A world map of farming looks a lot like a map of climate zones. Climate and soil set what can grow; markets and transportation decide what pays.
Key idea
Plantations grow in the tropics; Mediterranean farms grow grapes, olives and citrus; dairy farms sit near cities in cool, wet regions; grain grows on wide plains; ranchers and nomadic herders use dry lands; shifting cultivation is found in tropical rainforests.
| Farming type | Climate | Where, for example |
|---|---|---|
| Plantation (coffee, cocoa, bananas, sugarcane, palm oil) | Hot and wet, tropical | Central America, West Africa, Southeast Asia, Brazil |
| Mediterranean (grapes, olives, citrus, winter wheat) | Dry, hot summers; mild, rainy winters | Around the Mediterranean Sea, California, central Chile |
| Dairy | Cool and humid, good pasture | Northeastern U.S., Wisconsin, northwestern Europe, New Zealand |
| Commercial grain (wheat) | Semi-arid to humid grasslands | U.S. Great Plains, Canadian Prairies, Ukraine, Argentina's Pampas |
| Mixed crop and livestock (corn, soybeans, hogs) | Humid, warm summers | The U.S. Corn Belt, much of Europe |
| Ranching | Semi-arid | U.S. West, Australia's interior, Patagonia |
| Pastoral nomadism | Arid and semi-arid | The Sahel, Arabia, Central Asia, Mongolia |
| Shifting cultivation | Tropical rainforest | Amazon Basin, Central Africa, parts of Southeast Asia |
Why it works
Plants have needs: a growing season long enough, enough rain at the right time, and no killing frost for tropical crops. Olive trees survive the Mediterranean's dry summers that would ruin corn. Cocoa needs warmth and rain all year. Within what climate allows, money decides: milk spoils, so dairies cluster near cities; dry grain keeps and ships well, so it can grow far from buyers.
Worked example: Read the climate
A region has dry, hot summers and mild, rainy winters. Which farming fits best: plantation bananas, Mediterranean grapes and olives, or commercial dairy?
- Dry summers and rainy winters are the Mediterranean climate.
- Grapes and olives are adapted to summer drought.
- Bananas need rain and warmth all year; dairy needs green pasture.
Answer: Mediterranean grapes and olives.
Worked example: Why near the city?
Two farms have the same climate. One is 20 km from a big city; the other is 800 km away. Which is more likely to be a dairy farm?
- Fresh milk spoils fast and is heavy to ship.
- The farm close to the city can get it to buyers quickly and cheaply.
Answer: The farm 20 km from the city.
Common mistake
Thinking any crop can grow anywhere with enough work. Climate and soil set what grows best; markets and transport decide what pays. Greenhouses can grow tomatoes in winter, but at a cost that only pays near rich markets.