The primary sector encompasses activities such as agriculture, livestock farming, forestry, and fishing, obtaining resources from nature. While it employed over a third of the global workforce, its economic contribution to GDP has diminished particularly in developed countries, where high productivity is achieved through technological advancements, while developing nations experience lower productivity relying on traditional methods. Factors influencing agriculture include human and physical aspects such as climate, techniques, and market needs, impacting how various types of farming and production systems operate globally.

1. THE PRIMARY SECTOR
UNIT 6

2. VOCABULARY
• Polyculture
• Monoculture
• Livestock farming
• Forestry
• Silviculture
• Intensive agriculture
• Extensive agriculture
• Aquaculture

3. THE PRIMARY
SECTOR
It includes the activities that
obtain resources from nature:
Agriculture
stock breeding
Hunting
Forestry
fishing
mining.
Page67. Ex1a, 1c, 2

4. The Primary sector today
• In most of the countries this number is gradually
decreasing.
Over a third of the world’s active population
works in the primary sector.
• 4% of total world production in 2008.
• The more developed a country is, less importance the
agriculture in GDP has.
The economic importance of the primary
sector has decreased:
GDP (Gross domestic
product) reflects the
economic importance
of each sector in one
country.

5. The Primary sector today
Developed
countries:
1-6% active
population
Contributes less
than 4% of GDP.
High productivity:
• technological
advances
• mechanization
Developing
countries:
50% active
population
Contributes more
than 10% of GDP.
low productivity:
• traditional farming
methods
Non developed
countries:
80% active
population
more than 50%
GDP.
low productivity:
• traditional farming
methods
Page67. 1d

6. FACTORS THAT AFFECT AGRICULTURE
HUMAN FACTORS
Population Techniques
Final
destination of
production
subsistence
commercial
Globalization
Agricultural
policies
Environmental
policies
PHYSICAL FACTORS
Climate Landscape:
Relief (gradient and altitude)
Soil
AGRICULTURE: cultivation of land in order to obtain different kind of plants:
grasses (cereals); vegetables, bushes (vines); or trees (olive, fruit trees). They
provide food for people, fodder for cattle and raw materials for industry.
Page 69. 1a

7. Human factors FARMING TECHNIQUES
Developed countries
Mechanization and
fertilizers
Increasing
production
High productivity
Developing countries
Traditional
techniques
Low production
FINAL DESTINATION OF
PRODUCTION
subsistence
agriculture
family
consumption
commercial
agriculture
market
B
B
B
A
A
A

8. PHYSICAL FACTORS
CLIMATE
Temperatures:
between 9º - 35º
Enough rain
LANDSCAPE
Relief: altitude
(decreased os
temperatura)
Gradients of terrain
above 10º make not
possible to grow.
SOIL

9. TYPES OF FARMING
COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE SUBSITENCE AGRICULTURE
PLANTATION AGRICULTURE

10. TYPES OF AGRICULTURE
• It is a large-scale
production of crops for
sale, intended for
widespread distribution
to wholesaler or retail
outlet.
COMMERCIAL
AGRICULTURE
• It is farming that
provides for the farm
family's needs with little
surplus for marketing.
SUBSISTENCE
AGRICULTURE

11. COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE
At the end of 18th
century in UK
AGRICULTURAL
REVOLUTION
Change from
subsistence system
to a COMMERCIAL
agriculture

12. COMMERCIAL
AGRICULTURE
To obtain
máximum
benefits
SPECIALIZATION
MECHANIZATION
MODERN FARMING
METHODS
Usually one product
(monoculture). Easy use of
machinery. High productivity.
Productivity increases
GMO
Fertilizers
High-yield seeds
Greenhouses,artif
icial soils, new
irrigation systems
Biotechnology
(genetically
modified crops)

13. COMMERCIAL
AGRICULTURE:
EFFECTS
High
productivity
Effiency
benefits
prices
marketing
distribution
Page 71. 2 a
Read page 71

14. AGRICULTURE IN LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
Traditional agriculture Plantation agriculture
TWO TYPES

15. TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE
Small plots
Extensive
polyculture
Primitive
farming
techniques,
manual labour
Low
productivity
Strong
dependence
on physical
factors
Polyculture consists on
using multiple crops in
a specific land.

16. PLANTATION
AGRICULTURE
Plantations are large farms or estates usually
located in less developed tropical countries
or areas.
It is a commercial agriculture. They are
controlled by multinational companies.
Monoculture higher productivity  for
export.
CROPS: cotton, tobacco, coffee, tea,
sugarcane…
Its origin is in the former colonies (by Spain
and Portugal, 16th to 19th centuries)

17. CHARACTERISTICSOF
PLANTATIONAGRICULTURE Globalization has increased the number
of plantations in LEDC
They are controlled by foreign companies
COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE: requires:
large extensions of
land
large capital
investment
good transport
network
abundant cheap
labour
modern machinery
and techniques
Monoculture
High productivity To export

18. AGRICULTURE

19. PLANTATION AGRICULTURE
BENEFITS for
Multinational
companies:
Lower production costs Low wages
Lower purchase prices
Advantages to
LEDC:
Jobs creation
Stimulates local
economy
New infrastructures:
Transport
marketing
New farming
techniques are
introduced
efficiency

20. PLANTATION
AGRICULTURE PROBLEMS IN LEDCs
Profits go to foreign
companies
Local workers
Low standar of living
Must leave their land
because they can not
compete
Some countries must to
import food
Environmental
impacts (intense
exploitation)
Dependence on
world’s prices
If prices go down,
wages drop
Unemployement
poverty
Page 73. 1
Page 79 ex.1

21. Look at the map
Page 73. 2-3 to do in class

22. LIVESTOCK FARMING
It consists of raising animals for food or for economic purposes: meat,
milk, eggs, honey, leather, etc. Some animals are also used as a source
of labour or for breeding.
The most common are
Cattle sheep pigs
Some farms concentrate exclusively on it
Some farms
Combine crops and
stock-breeding
Crops are used to feed
cattle, and their manure
is used to fertilize land.

23. New technologies and science had achieved
two important improvements:
Selective breeding
Systems for cooling and
freezing (distribution)
Productivity
Transport long distance
in good conditions
LIVESTOCK
FARMING
Two types of
livestock farming
EXTENSIVE LIVESTOCK
FARMING
INTENSIVE LIVESTOCK
FARMING
Related to
technology

24. LIVESTOCK
FARMING

26. EXTENSIVE LIVESTOCK FARMING
it is practised in both:
• developed and developing countries.
Characteristics:
• Large farms where animals graze in natural
pastures
• Scarce investment and low productivity
Typical livestock are:
• cattle or sheep
Destination of production
• Developed countries: market or commercial
livestock (sale)
• Developing: family´s consumption (subsistence)
It is found in:
• Areas with big pastures
• Central and western US, The Pampa of Argentina,
Australia or Republic of South Africa.

27. INTENSIVE LIVESTOCK FARMING
This is also called industrial livestock farming
Typical of developed countries.
CHARACTERISTICS:
Specialization in one animal
species
High productivity
Large investments
Stabled (feeding controlled) or
semi-stabled (pastures)
Intended for sale at marktets
Typical livestock; poultry, pigs and
cattle.
It is practised: EU, Eastern US,
Canada, New Zeland…

28. ADVANTAGES Increase food production
DISADVANTAGES Environmental damages: manure: methane gas
INTENSIVE LIVESTOCK FARMING
Page 75. ex 1a, 1b,

29. THE FOREST INDUSTRY
Forestry
It is the science or work
of cultivating,
maintaining, and
developing forests. It´s
the management of
forests and their
resources
provide products such
as
Wood rubber Cork
Their uses are
Construction
Paper and
furniture
industry

30. Wood production is
conditioned by the
climate.
Most wood comes from
rainforest and tropical forests,
and northern temperate forests.

31. FORESTS
CONIFEROUS FOREST, FINLAND
LEAFY FOREST, CANADA
AMAZON RAINFOREST, BRAZIL

32. SILVICULTURE• A silvicultural system is the
process of tending, harvesting
and regenerating a forest in
order to prevent trees from
disappearing.
• Forest exploitation is
scientifically controlled.
Page 75. ex 1f

33. REFORESTATION
• It is the process of
planting new trees in
areas where they have
been removed by cutting
or destroyed by fire,
disease, etc.
• PLANTATION FORESTS

34. AGRICULTURAL
LANDSCAPES
They are the result
of agricultural
activities which
transform natural
landscape and
environment.
• some are in relation with
climate conditions
• others with human
activities.
Some different
factors make them
possible:

35. AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE MODIFIERS ELEMENTS
Plots
Size
Shape
Crops production system
Extensive
Intensive
Crops
diversity
Water needs:
Dry
Irrigated
Crops
Monoculture
Polycuture

36. PLOTS
Number of plots:
• one or more plots
form an exploitation
(1 owner)
Size:
• Openfield (big fields,
no fences)
• Bocage (small fields,
fenced plots)
Shape:
• Regular
• Irregular
an area of land that has been measured and is
considered as a unit

37. c
c
CROP PRODUCTION SYSTEM
INTENSIVE:
Modern
techniques
High yield in
developed
countries.
EXTENSIVE:
Traditional
techniques:
fallow
Lower yield
•A land is not planted with crops, in
order to improve the quality of
the soil
FALLOW:
CROPS IN RELATION WITH
WATER
DRY:
Just rainwater
IRRIGATED:
Artificial
methods of
irrigation: drip
irrigation,
canals,
channels,
sprinklers...• Winter wheat
• corn
• beans
• Sunflowers
• grapes
• tomatoes
• pumpkins
• beans
DRY CROPS

38. CROP PRODUCTION
Monoculture
It is found when there is just
one crop cultivated.
Polyculture
It is found when there are
more than one crop cultivated.

41. COMMONAGRICULTURALPOLICY
(CAP)
European law focus on the needs of primary sector.
OBJECTIVE
led Europe to compete in a
global market
MEASUREMENTS:
Improve competitiviness
Ensure healthy food production
Improve halthy and walfare of
animals
Respect the environment
Achieve sustaineble and dynamic
rural economy

42. RURAL HABITATS
• Small number of
buildings
• Agricultural or
dormitory function
• Low density
• Close community
• Small number of
services
• In countryside
In general, we can distinguish
two types of habitat:
Scattered: houses are
among the fields.
Concentrated: houses
are grouped together.

43. RURAL HABITATS
SCATTERED
Dispersed
CONCENTRATED
Nucleated
Page 77. ex 1, 2aPage 77. ex 1, 2a

44. CONCENTRATED COMMUNITIES (nucleated)
• Are more common
• Easy access to common services:
• Transport, schools, health centre…
• Favourable locations*: places with easier access to water, good soil, plains, sunny
slopes…
• Good transportation infrastructures
* Rememeber Topic: Settlements

45. •Near the coast
•Traditional methods.
•Self-consumption or sale at
local markets.
•Important source of food in
LECDs
•It is carried out near the
coast in small or medium size
boats.
•The boats use refrigerated
compartments or ice to
preserve the catch.
•It takes place at sea, on large
“factory-ships”.
•Modern techniques are used.
•Facilities to clean, cut,
package and freeze the cath.
•They usually stay at sea for
weeks.
FISHING
Fishing is the activity of catching
aquatic animals. It is part of the
primary sector of the economy.
COMMERCIAL FISHING: about 75% of the total
world catch is for human consumption.
25% is used as raw material for other industries.
Fishing types are classified by where they
take place:
Coastal fishing Inshore fishing Offshore fishing

47. Page 87 ex 1

48. • It is an important problem. It
can cause:
– Species disappearance
– Damage the environment
• Due to harsh, agressive and
invasive techniques

50. • Fishing grounds are areas where fish naturally concentrate.
• The best ones are along continental shelves.
Where are fish caught?
• Access to fishing grounds is controlled by international
maritime law.
• Coastal states have exclusive legal rights to marine
resources up to 370 km from their coasts. This is called
the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
• Governments must make agreements to fish in another
country’s EEZ.
FISHING GROUNDS
Page 78. ex
1 a, c, 2a

53. Aquaculture*
• AQUAFARMING
• Aquaculture is the farming of
aquatic organisms in both coastal
and inland areas involving
interventions in the rearing process
to enhance production.
• It is probably the fastest growing
food-producing sector and now
accounts for 50 percent of the
world's fish that is used for food.
*
Zhejiang, Exper. Centre for Aquaculture production Intensive
production in warm water. (24-27 °C)
Aquaculture centre, quin Pu District.
Pearl-mussels (Hyriopsis cumingii)

54. Page 80. ex
a, b, f