plant species may
the ecological system
plants are suddenly rise in
killed number
completely
Loss of Breakdown
biodiversity of food chain
 Kill the bacteria Slow down the rate of The soil

and fungi in the soil decomposition, resulting degrades
in fewer organic
matters in the soil
 Being washed Water Wildlife may be

into rivers or lakes pollution killed
 Pollute the Pollution of Affect people’s

groundwater drinking water health
 Residual traces of Contaminate

pesticides on crops food products
Figure 1

b Figure 2 shows a
phenomenon
caused by the
excess use of nitrate Land
(chemical)
fertilizers.
(Credit:
eutrophication&hypoxia/ Stream/River
Flickr)
Figure 2
i Name the phenomenon shown in Figure 2.

Eutrophication
ii Complete the flow chart in Figure 3 to show how this phenomenon may destroy the
aquatic ecosystems.
Excess fertilizers More nutrients

washed to the rivers for water plants and algae
 When dead plants

Algae blooms and a large amount of
algae are decomposed,
oxygen is
 Toxins  Algae blocks out the used up
from algae can sunlight and prevent
kill fish and other photosynthesis of
aquatic organisms other aquatic plants When the oxygen level
cannot support any
life, fish and other
Without sunlight, water
*The end-results are plants die organisms die
shown in grey boxes
Figure 3
iii Explain how this phenomenon may also affect humans.
When high levels of nitrates are found in drinking water, this can cause health
problems among young children.

2 The price of irrigation

a Figure 4 shows a phenomenon caused by overdrawing groundwater for irrigation.
(Credit: Paul Vroom/

Alamy Stock Photo)
Figure 4
i Name the phenomenon shown in Figure 4. Land subsidence
ii Explain how overdrawing groundwater for irrigation causes this phenomenon.
If the rate of groundwater withdrawal is faster than the rate of replacement, the water
table ( rises / drops). The groundwater will eventually be depleted . Without
the support of groundwater, the land may collapse .
b How does overdrawing groundwater affect the freshwater supply in the coastal areas?
In coastal areas, overdrawing groundwater may cause the saltwater to intrude
into the groundwater. This will contaminate the freshwater supply.
c Over-irrigation may affect the soil quality. Refer to Figure 5 below.
Figure 5
i Refer to – in Figure 5. Fill in the blanks below to show how irrigation in dry
areas affects the soil quality.
Irrigation water can dissolve salts in the soil and leach them to the subsoil. Under
dry climate, evaporation rate is ( high / low ). Intense evaporation will draw up the
dissolved salts to the topsoil by capillary action . When the
water evaporates, the salts are left on the surface of the land .
This is called salinization of soil.

ii How does over-irrigation in dry areas worsen salinization?

As large amounts of water are applied to the soil, more salts in the soil are
dissolved and drawn up to the topsoil. A salty crust may be left on the land surface.
iii How does a high concentration of salts in soil affect crops and land productivity?
A high concentration of salts limits the water absorption of crops. The
land may therefore become unproductive .
3 The price of using machines

Complete Figure 6 to show how the use of farming machines causes soil erosion and affects
land productivity.
Use of farming machines
e.g. powerful ploughing machines e.g. heavy farm machines
Loosens the soil Compacts the soil

through deep ploughing
• Infiltration ( ↑ / ↓ )
Accelerates
• Surface run-off ( ↑ / ↓ )
Wind and Accelerates
water erosion Water erosion
Soil erosion speeds up
Topsoil is lost
• Soil fertility ( ↑ / ↓ )
• Land productivity ( ↑ / ↓ )
Figure 6

4 The price of using farming technologies on climate

Complete Table 2 to show how farming technologies may result in global warming.
Table 2
Farming Applying fertilizers Running farm machines
technology
(Credit: Media Mike Hazard/Flickr) (Credit: ZADA D./Flickr)

How this Overusing nitrate fertilizers will Widespread use of machines increases
technology
release large amounts of the consumption of fossil
relates to
global nitrous oxide to the fuels . This in turn leads to
warming atmosphere more greenhouse gas
emission such as carbon dioxide
5 The price of producing GM foods and crops

a Figure 7 shows a protest in Ireland against
Monsanto, the largest company in the world
selling genetically-modified (GM) seeds.
i Why did this happen?
It is because many people doubt the

safety of consuming GM foods and their
effects on human health and the (Credit: William Murphy/Flickr)
environment. Figure 7
ii However, some people said that GM crops may help combat the problem of hunger.
Why did they say so?
It is because GM crops are resistant to insects, viruses, diseases and
drought, etc. In addition, they give ( higher / lower ) yields and can be grown in less
favourable physical environment. All these help increase food production
and therefore may help combat the problem of hunger.

C What are the benefits and limitations of farming technologies?

Textbook pp. 68–74 HKDSE DBQ 2016 Q3bii and c; Essay 2014 Q6, 2015 Q6, 2018 Q6
1 Complete Table 3 on pp. 47–51 to summarise the benefits and limitations of farming
technologies.
Table 3
1 Irrigation
Benefit Limitation
General/ • Overcome the water • Irrigation may not function well in area
Gravity flow shortage problem with high evaporation rate
irrigation • Increase soil water
and • Water wastage may occur as
sprinkler • Provide reliable water to evapotranspiration rate is high in summer
formerly dry areas
irrigation • Misuse of irrigation/Over-irrigation may
• Extend farming areas
cause salinization of soil. High
• Provide more stable
supply of water to concentration of salts limits the water
farmland all year round absorption of crops
• Extend growing season
Revision table
• Land affected by serious salinization may
• More choices
of crops/farm produce become completely unproductive
• More crops can be grown • Irrigation causes water table to rise. This
in a field may accelerate capillary action
• Over-pumping of groundwater for
• ( Higher / Lower ) yield
irrigation will lower the water table and the
• Higher income and profit groundwater may eventually be depleted.
Land may collapse as a result
• Poor countries may lack capital
and technological know-how for
developing irrigation schemes
Drip • Enhance efficient use of • Require ( high / low ) initial investment
irrigation water cost
• Improve fertilizer and • Require careful maintenance
pesticide management • Require much labour to maintain and
• Reduce evaporation and install
salinization of soil • Need to filter the water before applying to
• Enhance plant growth, the fields to avoid clogging
crop yield and quality • Difficulty in repairing underground broken
pipes

Table 3 (Cont.)
2 Using chemicals
Benefit Limitation
Chemical • Provide nutrients • Eutrophication occurs when

fertilizers to plants excess fertilizers are washed to rivers and
• Increase yields and lakes, causing the level of nutrients in water
improve crop to increase
quality • Algae can block the sunlight and prevent the
photosynthesis of aquatic plants. Without
• Higher income and profit sunlight, water plants die
• Algae produces toxins which kill fish
• When water plants and algae die,
oxygen is used up for decomposition.
When the oxygen level is too low to support
life, fish and aquatic organisms die
• Excess nitrates in drinking water can cause
health problems among children
• Overusing nitrate fertilizers will release
large amounts of nitrous oxide to the
Revision table
atmosphere
Pesticides • Control pest • They kill target pests and

also other insects
• Increase yields and • Killing certain pests completely may cause
improve crop other species to increase in number
suddenly
quality
• Causing a loss of biodiversity and a
• Lower production costs breakdown of the food chain. This creates
• Higher income and profit new ecological problems
• Some pests may become resistant
to pesticides. Farmers may need to apply
more pesticides, causing a vicious circle
Herbicides • Control weeds • They kill target weeds and also other plants
which use up soil nutrients • Causing a loss of biodiversity
• Increase yields and and a breakdown of the food chain. This
improve crop quality creates new ecological problems
• Lower production costs • Some weeds may become resistant to
• Higher income and profit herbicides. Farmers may need to apply more
herbicides, causing a vicious circle
• Non-pest species and the larvae of
pollinators living on weeds lose their home

Table 3 (Cont.)
3 Using biotechnology (genetic engineering)
Impact Benefit Limitation
On the • Reduce pollution • Cause a shift to monoculture

environment as farmers can use fewer (planting one single crop in the field)
chemicals to control pests • When the herbicide- and
and diseases pesticide-resistant genes of GM crops
are transferred to weeds or insects
• Save energy as
through pollination or breeding,
fewer machines are needed
‘superweeds’ and ‘superbugs’ emerge
for spraying chemicals. This
reduces greenhouse gas • Genes of GM crops may also be
emissions transferred to other traditional crop
species. This may eventually eliminate
• Conserve soil and moisture
the traditional/local species and reduce
as less ploughing is needed
the gene pool of them
• Pest-resistant genes in GM crops are
toxic and harmful to all insects. They
can kill non-target insects that eat these
plants, and other animals that consume
them
Revision table
• Some pest-resistant GM species reduce
the use of pesticides that kill certain type
of pest, but this reduction may lead to an
increase in the other types of pests
• When herbicides are used with GM
crops, herbicides kill the weeds, which
are home to different non-pest species
and the larvae of pollinators
• Cause a breakdown of the food
chain and reduce biodiversity
On society • Higher farm outputs increase • In LDCs, GM crops may be grown
food security of the mainly for exports. They cannot help
alleviate the food shortage problems in
growing population in LDCs these countries
• Provide better nutrition and • Provoke new allergies
solve the problem of
malnutrition in poor • Unknown effects on human health
countries
• May lead to the development of diseases
• As GM produce can stay that are resistant to antibiotics
fresh longer, it can be
transported to markets further
away

Table 3 (Cont.)
Impact Benefit Limitation
On the • Secure income • Create a financial burden for small

economy farmers
• Result in a loss of control over local
food production
• Result in the domination of world
food production by a few large
companies
To the farm • Can overcome physical • Farmers in the LDCs may lack capital
farming constraints
and technology to adopt
• Reduce losses caused by the
constraints biotechnology
• Can improve farm quality • Create a financial burden for
and farm quantity/farm small farmers
productivity
• Bring higher profit
due to higher yield
• Reduce production cost as
Revision table
fewer cultural inputs are

needed
4 Using machines
Benefit Limitation
• Replace/Save labour • Deep ploughing loosens the soil. The soil becomes
prone to wind and soil erosion
• Increase speed of farm work
• Heavy farm machines will compact soil. This
and improve
will slow down infiltration and increase surface
productivity run-off. This accelerates water erosion and the loss of
• Reduce production costs in topsoil
the long run • Soil fertility and productivity will decrease
• Widespread use of machines increases the consumption
of fossil fuels. This in turn leads to more greenhouse
gas emissions such as carbon dioxide

Table 3 (Cont.)
5 Precision farming
Benefit Limitation
Revision table
• Farmers can collect data about the conditions of crops • Need advanced technology
and fields in a timely manner. They can then use the
• Need a large input of
data to make decisions on the amount of inputs
• Save irrigation water capital/investment
• Ease the problem of salinization • Need a high education level
of farmers
• Improve soil fertility and control pests more effectively
• Need infrastructure such as
• Avoid pollution caused by excess use of farm connectivity
chemicals
• As weather and climate is also monitored, farmers can
better prepared before droughts and frosts occur. This
helps reduce potential losses
• Increase land productivity
• Increase farm yield and therefore profit
C How can we produce enough food to feed the whole world in 2050?
Textbook pp. 76–7
1 As the world population is expected to reach 9.8 billion in 2050, can the following methods
help increase the world food production in the long run? Complete Table 4 below.
Table 4
Method Reason
(Give a tick ‘’ or a cross
‘’ in the boxes below)
 By expansion of • Developing the virgin tropical rainforests into farmland may

farmland
have adverse impact on global warming
• The existing farmland may be lost due to:
– urbanisation
– land degradation , making the farmland not
suitable for use
– global warming which will cause a rise in
sea levels and flood the coastal farmland
 By using farming Overusing these technologies bring problems to the
technologies environment, which may result in a decrease in food
production

D How can farmers increase farm production sustainably?

Textbook pp. 77–83 HKDSE MCQ 2012 Q27–9, 2013 Q30, 2014 Q30–1, 2017 Q31, 2018 Q27–8; DBQ 2012 Q3cii
1 Sustainable farming encourages the use of eco-friendly farming methods. It causes fewer
disturbances to the fragile environment and maintains a balance between three aspects.
Complete Figure 8 to show the
principles of sustainable farming.
Environmental
health
Sustainable
farming
Social Economic
progress profitability
Figure 8
2 There are five major ways to achieve sustainable farming. Name these ways in Figure 9.
Water conservation It helps minimize water wastage
Soil conservation It prevents soil erosion and maintains soil fertility
It reduces water wastage and minimizes the

Precision farming
danger of polluting the environment by chemicals
It discourages pests during crop production and at

Integrated pest
the same time minimizes the use of pesticides
management
It works with nature. Chemicals and GM

Organic farming
organisms are not used
Figure 9
3 Complete Table 5 on pp. 53–6 to show the advantages of the soil conservation methods.

Table 5
Advantage on soil Other advantage
1 Multiple cropping • Reduce soil • Enrich the

(plant two or more types of crops at the same erosion biodiversity
time on the same plot of land in a year)
• Prevent depletion of of the farm
a particular kind of • Control pest ,
diseases and weeds
nutrient in the soil.
Soil fertility • Different types of
can be maintained crops are planted to

take advantage of
the different seasons
2 Cover cropping • Protect the topsoil • Fast-growing cover
(grow cover crops on the field during from wind and water crop competes
off-season times)
erosion strongly with weeds
Rye grass cover crop
are grown after the • Leguminous crops for space, light,
corn (in rows) is
help fix nitrogen nutrients and
harvested
in the soil moisture
• Improve the soil • This helps keep out
structure and the weeds, and therefore
water-holding reducing the need for
capacity of soil herbicides
(Credit: NRCS Massachusetts/Flickr)
3 Mulching • Protect the topsoil • Suppress weed
from wind and water
(cover the topsoil with organic and inorganic erosion growth, as
mulch)
• Keep soil moisture sunlight is
by reducing blocked
evaporation
Corn
Cotton
• Increase the content
of organic
matter in the
Crop residue
soil when the
organic mulch is
(Credit: USDA NRCS Texas/Flickr) decomposed

Table 5 (Cont.)
4 Planting windbreaks • Reduce wind • Fallen branches and

(plant rows of trees at the edges of the fields) leaves can enrich the
speed , thus
soil
helping slow down
• Provide space and
soil erosion
shelter for wildlife
and increase
biodiversity
(Credit: suri/Flickr)
5 Agroforestry • Control soil erosion • Provide space and
(grow trees with crops and/or animal shelter for wildlife
• Leguminous crops
production)
fix nitrogen and increase
in the soil biodiversity

• Crops and/or
• Certain trees can fix livestock become
nitrogen and more productive
therefore can enrich • Timber and fruits
the soil from trees are other
sources of
(Credit: Trees ForTheFuture/Flickr)
income
6 Contour ploughing • Prevent water from • As nutrients are
(grow crops in a way that follows the natural preserved in the
moving downslope.
contour of the land) fields, fewer
This slows down soil fertilizers are needed
erosion
(Credit: USDA Natural Resources

Conservation Service)

Table 5 (Cont.)
7 Terracing • Flat surface on • Maximize the use of

(grow crops on terraces that are built on sloping land for
terraces allow more
slopes) farming
infiltration
and soil moisture
content
• Prevent soil erosion
and conserve
water
(Credit: shankar s./Flickr)

8 Conservation tillage • Minimize the • Save fuel costs and
(farmers reduce tillage or do not till the land disturbance to the labour costs
at all before growing crops) • Less carbon dioxide
topsoil
is released into the
• Reduce soil atmosphere as less
fuel is used
erosion and
• Reduce dust that
soil compaction
causes air
• Conserve soil
pollution
moisture
9 Crop rotation • Avoid the depletion • Interrupt pest life
(grow a series of different types of crops in of certain cycle and thus help
the same field in sequential seasons)
nutrients control pests
Corn planted after harvesting
wheat in the previous year
• By rotating cereals • As crops with deep
and shallow root
and leguminous systems are grown
crops, the on the same field in
different seasons, the
leguminous crops soil structure is
Corn
Wheat stubble help maintain soil improved. This helps
conserve water
fertility
(Credit: USDA NRCS South Dakota/ Flickr)

Table 5 (Cont.)
10 Fallowing • Help the field to • Increase beneficial

(farmers leave the fields fallow after years of microorganisms in
replenish the soil
cropping) the soil
nutrients
• Conserve soil
moisture
Corn field
Fallowed field
(Credit: USDA NRCS Montana/Flickr)

11 Mixed farming • Keep the soil rich • Increase farm income
(both arable and pastoral farming are carried due to produce
because manure
out on a farm) diversity
from livestock
provides nutrients
for the soil
(Credit: B4bees/Flickr)
4 a Some of the soil conservation methods mentioned above can conserve water at the same
time. Tick ‘’ the methods that conserve water below.
 Multiple cropping  Agroforestry  Crop rotation
 Cover cropping  Contour ploughing  Fallowing
 Mulching  Terracing  Mixed farming
 Planting windbreaks  Conservation tillage
b Describe TWO other methods that achieve the same result.

Irrigate at night/Use treated urban waste water to irrigate the fields/
Grow water-efficient crops e.g. drought-resistant crop varieties/Practise dry farming/
Use high-tech sensors that calculate the water needs of crops

5 As using pesticides has harmful effects on the environment, farmers can adopt methods in
‘Integrated pest management’ (IPM) to control pests. Refer to Figure 10.
Figure 10
a Arrange the methods in descending order according to the rate of usage of these methods.
Physical/
Cultural  Mechanical  Biological  Chemical
methods methods methods methods
(e.g. crop rotation) (e.g. traps) (e.g. using natural enemies) (using pesticides)
(Use more) (Use less)
b Refer to Figure 11 to recall the harmful effects of pesticides. Describe the benefits of IPM
over pesticides to control pests in Table 6. (Note that the numbers in Table 6 matches the
numbers in Figure 11.)
Figure 11
Table 6 Benefit of integrated pest management
• Reduce the use of pesticides • Protect the crops from pests

 Protect non-target species from • Reduce exposure of workers
and the public to pesticides
elimination
• Increase the cost-effectiveness
 Reduce potential air and water pollution of pest management
programmes
 Ensure food safety

6 Organic farming is another way of sustainable farming. Complete Table 7 to show the
methods used in organic farming and their benefits.
Table 7
Method Benefit
Crop rotation Soil conservation
Using naturally decomposed fertilizers ( compost ) Soil conservation and

and manure to enrich the soil reducing the use of chemical
fertilizers
Biological and physical methods to control pests and Reducing the use of
weeds pesticides and herbicides
Careful use of water resources Water conservation
Recycle materials and resources; rely on renewable Environmentally friendly

resources
E What are the benefits of sustainable farming methods?

1 Table 8 shows the benefits of different sustainable farming methods.
Table 8
Sustainable farming Reduce soil Enrich the Control Water Increase
method erosion soil pests/weeds conservation biodiversity
Precision farming ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Multiple cropping ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Cover cropping ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Mulching ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Planting windbreaks ✓ ✓
Agroforestry ✓ ✓ ✓
Contour ploughing ✓ ✓
Revision table
Terracing ✓ ✓
Conservation tillage ✓ ✓
Crop rotation ✓ ✓ ✓
Fallowing ✓ ✓
Mixed farming ✓
Integrated pest ✓ ✓
management
Organic farming ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

5.6 What can be done to reduce the risk of famine?
Focus of this unit:

 The characteristics of regions with a high risk of food  Ways to increase food security in
insecurity less developed countries
 Whether technology can help alleviate food shortages
A What are the characteristics of regions with a high risk of food

security? Textbook pp. 88–90 HKDSE MCQ 2013 Q31, 2016 Q28; DBQ 2012 Q3aiii and b
1 Countries facing a high risk of food insecurity have similar characteristics. Refer to pp. 88–9 of
your textbook about Somalia, a country which faces the threat of famine in recent years.
a Complete Table 1 on pp. 59–60 to show the characteristics of various aspects of Somalia.
Table 1
Characteristic Impact on farming
Physical Harsh : The productivity of land is

environment • ( Sufficient / Insufficient ) water for low  ( High / Low )
intensive sedentary farming
level of farm production
• Soil is ( fertile / infertile )
• Facing different natural hazards
such as recurring drought, frequent dust
storms in summer and flooding during
rainy season
Socio- • Large population and fast population • Lack the knowledge
economic growth rate and skills to adopt suitable
environment farming technologies to
• Low income improve productivity
• Limited education opportunities
• People do not have the
• Many people rely heavily on means to improve their
agriculture for income. Other income  Lack of
sectors are less developed capital to adopt
cultural inputs to improve
farm production
(Credit: Liba Taylor/age fotostock)

Table 1 (Cont.)
Characteristic Impact on farming
Political • Civil war • During wars and conflict:

environment • Serious corruption hinders the – Farmland is destroyed
efficiency of the Somalian government by armed people. Farmers
are forced to leave their
farms
– Farmers lose their
seeding and growing
season because of
displacement
 Intense food shortages
• Together with corruption,
the economic growth is
slowed down
b How do the above characteristics affect the food supply and food access of Somalia, and
result in famine? Complete Figure 1 below.
Figure 1

B Can technology help alleviate food shortages?

Textbook pp. 90–1 HKDSE DBQ 2012 Q3cii, 2019 Q3cii; Essay 2015 Q6, 2018 Q6
1 Technology is a kind of cultural input in a farming system. It needs some other cultural inputs
to support, such as capital, technological know-how and government policies.
a Refer to the case of Somalia, which technology can be used to deal with the physical
farming constraints? Can they be used as a way to increase food production there? Fill in
Table 2.
Table 2
Physical Technology suitable to deal with the Can Somalia adopt this
farming constraint technology to increase food
constraint production?
Insufficient • Irrigation system No

water and No
drought • Precision farming
• GM crops No
Infertile soil • Applying fertilizers Yes
• Precision farming No
Flooding • Flood warning system No
• Flood defense No
Dust storm • Developing renewable power resources No

to reduce the cutting of trees for
fuelwood, which causes dust storms
• Warning and monitoring system No
b Refer to Table 2. What do you think are the reasons why Somalia cannot adopt certain
technologies to increase food production? Tick ‘’ the appropriate answers below.
 Lack of capital  Prone to natural hazard
 Corruption  Local farmers prefer traditional farming methods
 Wars and conflict  Inadequate knowledge to apply the technology

C What can be done to increase food security in less developed

countries? Textbook pp. 92–4 HKDSE DBQ 2017 Q3c
1 Complete Table 3 on pp. 62–3 to show the ways to increase food security in less developed
countries.
Table 3
Way to increase food security in less developed countries How it improves food
security
1 Promote Sustainable agriculture conserves soil and By conserving soil and

sustainable water. Some methods of soil and water water, land productivity 
conservation are relatively low cost, such as
agriculture (give TWO examples):   food supply
mulching/agroforestry/conservation
tillage/crop rotation/fallowing/dry farming
(any 2 or other reasonable answers)
2 Development of • Improve irrigation methods which are • By improving irrigation

infrastructure suitable for local conditions   Choice of crops/
Provide reliable water
• Maintain a reliable rural electricity supply
supply
  Crop yield/ Food
• Develop and improve rural transport
network, e.g. improve rural roads supply/ production
• Set up a healthy marketing • By improving transport

mechanism for farm produce to stabilise
farmers’ incomes network/marketing
• Set up a sound financial support mechanism

system so that farmers can have easy  Improve food
access to loans and credit
access
3 Improve farmers’ Set up cooperatives to spread information By improving education
education and knowledge about effective  Better knowledge
 Can adopt better farming
farming methods and new farming methods
technologies   Food supply

Table 3 (Cont.)
4 Diversify the • Set up small-scale industries in rural These activities can

income of rural areas increase income of rural
people people 
• Develop some non-farm activities such
as (give TWO examples): •  Ability to import
quarrying/manufacturing and food

  Food supply
repairing of consumer goods for rural
• Can buy food from
markets/rural road construction and
different sources
maintenance work (any 2 or other
  Food access
reasonable answers)
5 Growing cash • Cash crops are commercial crops which By selling cash crops, the
crop are grown to sell and make profit. In less income of farmers increases
developed countries, cash crops are 
mostly grown for exports
• Can buy food from
• In tropical countries, cash crops different sources 
commonly grown include sugar cane,
cocoa, coffee, palms, mangoes, bananas,  Food access
papaya, etc. • Have more capital
to improve farming
methods/adopt farming
technologies   Food
supply
• Increase tax revenue of
governments

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Senior Secondary Exploring Geography (Third Edition) Comprehensive worksheets

Is technology a panacea for food shortages?

A What is the global food situation? Textbook p. 4

Local production* 2,703.8 33.5 437.6 0.137 1.496

Consumption* 2,655.3 12.7 358.0 0.213 2.288

*Food surplus/ Food Food surplus Food deficit Food deficit

c Briefly describe the global food situation with reference to Table 1.

B What are food security and food insecurity? Textbook p. 5

They are food supply and food access respectively.

Consumption* 32.4 0.213

Stock* 7.0 0.001

Commercial imports*# 23.3 0.053

Food access3 Good Blocked

i Which data in Table 3 refer to the food supply?

No, Japan cannot produce enough food for its population.

© Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2019 5-2

C What is famine? Textbook p. 5

GNI per capita in 20181 (US$) 49,930 63,390 870 900

Level of economic development High High Low Low

Number of food-insecure people -- -- 1.1 million 7.7 million

Share of food-insecure people in -- -- 19% 9.8%

Risk of famine Low Low High High

b i Is there any relationship between the level of economic development of a country

Central African Republic is facing the greatest problem of food

d Indicate the risk of famine of the four countries in Table 4 on p. 3.

e To conclude, where is famine most likely to occur in general?

In general, famine is most likely to occur in places where level of economic

© Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2019 5-4

5.2 What are the factors affecting agriculture?

Intensive farming Extensive farming

(Credit: Jasmine Halki/Flickr) (Credit: Jeff Weese/Flickr)

Characteristic • Farmland is small with a lot of • Farmland is large with little

Example  Rice cultivation in Indonesia  Rice cultivation in Indonesia

© Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2019 5-5

Arable farming Livestock rearing/ Mixed farming

(Credit: Andrew (Credit: Donald Judge/ (Credit: Bernard Spragg.

Subsistence farming Commercial farming

Characteristic Outputs are for self-consumption Outputs are for sale

Example  Market gardening  Market gardening

Sedentary farming Non-sedentary farming

Characteristic Farmers grow crops or rear livestock at

Example  Cattle ranching in the USA  Cattle ranching in the USA

© Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2019 5-6

Low-technology farming High-technology farming

(Credit: Anand S/Flickr)

B What is a farming system? Textbook p. 11

Inputs Farming processes Outputs

Physical Ploughing, sowing, Useful Useless

technology, transport, Self-consumption

© Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2019 5-7

C What are the factors affecting agriculture? Textbook pp. 14–19

© Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2019 5-8

Areas with Can support Suitable for Livestock rearing/Pastoral

a Altitude Lowland areas • ( Highland / Lowland )

c Fertility ( Fertile / Infertile ) soil ( Fertile / Infertile ) soil

© Oxford University Press (China) Ltd 2019 5-9

A Irrigation and drainage B Mechanisation C Biotechnology

D Applying herbicides E Applying pesticides

F Greenhouse technology G Applying fertilizers

Ensure a timely and adequate water supply A

Prevent weeds from competing for nutrients with crops D

Increase farm production, farm efficiency and quality of farm work B