Farming and land location

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33959, 27 September 1975, Page 10

Farming and land location

Agricultural Geography. By John R. Farrant. David and Charles. 279 pp. N.Z. price $14.85.

On its dust cover Dr Farrant’s book not only provides a view of the earth from a N.A.S.A. space flight but also describes the book as one of a series in which “leading geographers tackle subjects which are of urgent current interest and to which geographical method has made an important contribution.” It then claims that the books of the series “mark a departure from orthodox academic textbooks and are widely applicable to courses in universities and colleges as well as providing background information for nonspecialists.” Agricultural location theory attempts to explain why particular types of farming are pursued in any area being studied. Reference is, of course, made first to the theories of Ricardo and to the work of von Thunen. In spite of the claims on the dust cover, the text is not easily followed and indeed in some parts might aptly be described as a “tyranny of words” on a subject that could hardly be described as “of urgent current interest.” The author cites mainly United Kingdom examples though at times he extends his treatment to the United States. Dr Farrant properly points out that the most basic limiting assumptions of all normative models of agricultural location are that each operator has complete information and that each operator makes rational divisions to maximise his returns in the light of this perfect knowledge. He confesses that “the extent to which these assumptions are not met in reality must be obvious to all.” Later Dr Farrant says that “given the extreme complexity of the decisionmaking environment of agriculture it

is extremely improbable that such optimal solutions are in any sense realistic.” But. regardless of what method is chosen, its adequate testing will depend on the possibility of collecting and interpreting adequate data. The chapters that follow concentrate on agricultural data and their interpretation. Here again the United Kingdom and the United States are the two countries whose agricultural data are examined. Then there are chapters on regionalisation and classification problems and alternatives in regionalisation, inter-relationships in agricultural geography, agricultural marketing and finally competition for agricultural land. In his conclusions Dr Farrant contends that “with the prospects of an expanding gap between the prosperous nations and the poor being expressed in a growing gap between food production and food requirements and understanding of the agricultural sector of the economy, encompassing both production and distribution, will have potential benefit. If a productive model of agricultural activity can be produced, agricultural geography, both descriptive and theoretical, will have reached maturity.” After one has read this book it would be fair to say that the subject of agricultural geography is still in its infancy.

In 1973 Dr Farrant was visiting lecturer in geography at the University of Canterbury. It would have been of special interest if his observations of agriculture in the New Zealand economy had been used to illustrate some of the theories he expounds.

Illustrative material is well set out and Dr Farrant recapitulates with skill his arguments throughout the book. His introduction and conclusions are excellent summaries of the case he puts forth.