AGRICULTURE IN VENEZUELA: CROPS, TYPES AND CHARACTERISTICS - ENVIRONMENT - 2024

The agriculture in Venezuela meant until the twentieth century the main source of wealth in the country. In fact, until the early 1920s it was among the main exporters of coffee and cocoa in the region.

Venezuela was characterized by being eminently agricultural before the appearance of oil, being the primary sector the one that developed the main generating activities of income sources and occupied the lands that remained idle to use them for the common good. Rural areas were highly populated due to the generation of employment that existed.

History of agriculture in Venezuela

In Venezuela, during the so-called rural times, the economy was based on subsistence agriculture, that is, agricultural products were produced that guaranteed the food of individuals, making the most of natural resources.

Agriculture throughout history has played a fundamental role in the development of trade and economic growth of countries. In the sense that, through it, food and raw materials are obtained for the textile area, together with the great benefit that it represents in people for their livelihood.

Since the end of the 19th century, in Venezuela the use of highly specialized agricultural systems was implemented, as well as an export agriculture that was favored by the rise in international prices of both coffee and cocoa, products with great demand both internally and externally.

Starting in 1960, a series of benefits have been raised in agriculture, guaranteeing its development, through the promulgation and execution of the Agrarian Reform Law.

The development of agriculture is somewhat behind if it is related to the real demands of the population, in view of this, it has had to appeal to the importation of agricultural items.

Most could be harvested in the country, this undoubtedly has a negative impact on the standard of living of Venezuelans, having a development of agriculture benefits both the industrial sector and the population.

The process of emergence and development of the oil industry meant the death certificate of agriculture as one of the pillars of the economy.

Authors such as Arturo Uslar Pietri, harshly questioned the role that Gómez played in the lost substance of productive activity in the field. His thesis was "Sowing the oil." For Uslar, resources from oil had to be invested to recover the productivity of the field and boost the industry.

Crops

The agricultural production zones are concentrated in the following states:

North Cordillera Region

Source: Polarnik, Radosław Łabno via Wikimedia Commons Formed by the states of Nueva Esparta, Miranda, Sucre, Carabobo and Distrito Federal. The main crops grown in this area are: corn, sugar cane, cocoa, tobacco, beans and coconut.

Andes region

Source: user Cristiano1990 via Wikimedia Commons Covers the states of Trujillo, Mérida and Táchira. Among its main crops are: coffee, potatoes, corn, peas, sugar cane, cassava, onion, garlic and pineapple.

Zulia region

Source: user Alexvives04 via Wikimedia Commons The agricultural soils are located on the lands located south of Lake Maracaibo. It is grown: banana, corn, bananas, sugar cane, beans, grapes and guava.

Central Western Region

Source: user Juliocloyo via Wikimedia Commons Covers Falcón, Yaracuy and Lara states. However, its spaces are very limited by the existence of very arid spaces. Main crops sugar cane, corn, potatoes, sisal, coffee, onion, tomato, beans and peanuts.

Llanos region

Source: Crucifix Jean-Luc via Wikimedia Commons Includes the states Barinas, Portuguesa, Apure, Cojedes, Guárico, Anzoátegui and the Federal Territory Delta Amacuro. The main crops are: rice, corn, sorghum, sesame, sunflower, cotton, tobacco, beans and cassava.

Venezuelan agricultural products

Farmers collect vegetables in Chirgua (Bejuma)

Among the Venezuelan agricultural products are: corn, rice, sorghum, sesame, peanut, sunflower and cotton crops. However, those most in demand are sugar cane, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, corn and rice.

Coffee

Source: pixabay.com

From the 18th century to the early 20th century, Venezuela became the world's largest coffee exporter. Its origin is African, it occurs mainly in tropical areas due to its requirement of continuous humidity and sun.

The ideal altitude for its cultivation ranges between 600 and 1800 meters high. The optimal soils for its cultivation are deep, frank, with a granular structure, moderate permeability and well aerated.

Cocoa

Source: pixabay.com

Historically it has been one of the pillars of the country's economy during the colonial era, when its quality was recognized throughout the world.

It is an imported plant from Mexico, it requires a very specific humidity and altitude greater than 450 meters for its cultivation.

Rice

Source: pixabay.com

It had its true importance at the beginning of the 20th century, its origin is from North Asia, for its cultivation, mainly flooded lands are needed. This is because it requires constant humidity and warm temperatures, which is why its cultivation is characteristic of tropical areas.

It is a tropical and subtropical crop. The cultivation is carried out from sea level to 2,500m of altitude, for this the soils vary from sandy to clay texture.

Tobacco

Source: pixabay.com

It was made known from the 16th century around the world. For its cultivation, a lot of attention is required, a carelessness in the production of tobacco can affect the quality of the leaf, from which tobacco, the raw material of cigarettes and cigars, is extracted.

Tobacco is very sensitive to the lack or excess of humidity, it prefers loamy lands that are loose, deep, that do not puddle and that are fertile.

Sugar cane

Source: pixabay.com

It comes from India and was introduced by the Spanish in Venezuela during the colonial era. Similarly, its crops are grown in the tropical areas of the country and the ideal height to grow it is approximately 2000 meters.

Types of agriculture in Venezuela

The geographical diversity of Venezuela makes possible the existence of different types of agriculture according to the production. Although it is true that more types of agriculture can be found, the main ones found in Venezuela are: extensive, intensive, subsistence and industrial.

Extensive agriculture

It is carried out in large areas of land with low population and the technology applied is scarce. The yields per hectare are few.

intensive agriculture

It is developed in limited areas of land, where a large investment of capital and labor is made, all this because its purpose is to obtain high yields per hectare to be sold to third parties.

subsistence farming

This production is carried out in small Venezuelan towns to meet the nutritional needs of the farmer and his family. It is used in the indigenous ethnic groups of Venezuela.

Itinerant agriculture

It is characterized by being a cultivation system where agricultural production shifts with each harvest. Farmers clear vegetation, burn trees so that the ash contributes fertility to the soil. Once these soils are depleted, farmers migrate to other sectors of the jungle or forest.

Characteristics of agriculture in Venezuela

Edaphoclimatic conditions

Agriculture in Venezuela is not uniform, there are different systems that coexist in the country and adapt to each of the climatic, edaphic and topographic conditions. The aforementioned characteristics determine the productive potential, which is defined by factors such as: climate, labor, capital.

Land tenure

The precarious tenure conditions that some producers have because they are in uncultivated lands of the State, mean that the lack of incentives for them to develop their crops persists.

Water resource for agriculture

Venezuela has abundant surface and groundwater resources. However, there are marked differences in geographic distribution. These resources are relatively scarce in areas where there is a greater concentration of population and industrial activities.

Employment and remuneration

The employment figures in the agricultural sector indicate that it has lost importance as a generator of employment. And the people who deal with agriculture in the country are generally over 44 years old.

Agri-food marketing system

All the food consumed is handled by large wholesalers. These food outlets work with both fresh and processed foods.

The role of agriculture in the country can currently be classified as incipient. Although the agrarian reform took place recently, the peasants have serious difficulties in accessing financing, fertilizers and seeds. This hampers the ability to increase production in the field.

References

1. Machado, C. (2004) Agriculture in Venezuela. Editorial: Institute of Higher Studies Administration.
2. Castillo, O. (1985) Agriculture and politics in Venezuela, 1948-1958. Editorial Dusa, SA
3. Agrarian Geography (2008) History And Evolution Of The Agrarian Space Of Venezuela. Recovered from: geografiaagrariaucv.wordpress.com.
4. Absolut; (2015) Agriculture in Venezuela. Recovered from: absolutviajes.com.
5. Suarez, M. (1972) Peasant community enterprises in Venezuela. Editorial: Ministry of Popular Power for Agriculture and Lands.
6. Pacheco, J. (2007) Agriculture, modernization and agricultural sciences in Venezuela. Scientific Act Editorial Fund.