Written Material (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Geography)

Increasing food supply can be done by increasing the area of cultivation or by making agriculture more intensive. Fig. 6.1 below describes some of these methods

Fig. 6.1

Using information from Fig. 6.1 only, describe:

(i) Two ways of increasing the area cultivated [2 marks].

(ii) Two ways of making agriculture more intensive [2 marks].

Answer

(i) Widening the use of irrigation provides a regular water supply and reduces the risk of crop failure due to drought [1 mark]. Terracing steep slopes allows more land to be used to grow crops and this leads to higher crop yields. [1 mark].

(ii) Increasing the amount of fertiliser increases crop yields and can shorten growing time, increasing opportunities to grow two crops in one season [1 mark]. Mechanisation has intensified agriculture through cutting down time spent on jobs such as ploughing, sowing or harvesting [1 mark].

Mark allocation

• 1 mark for each described method that increases a cultivated area up to a maximum of 2 marks.

• 1 mark for each described method that intensifies agriculture up to a maximum of 2 marks.

• The use of mechanisation is allowed once under either heading

• The key word here is 'describe', not state

  • This means briefly saying how each idea has increased cultivation or how agriculture has been intensified.

Alternative content

• The answer above is just one example of a response to this question. Other information that could be used in the answer includes:

  • (i)

    • deforestation

    • drainage

    • using areas of bush or natural vegetation

  • (ii)

    • improving crop varieties

    • improving methods of cultivation and/or harvesting

Suggest one reason for the shift in manufacturing production shown. 

[3 marks]

Answer

By-passing Mexico is due to costs of production [1 mark]. China has a larger work force but also a cheaper one [1 mark]. This cuts the cost of manufacturing and Ford has moved to an area with low costs to maximise profits [1 mark].

Mark allocation

• 1 mark for an idea from the resources.

• Further 2 marks through explaining why this might be.

Alternative content

• The answer above is just one example of a response to this question. Other information that could be used in the answer includes:

  • Countries like China can offer manufacturers new markets. This increases local sales and company profits.

  • Advances in technology help relocate manufacturing to overseas countries; this provides new jobs but also maintains the quality of the product.

Read the figure below:

Suggest how government policies and other factors may have reduced Vietnam's birth rate. [4 marks] 

Answer

The government restricted family size by imposing a two-child limit [1 mark]. They also ran campaigns to educate people about family planning and encouraged people to use contraception or have abortions by making them cheaper and more accessible [1 mark].

Being fined by losing rice reduces the food available to feed the family, as does taking land off the families because they can't grow enough food to feed the family or sell to make money to buy goods for the family [1 mark]. Mechanising farms means that fewer people are needed for agricultural work and places more emphasis on secondary and tertiary sector employment [1 mark].

Mark allocation

• 1 mark for each idea from the resource up to 4 marks.

• The command word 'suggest' means using overall knowledge and understanding to present a likely reason why policies and factors led to birth decline.

Alternative content

• The answer above is just one example of a response to this question. Other information that could be used in the answer includes:

  • People concentrating on careers

    Education of women

  • Later marriages

  • Improvement of infant healthcare/lower IMR (infant mortality rate)

  • Pensions