Spatial diffusion is the topic that I was most interested in as I went through module 2. According the the module readings the spatial diffusion of agriculture involved individuals and groups of people gaining access to the ideas, information, and materials of agriculture and other innovations through physical relocation and social interactions. This began with the settlement of hunter and gatherers and domestication of crops and animals. As societies settled, there was more time for critical thinking. Different peoples settled in different areas and had to deal with different crops, climates and challenges. Spatial diffusion is fueled based on where the settlements began and the diversity of knowledge in agriculture was the result. Collaborations between different areas lead us to where we are today. The local knowledge that was gained from the earliest spatial diffusion has gradually become general knowledge in the field.
The beginnings of spatial diffusion also lead to the imbalance of success in certain areas of the world. The people who settled in land locked, dry areas had much less access to goods and services and, as a result, less success through the years. As the modern age came about, the farmers in those areas have fallen behind in production and technology because of their lack of access to equipment and items including things like tractors, knowledge, seed varieties and workforces. Spatial diffusion, as mentioned, is involved with groups of people gaining access to ideas and information and materials. Unfortunately, not all farmers have the necessary access to succeed and as a result are struggling to make a living.
The Green Revolution is an example of how access to information and materials improved agriculture. During this period in time, there was a renovation of agricultural practices. Norman Borlaug, the father of the Green Revolution, started his work in Mexico in the 1940s and his technologies incorporated with traditional style breeding significantly increased the amount of calories produced per acre of agriculture. These technologies spread worldwide in the 1950s and 1960s making crop yields much higher and farmer much more successful across the world and temporarily solving a global food shortage problem (Briney). These technologies were shared with the world, but not all of the world could afford it, and not all of the world had the access to the knowledge and ideas and materials being provided to help farmers become more successful. A big negative impact of the Green Revolution was that Africa and parts of Asia were left behind. The rest of the world had the means to implement these new practices, but the areas that didn’t, developing nations and areas, did not and as a result the world progressed without them. This is all due to spatial diffusion. Some areas have much worse access than other areas and have been left behind in technologies, education, economies and agriculture because of their spatial disadvantage.
To reiterate, it all goes back to the end of hunting and gathering. The original settlers who began gaining knowledge, domesticating crops and more decided the fate of their successors. Once a certain point was reached, some areas had the access to the necessary means and ability to continue to learn and others did not. Today, agriculture is different in different areas. Less than 1% of the United States Population are farmers and in Africa over 65% of the entire labor force works in agriculture (Resources). This as well as the agricultural economy indicates how spatial diffusion caused some areas to fall behind in technologies and efficiency.
Briney, Amanda. “All You Wanted to Know about the Green Revolution.” About.com Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.
“Resources For.” Africa. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.
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