Plantation Farming

Plantation Farming-Brazil 

Coffee Plantations are found abundantly in Brazil. A plantation is a large commercial farm in a developing country that specializes in one or two crops. The principal purpose is for feeding the farmer's family. There is normally a surplus of crops that goes towards feeding populations in developed countries. 

While visiting a local plantation in Brazil, I had the opportunity to meet a diversity of immigrants that were shipped into the country to work. They told me they do most of the work by hand or animal power, but more machines have been shipped in recently. The climate is relatively warm in the area year-round, which means they had an ample amount of work throughout the entirety of the year. Beans are harvested during September and April. Each man receives a basket to fill each day and is paid in relation to the amount of coffee beans they collect. 

http://coffee.quickfound.net/coffee_planting_in_brazil_1899.html

Intensive Subsistence with Wet Rice Not Dominant

Intensive Subsistence with Wet Rice Not Dominant-Rural China 

In places that precipitation levels are too low and winters too harsh, crops other than rice are grown. In rural parts of NorthEastern China, wheat and barley serve as the primary crop grown. Land is still worked intensively to produce enough food to feed to large populations. Human and animal power is used to properly cultivate the land. 

One new thing I noticed while I was in NorthEaster China was that crop rotation was used to keep from exhausting the soil. There were many workers for small areas of land due to lack of machinery. Workers told me of the low government funding, which gave them few options other than to hire more workers to tend to the fields. Workers told me that they have seen an increased enthusiasm in farmers due to government policies that have strengthened grain production, which has, in turn, created economic growth. 

http://www.chinagrain.gov.cn/english/General%20Situation.html

Intensive Subsistence with Wet Rice Dominant

Intensive Subsistence with Wet Rice Dominant-China 

Intensive subsistence refers to farmers working intensively to subsist on a parcel of land. Asian countries are including China and India are among the top producers of rice in the world. Rice is the primary staple of almost all households in Asia. Most of the work is done by animals or human labor rather than machinery. 

While in China, I realized that although copious amounts of rice were being produced, there were still many going hungry in this region. China's large populations are becoming increasingly hard to keep up with on the agricultural front. There was a large number of farmers to work on fields, and land seemed to be passed down to subsequent generations of families. Unfortunately, the economic and environmental cost of producing rice is increasing. China is facing rising prices of rice, in part due to industrialization. 

http://reliefweb.int/report/china/china-world’s-largest-rice-importer-regional-implications

Shifting Cultivation

Shifting Cultivation-Brazil 

Shifting Cultivation is also known by some societies as slash & burn agriculture. This technique occurs when farmers clear land for planting by slashing vegetation and burning the debris. Unfortunately, this agricultural method is known for causing more harm than good. Although ashes from burned plants allows for nutrients to leech into the soil, after a maximum of 3 years, the soil is often void of all nutrients and unable to support the growth of crops. In Brazil, crops such as manioc, sugarcane, and soybeans are grown. Indigenous groups use shifting cultivation to provide subsistence to feed their small communities. 

Northern Brazil is home to a plethora of cultural groups that use shifting cultivation as a means to produce crops. When I first arrived to Brazil, I was ignorant of the different methods used in cultivating crops. The men work immensely hard in the fields in order to feed other members of their community. Although land designed to hold rainforest is declining rapidly, shifting cultivation in this area continues on. Many areas of Brazil have, however, turned towards other methods of agriculture such as logging and cattle ranching. 

http://www.brazil.org.uk/resources/documents/bs-secondary08.pdf

Pastoral Nomadism

Pastoral Nomadism-India 

Pastoralism in India has long been restricted by government programs. Nevertheless, it continues to be prevalent, especially in the drylands of Western India and on the Deccan Plateau. Examples of livestock that are often herded include sheep, goats, camels, and ducks. There are many communities that are strictly vegetarian, but the consumption of meat can be found in this developing country as a means of survival and obtaining a balanced diet. Pastors use cyclic transhumance migration throughout the year. 

It was an amazing experience to travel to India and witness firsthand how committed nomadic groups are to their herds. The livestock is their livelihood. Not only do they depend on their animals for the minimal amount of income they do receive if they have a surplus, but their own lives often depend on the consumption or use of animal products produced by the herd. I was shocked at the uncertainty that the pastors experienced. They were utterly reliant upon climactic circumstances to provide water, in order to keep themselves and their herd alive. 

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/PDF/Outputs/ZC0181b.pdf