Farming types and systems Cambridge IGCSE Geography (9–1) revision
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In plain words
Farming is the oldest industry and still the world's biggest employer. It ranges from a family with a hoe growing enough to eat, to plants grown under lights with their roots in mist. Whatever the kind, it works as a system: things go in, work is done, and food comes out.
8 things to know
- Subsistence farming grows food for the farmer's own family, with little or nothing left to sell. Commercial farming grows crops or rears animals to sell for profit.
- Arable farming grows crops. Pastoral farming rears animals. Mixed farming does both.
- Hydroponics grows plants in water containing nutrients, with no soil. Aeroponics grows plants with their roots in the air, sprayed with a mist of nutrients. Aquaponics combines fish and plants: the fish waste feeds the plants, and the plants clean the water for the fish.
- These soil-free methods use far less water and land and can be used in cities, but they are expensive to set up and need energy and skill.
- A farm is a system of inputs, processes and outputs.
- Inputs. Natural: climate, soil and relief. Human: labour, money, seeds, fertiliser, machinery and knowledge.
- Processes are the work done: ploughing, sowing, irrigating, weeding, harvesting, milking.
- Outputs are what the farm produces: crops, meat, milk and wool, and also waste. In commercial farming, some of the profit is put back in as an input.
Worked example
Sort these for a commercial wheat farm into inputs, processes and outputs: rainfall, harvesting, grain, fertiliser, ploughing, straw.
- Inputs: rainfall (natural) and fertiliser (human).
- Processes: ploughing and harvesting.
- Outputs: grain and straw.
Tips and tricks
- Subsistence and commercial describe the purpose. Arable and pastoral describe what is produced. A farm has one of each: for example, commercial arable.
- Split inputs into natural (physical) and human. Mark schemes often want both kinds.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
Farming types and systems: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
What is arable farming?
Pastoral farming is rearing animals.
What is subsistence farming?
Little or nothing is sold.
Which is a natural input to a farm?
Climate, soil and relief are natural inputs.
Which is a process on a farm?
A process is the work done.
What is aquaponics?
Fish waste feeds the plants, and the plants clean the water.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
3 questions, 7 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
Farming types and systems
Cambridge IGCSE Geography (9–1) 0976 · 7 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
Describe the difference between subsistence farming and commercial farming.[2]
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Subsistence farming produces food for the farmer and their family. Commercial farming produces crops or animals to sell for profit.
Give one example each of an input, a process and an output on a dairy farm.[3]
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Input: grass, or cattle feed. Process: milking. Output: milk.
Describe what is meant by hydroponics and give one advantage.[2]
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Growing plants in nutrient-rich water without soil. It uses much less water and land than growing in fields.
Answers: Farming types and systems
- 1. Subsistence farming produces food for the farmer and their family. Commercial farming produces crops or animals to sell for profit.
- 2. Input: grass, or cattle feed. Process: milking. Output: milk.
- 3. Growing plants in nutrient-rich water without soil. It uses much less water and land than growing in fields.