Annex identification of different global production systems and their relative productivity
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1.4.4 Dualistic mixedThis farming system is one of contrasts; large commercial farms are found alongside smallholdings. such systems are found in parts of Russia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Globally, an agricultural population of nearly 200 million is supported by this type of system, which is found in over 400 million ha of cultivated land. It has diverse production patterns, with systems prevalent in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Latin America, but also in Africa. Most of these systems are rain-fed, with the exception being the irrigated farming systems of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, dominated by medium and large farms (FAO, 2006). Typically, ruminant livestock are found as part of mixed farming systems in developing countries. An estimate in 1996 put such systems responsible for producing over 65% of beef, 69% of mutton and 92% of cow milk in developing countries (FAO, 1996). Such a combination of crops and livestock production provides a symbiotic relationship. Crops and their residues provide feed for livestock, while livestock provide manure which fertilises land, food, diversity and therefore reduces risk. Although short-cycle species, such as chickens and pigs, are important to ensure domestic food security and a source of income for families, it is cows and sheep which convert fibrous material and forages into valuable products. To illustrate, around 250 million work animals provide draft power for the cultivation of around half the total cropland in developing countries (FAO, 2003). Table 1.11: Characteristics of dualistic mixed production systems
14) Fishing and aquaculture AquacultureAquaculture involves the farming of aquatic species in controlled conditions. The EU is not a big player in this type of production although farms producing mussels, oysters, salmon and trout can all be found in the region. Since the 1950s, the number of species produced under aquaculture has grown from traditional production of oysters, mussels, carp and shrimps, due to the ease of obtaining an abundance of other artificially reared species for production. Carp is the main fish cultured worldwide, accounting for 70% in 1999, but in general it is not a significantly traded commodity (Dixon et al., 2001). Current aquaculture productions levels are beyond 1995 projections, with an increasing proportion of this being used for consumption (rising from 19% in 1990 to 34% in 1999). Key producers are in Asia, particularly China, where, 1n 1999, 89% of all aquaculture production was found (Dixon et al, 2001). Capture Fisheries Between 1970 and 1999, total annual fish production almost doubled from 65 million tons to 125 million tons (FAO, 2003; Our Task, 2008). Global marine fisheries produced around 80-85 million tonnes of fish in the 1990s and production in inland fisheries increased from 6.4 million tons in 1990 to almost 8.3 million tons in 1999. Some trends in marine fisheries include a decline in high value, large species of fish, which are substituted with smaller, short-lived species. This change is caused by over-fishing of predator species, making the cost of tuna, cod and mackerel very high. Marine aquaculture involves the culture of fish in ponds; net cages in open waters or raceways (Wu, 1995). The table below outlines predominant fishing types across the world. The growth in marine fish farming presents a number of environmental concerns as well as conflicts of interest between countries and users of the high seas. See chapter 2 for further discussion on the environmental impact associated with fishing and aquaculture. Offshore fishing Offshore fishing involves the use of small vessels which are likely to return to port every night while deep sea fishing uses larger vessels which travel to international waters and stay at sea for a week or two, for instance traditional UK trawlers. The former Soviet long-distance fleet with factory ships would stay at sea for a couple of months. Shellfish is the main target of offshore fishing today. In 2006, Spain and the Netherlands landed the largest quantities of fish for consumption by humans, at around ¾ million tonnes. The volume of fish caught in varying regions highlights consumer preferences; for instance, Italy landed the most European anchovies, the Netherlands and Denmark the most Atlantic herring, Spain and Portugal the most European pilchards, and the United Kingdom the most Atlantic mackerel (European Commission, 2008). Marine fishing Latin American countries are major exporters of fish products and comprise 11% of worldwide exports. Chile is the predominant net exporter, particularly of shrimp and fishmeal (FAO, 1998). Other prime species include Ecuadorian shrimps, Peruvian Anchoveta, Chilean horse mackerel and mackerel, squid and hake, followed by basses and conger from the South West Atlantic (FAO, 1998). In Korea in 1995, a fish catch of almost 3 million metric tons was seventh largest in the world (Agribusiness, 2009). Whilst there is a lack of data available on inland fisheries and the range of services inland waters provide, initial findings suggest it may be more profitable to use Brazilian floodplains for fisheries than for cattle grazing (Dixon et al., 2001). The coastal artisanal farming systems (areas shown in pink in figure 1, e.g. western coast of Madagascar) are important for domestic food security, with inshore fishing providing a livelihood for many. A rapid growth in aquaculture in this system has been seen, for one because crop yields have a tendency to be low due to poor soil nutrient content. Those areas which do have fertile soil are susceptible to storms and floods, for instance around the Bay of Bengal. Tree crop production also occurs, for instance coconut and cashew, and some livestock are bred, particularly goat and poultry (FAO, 2006). It is thought that catches from inland fisheries are underestimated, due to the extensive characteristics of many fisheries. As well as this, fish caught inland for instance through the coastal artisanal system, tend to be sold locally and do not therefore enter the economy. As an estimate, it is suggested that in Brazil, Ghana and South East Asia, productivity might be twice to six times higher than reported (Dixon et al, 2001). Aquaculture
Capture fisheries
References African Agriculture. (2009). Smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe grapple with effects of climate change. [Online at: http://africanagriculture.blogspot.com/2009/03/smallholder-farmers-in-zimbabwe-grapple.html] Agribusiness in a Global Environment. (2009). Comparing Global Agricultural Production Systems. [http://www.ais.msstate.edu/age/Lesson2Print.pdf] Avermaete U. (1998) Worldwide Impact of Horticulture. [Online at: http://www.agrsci.unibo.it/wchr/wc1/faodoc1.html] Agrinet. (2001). Closed system for water and nutrient management in horticulture. [Online at: http://ec.europa.eu/research/agriculture/projects/qlrt_1999_31301_en.htm] Download 308.4 Kb. Share with your friends:
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