Unit 2: Agriculture- Von Thunen #2 / 3
1. The intensity of production model was created by:
(a) Alfred Weber in 1929 and discusses the economic benefits of the isolated state
(b) Thomas Malthus in 1783, examining the correlation of population growth and demand for food as well as the ability to produce that food
(c) Von Thunen in 1820 who examined the number of inputs in the land to the number of outputs.
(d) Walter Christaller in 1785 who emphasized the importance of distance and transport to market as critical economic factors.
2. Locational Rent may be defined as:
(a) The difference between the total revenue received by the farmer minus the total cost
(b) Profits in general, devised by the simple formula: Revenue- Profits
(c) The difference between the revenue received at market price and the price the farmer estimates his goods at.
(d) The amount of money the farmer pays to rent a piece of land, which adds to total cost.
3. Which of the following statements is true?
(a) The greater the production cost and distance from market the greater the locational rent.
(b) The greater the production cost and the smaller the distance from market the smaller the locational rent
(c) The greater the market price and the greater the distance from the market the greater the locational rent
(d) The greater the market price and the smaller the distance from market the greater the locational rent.
4. The farmer is said to be on the margin of cultivation if:
(a) Where revenue is greater than cost
(b) Where revenue and cost is equal
(c) Where cost and distance is equal
(d) Where market prices is greater than cost
5. At the margin of cultivation, locational rent of the land is:
(a) 100
(b) 30
(c) 15
(d) 0
6. Von Thunen’s model of Agricultural land use is still applicable in today’s world:
(a) True our ability to transport energy long distances allows us to cultivate anywhere
(b) False, as Von Thunen did not anticipate changes in demand, take into consideration Government’s input such as environmental zoning laws etc.
(c) Somewhat, when one considers small villages in the Meditteranean and less developed areas eg. Carces in France where the where the physical pattern infuences land use and the farmer travel by foot.
(d) Not at all, in today’s world, improvements in technology have made industries footloose.
7. Von Thunen’s work remain valuable today because:
(i) It focuses attention on economic factors and not just physical factors in agriculture
(ii) It introduces the concept of locational rent
(iii) The rigid assumptions have led to additional research on decision making
(iv) It provides a useful framework for organizing village and farm studies
(a) i, ii only
(b) ii, iii, iv only
(c) i, ii, iv only
(d) i, ii, iii, iv
8. Which of the following are cultural factors which affect farming?
(a) Land tenure, farm size, share cropping
(b) Farm size, technology, capital
(c) Share cropping, transport, markets
(d) Inheritance, farm size and the state
9. What are some of the considerations one must bear in mind when looking at agricultural land use maps?
(a) Boundaries between farming types are usually arbitrary
(b) Specialized crops may be grown locally within a subsistence area
(c) Types of farming alter over time with changes in the econom
(d) All of the above
10. What type of agriculture can still be found amongst the Aboriginies in Australia, Pygmies in Central America and Bushmen of the Kalahari
(a) Commercial Pastoral Farming
(b) Hunting and Gathering
(c) Backyard vegetable cultivation
(d) Arable Farming
11. Which of the following is true of nomadic pastoralist?
(a) they exist in areas where climates are too extreme to support permanent settlement.
(b) The vegetation grows prolifically where their animals feed and often exist near waterholes
(c) All of the above
(d) None of the above
12. Which of the following are factors which are affecting Amerindian traditional way of life in Brazil?
(a) Commercial timber and hydro-electric schemes
(b) Government policy and cattle ranching
(c) All of the above
(d) None of the above
13. Maximum use of small pieces of land, without fallow period for agriculture is:
(a) Extensive subsistence farming
(b) Intensive subsistence farming
(c) Slash and Burn agriculture
(d) Shifting Cultivation
14. In places such as the Ganges, Mekong and Irrawaddy farming takes place mainly as:
(a) Large scale arable/ plantation style
(b) Mostly pastoral farming that follow the river course
(c) On floodplains in which the water is trapped in bunds
(d) Commercial vegetable gardening
15. On the hillslopes of Indonesia and the Phillipines:
(a) Hillside terracing is done for vegetable farming
(b) Dry padis exist on terraced volcanic slopes
(c) Upland rice gives a richer product
(d) None of the above
For the following questions write short notes:
1. What is a cash crop?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of plantation agriculture?
3. Briefly outline the concerns for Rubber plantations in Maylasia
4. Compare Extensive commercial arable farming in Canada with Intensive Commercial farming in the Western Netherlands.
5. Outline 3 ways in which farming contributes to the destruction of the environment and 3 measures that are being taken to make farming more environmentally friendly.