Diversification of Farming (Edexcel IGCSE Geography): Revision Note

Farm diversification

• Farming in developed countries has changed significantly over the last 200 years:

  • Farms are larger: many small farms have been taken over and combined to create larger farms

  • Mechanisation has increased meaning less labour is needed

  • Fertilisers and pesticides have improved in effectiveness

  • Animals are bred to produce more milk and meat

• In the UK farming now only creates 1% of the GDP

• Overall farming is becoming less profitable

  • The cost of farming inputs such as machinery and animal feed is greater than the profits made from outputs

• This has led to:

  • diversification which refers to any additional activities used to raise income

  • methods of raising productivity and profits

• There are many different ways of diversifying

• All diversification requires an investment of capital

Recreation & leisure

• Many of the ways of diversifying are linked to recreation and leisure

• People in developed countries have more time and disposable income 

• Visiting rural areas in leisure time for activities is increasingly popular

• Leisure activities linked to this on farms include:

  • horse riding

  • alpaca walking

  • hunting and shooting

  • off-roading

  • mountain biking

• Farms also often provide accommodation with barns and outbuildings converted to holiday cottages and fields used as camping/caravan sites

Increasing productivity

Genetically Modified (GM) crops

• Genetic modification involves using genes from one species to improve another species and increase yields:

  • Crops can be made pesticide-resistant so that when pesticides are sprayed to remove the pests the crop is undamaged

  • The vitamin which causes carrots to be orange (beta carotene) is added to rice to increase human uptake of the vitamin

• Genetic modification is controversial

• GM crops are grown in many countries, including the USA, Canada, Argentina and India

• In 2022, the UK government is looking to remove the controls which stop the widespread growth of GM crops

Specialist crops

• Farms may choose to specialise in a specialist crop or livestock

• Specialist livestock and crops increase profits as they sell for higher prices

• Specialist livestock farmed in the UK include:

  • buffalo

  • ostriches

  • llamas

  • alpacas

  • reindeer

• Specialist crops may include:

  • cut flowers

  • grapes for wine

  • the UK's first tea plantation is in Cornwall

  • seaweed

Organic farming

• Increasing numbers of farmers are converting to organic methods

• Demand for organic food is growing due to health, animal welfare and environmental concerns

• Organic certification means that:

  • organic livestock are grazed on the land and antibiotics are only used when it is medically necessary

  • organic crops are grown without the use of artificial pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers

• Organic farming may be less productive

• Products are only available seasonally

• The price farmers receive for organic produce is higher which compensates for the lower yield