Von Thunen's model of agricultural land use proposes that the type of agriculture in concentric zones around a central market city is determined by the transportation costs of different agricultural products. The model suggests that dairy farming and intensive agriculture will occur in the innermost zone due to high transportation costs for perishable products. Timber and firewood production is next as wood is heavy. Extensive grain farming is in the third zone as grains have lower transport costs. Ranching is in the outermost zone as livestock are self-transporting and have the lowest transport costs. The model aims to explain the balance between land costs and transportation in determining agricultural location patterns.

1. GEOG326: AGRICULTURAL GEOGRAPHY
VON THUNEN’S MODEL OF
AGRICULTURAL
LAND USE
A PRESENTATION
PREPARED
BY
WESLEY MELLY
1Prepared by Wesley

2. BASIC TERMINOLOGIES
• Agriculture: The science or practice of farming, including
cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the
rearing of animals to provide food, wool, and other products.
• Land use : the use of land for particular propose (agriculture,
settlements, forest )
• Intensive farming: Intensive farming or intensive agriculture
is a kind of agriculture where a lot of capital and labor is
used to increase the yield that can be obtained per area. The
use of large amounts of pesticides for crops and of
medication for animal stocks is common. 2Prepared by Wesley

3. CONT……..
• Extensive farming: Extensive farming or extensive
agriculture (as opposed to intensive farming) is an
agricultural production system that uses small inputs
of labor, fertilizers, and capital, relative to the land
area being farmed.
• Isotropic: Same.
• Bid rent: how much someone is willing to pay for a
particular piece of land.
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4. INTRODUCTION
• The agricultural land use model was developed by JOHANN
HEINRICH VON THEUNEN (1783-1850) in early 1800’s (19th
century) but it wasn't translated into English until 1966.
• He was a German skilled farmer having knowledge about
economics. His model is also known as “concentric rings
theory of agricultural land use.”
• The model has 4 rings which developed around the central
city. Each ring shows a different type of agricultural land use.
• Von Thunen’s model was created before industrialization,
highways, railroads, factories, etc. came into light.
4Prepared by Wesley

5. VON THUNE’S MODEL 1
5Prepared by Wesley

6. VON THUNEN’S MODEL 2
6Prepared by Wesley

7. CONT……
• According to Von Thunen’s model, the relative cost of
transport for different agricultural commodities to the
central market determines the agricultural land use in
the city.
• The most productive activities will be closest to the
center market and the activities not productive
enough will be located away from center city.
7Prepared by Wesley

8. ASSUMPTIONS
1. The land must be isotropic with no river, mountain etc.
2. The isolated state is surrounded by an occupied wilderness.
3. The soil quality and climate are consistent throughout the
state.
4. The transport cost is proportional to the distance.
5. All farmers have equal access to transport.
6. All the farmers are economically rational.
7. All farmers have equal information regarding market
demands, cost of production and they all attempt to
maximize profits.
8Prepared by Wesley

9. EXPLANATION OF VON THUNEN’S MODEL
1. There are four rings of agricultural activity surrounding the
city. Dairying and intensive farming occur in the ring closest
to the city. The related products (vegetables, fruit, milk and
other dairy products) have the highest profits, but also the
highest transportation costs because they are vulnerable
and perishable.
2. Timber and firewood will be produced for fuel and building
materials in the second zone. Before industrialization (and
coal power), wood was a very important fuel for heating
and cooking. Wood is very heavy and therefore difficult
and costly to transport.
9Prepared by Wesley

10. CONT………
3. The third zone consists of extensive field crops such as
grains for bread. Since grains last for longer periods than dairy
products and also lighter than wood, their transport cost will
therefore be lower allowing its production to be further from
the city.
4. Ranching is located in the final ring surrounding the central
city. Animals can be raised far from the city because they are
self-transporting and thus have low transport costs. Beyond
the fourth ring lies the unoccupied wilderness, which is in a
greater distance from the central city for any type of
agricultural product. 10Prepared by Wesley

11. BUT IT ALWAYS DOESN,T LOOK SAME
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12. BID RENT CURVE (Economic Rent)

NB: As distance from the city center increase, the cost of
the land reduces
12
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13. CONT………..
• The model compares the relationships between production cost, the market price
and the transport cost of an agricultural commodity and is expressed as follows:
R= Y(p-c)- Yfm
R = Rent per unit of land.
Y = Yield per unit of land.
p = market price per unit of yield.
c = Average production costs per unit of yield.
m = Distance from market (in kilometers or miles).
f = Freight rate per unit of yield and unit of distance. 13
Prepared by Wesley

14. EXPLANATION
• All agricultural land users are maximizing their
productivity (rent), which in this case is dependent
upon their location from the market (Central City).
The role of farmer is to maximize his profit which is
simply the market price minus the transport and
production costs.
• The most productive activities (gardening or milk
production) or activities having high transport costs
(firewood) locate nearby the market.
14Prepared by Wesley

15. CRITICISM ON MODEL
•Different transportation costs. Example: boats are the
cheapest. mode of transportation.
•variations in topography.
•Soil fertility.
•Changes in demand or price of the commodity.
•The invention of refrigeration has largely diminished
the importance of the perishability factor.
•Not only physical but social, political and cultural
factor also affect agricultural location.
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16. CONCLUSION
Even though the Von Thunen model came into light in time
before introduction of factories, highway and even railroads, it is
still an essential model in geography. The Von Thunen model is
an excellent illustration of the balance between land cost and
transportation costs. As one gets closer to a city, the price of land
increase. Farmers should balance the cost of transportation, land
and profit and focus on producing the most cost-effective
products for the market so as to receive greater profits.
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17. Prepared by Wesley 17
REFERENCES
What is the Von Thunen Model? WorldAtlas.com
https://www.worldatlas.com › what-is-the-von-thunen-model
Theories of Agriculture: Locational Theories of Agriculture
www.yourarticlelibrary.com › geography › theories-of-agriculture-
location..
Learn About the Von Thunen Model – ThoughtCo
https://www.thoughtco.com › Humanities › Geography › Urban
Geography
The Von Thünen Model of Agricultural Land
https://is.mendelu.cz.eknihovna.opory.zobraz..cast

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