FARMING SYSTEMS

Different farming systems are used for the explotation of agricultural space.

The main categories are:

Depending on the use of water agricultura could be:

+ Irrigated agriculture: crops receive water from man made irrigation systems.

This method is used for rice, fruit trees and cotton.

+ Rain fed agriculture is when crops only receive water from the rain. Sunflowers, vines, wheat and olive trees only receive water from the rain.

Depending on the variety of species could be:

+ Monoculture when the cultivation is based only in one crop. Cereals, cotton and coffee are monocultures.

+ Mixed cropping or polyculture is when several species are farmed in the same plot. Mixed crosps grown by irrigated agriculture include fruit trees , peppers, tomatoes, lettuce.

Depending on the use of soil:

+ Intensive agriculture contains high capital investment in tools, machinery, seeds and labour are used to obtain máximum yield . Crops are produced for commercial purposes . Market garden farming systems are included in this category.

+ Extensive agriculture does not use technological or human resources to obtain máximum yield. Production can be for sale (wheat and corn belts in USA) or for personal consumption.