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. This has led to:
- Diversification
- Methods of raising productivity and profits
- There are many different ways of diversifying
Examples of diversification
Recreation and Leisure
- Many of the ways of diversifying are linked to recreation and leisure
- People in developed countries have more time and disposable incomeĀ
- 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 often provide the accommodation as well with barns and outbuildings converted to holiday cottages and fields used as camping/caravan sites