89 10.5 KEY TERMS DEFINED
agribusiness: commercial agriculture engaged in the production, processing, and distribution of food
agriculture: a science, art, and business directed to modify some specific portions of the Earth’s surface through the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock for sustenance and profit
biofuels: fuel derived from biological materials
biorevolution: the genetic engineering of plant and animals with the potential to exceed the production of the Green Revolution
biotechnology: the manipulation through genetic engineering of living organisms or their components to make or modify products or processes for specific use
commercial agriculture: a system in which farmers produce crops and animals primarily for sale
conventional farming: agriculture that uses chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides) and/or hormone-based practices
crop rotation: method in which the field under cultivation remain the same, but the crop is changed in order to avoid exhausting the soil
double cropping: method used in the milder climates in which intensive subsistence fields are planted and harvested twice per year
famine: extreme scarcity of food
food regime: specific set of links, indicating the ways a particular type of food is dominant during a specific time
food security: the situation when all people, at all times, have access to food for an active and healthy life
food sovereignty: the right of people, communities, and countries to define their own agricultural policies
globalized agriculture: agriculture increasingly influenced more at the global or regional levels than at national level
genetically modified organisms (GMOs): organisms that have their DNA modified in a laboratory
Green Revolution: a new agricultural technology characterized by high-yield seeds and fertilizers exported from the core to the periphery in order to increase their agricultural productivity
hunting and gathering: activities through which people obtain food from hunting wild animals, fishing, and gathering fruits, nuts and roots
intensive subsistence agriculture: a form of subsistence agriculture in which farmers involve the effective and efficient use of small parcels of land in order to maximize crop yield per hectare
nontraditional agricultural exports: new export crops that contrast with traditional exports
organic farming: a method of crop and livestock production without commercial fertilizers, pesticides, growth hormones, and genetically modified organisms
pastoralism: subsistence activity that involves the breeding and herding of animals to satisfy the human needs of food, shelter, and clothing
pastoral nomadism: a traditional form of subsistence agriculture in which the pastoralists travel with their herds over long distances and with no fixed pattern
plantation: large landholdings in developing regions specialized in the production of one or two crops usually for export to more developed countries
ranching: a form of commercial agriculture in which the livestock graze over an extensive area
shifting cultivation: a form of subsistence agriculture, which involves a kind of natural rotation system
slash-and-burn agriculture: a method for obtaining more agricultural land in which fields are cleared (swidden) by slashing the vegetation and burning the debris
subsistence agriculture: farming designed to grow food only to sustain farmers and their families, consuming most of that they produce without entering into cash economy of the country
sustainable agriculture: the efficient production of safe, high quality agricultural products, in a way that protects and improves the natural environment, the social and economic conditions of farmers, and safeguards the health and welfare of all farmed species
swidden: land that is cleared for planting using the slash-and-burn process
transhumance: a seasonal vertical movement by herding the livestock to cooler, greener high country pastures in the summer and returning them to lowland settings for fall and winter grazing
undernourishment/undernutrition: inadequate dietary consumption that is below the minimum requirement for maintaining a healthy life
