Different farming systems are used for the explotation of agricultural space.
The main categories are:
- Depending on the use of water agricultura could be:
- 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.