Question

What is the difference between intensive and extensive agriculture and livestock?

Answer 1

Agriculture (farming) and animal husbandry (intensive farming) entails the intensive use of investments in terms of capital (money), labor (personal), and modern technology. In this sense, in plants, for example, chemical fertilizers, agrochemicals are used to combat pests, soil pH correction, mechanization (tractors and other equipment in different stages of production (soil preparation, planting, harvesting, etc.) , Seeds selected or genetically modified, and the use of irrigation, soil drainage and other resources are common.In intensive livestock, the animals are usually confined (being trapped in an enclosed space, and feed is used) , As well as the use of techniques such as genetic manipulation, the use of artificial insemination (with the use of semen or embryos of animals of high productivity), monitoring by individual veterinarians, among other practices.

As you can see, the intensive mode is very expensive and its objective is to increase the productivity of plants and animals destined for commercialization, in a space much smaller than that of extensive. Generally, it employs a smaller number of people, due to the need for greater qualification and the use of machines.

As for the extensive modality the animals are created free, loose in the grass, without so much investment in terms of people, capital (money) and technology. In agriculture this modality is related to the use of traditional or very simple techniques, with a greater use of human labor and little use of machines. It is common for farmers to use the seeds of the previous crop on new plantations.

Finally, the intensive and extensive modalities are differentiated by the great investment of the former in comparison to the second in terms of machines and skilled workers, as well as the search for great productivity in the first.

Good studies!