Food And Agriculture In Panama Essay

1147 words - 5 pages

Food and Agriculture in Panama

Agriculture is big business in Panama. Not only does it account for much of the country's exports (over 50%), but subsistence farming still employs many Panamanians who only grow enough food to feed their families (nationalencyclopedia.com). The main crop in Panama is bananas by a large margin, and is also one of the countries largest exports. Besides bananas, the other main exports are sugar and coffee beans, while the largest domestic crops are corn, rice, cocoanuts, tobacco and the exotic root vegetable yucca (Bennett 78). In spite of the fact that agriculture employs a large portion of the population and uses approximately half of the land, agriculture in Panama is in trouble. Panama’s tropical maritime climate poses some restrictions to the growth of crops, but the troubling issue at hand is the erosion of soils. As Panama’s population grows rapidly and the rainforest is cleared, overuse of soils and improper agricultural methods are threatening the growth of crops and draining Panamanian soils. As much of Panama’s political history and current economy is tied to agriculture, this is an issue that will raise many questions for the future of Panama.

Bananas have a long history in Panama. Bananas are grown best in humid lowland regions, and in Panama, this means on the Atlantic side of the country (Bennett 70). Production does, however, extend to the Pacific side of Panama with successful irrigation methods (Bennett 71). United Fruit, an American company, moved into Panama in 1899, and owned as much as 70% of the Panamanian banana industry up until the 1970’s (country-studies.com). As bananas can count for as much as 33% of Panama’s total exports, very little of this lucrative production was Panamanian owned. In the 1970’s, the “banana wars” broke out as a disagreement between the government and United Fruit erupted over export taxes on bananas (country-studies.com). An agreement was reached when United Fruit sold back the land on which they grew their bananas in exchange for banana tax credits.

Panama is surrounded by a lot of water as the Atlantic Ocean lies on the eastern side of Panama and the Pacific Ocean lays to the west. The country is divided down the middle from Costa Rica to the canal by the Cordillera Central mountain range. The shadow effect of the mountains causes the Pacific side of the mountains to have a dry season as well as a rainy season, whereas the Atlantic side of the country is rainy for most of the year. Many of Panama’s crops (besides bananas) are grown in this Pacific side. Sugar cane is the main west coast product, as well as Panama’s second largest agricultural export (Bennett 76). Sugar cane benefits from the western coasts dry season that runs from around December to April. Panama’s third largest agricultural export, coffee, is a crop of the highlands, which in Panama are known for their exceptionally good volcanic...

Jamaica:History and Culture This essay goes indepth about the History,Economy & Agriculture, Heritage, Food, and Geography!

1250 words - 5 pages * JAMAICA *"Jamaica has a rich island culture. The people are friendly, the weather is nice, the food is good, the music is loud, and the parties are wild."Jamaican HistoryThe first people to come to Jamaica were people from Venezuela, known as the Arawaks. They are thought to have come to Jamaica in two major waves, the first in 650 AD, and the second in 900 AD. They were then joined by the Caribs, who came from Guiana. While the Arawaks were a

Community Agriculture Development and Jobs Act: A Proposed Solution to Food Deserts

1480 words - 6 pages deserts and community solutions at a local level. On October 14, 2011, Ms. Kaptur (along with Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Ms. Moore, Ms. Norton of Texas etc.) introduced the following bill, which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture. The House of Representatives looked at the bill, but it wasn’t approved. The Community Agriculture Development and Jobs Act would be the best proposed solution to food deserts in the U.S. and would specifically support

Food Plots and thier importance to forest wildife - FOR 403 - Agriculture

304 words - 2 pages Food Plots and Agroforestry On the outside of Lincoln, Illinois each year we plant new food plots in and around the forested areas of my friend’s farm. This is in central Illinois just and the land is relatively flat due to the glaciers that passed through thousands of years ago. The primary use of the property surrounding the timber we hunt in is row crop agriculture either corn or soy beans. In the particular strip of timber that it is row

Answers to Three Questions About Climate Change, Food Supply and Agriculture

684 words - 3 pages believe that these environmental damages are what are causing the change in climate that is further destroying the crops and the land. On proposal of how to change the way we eat is choosing more sustainable ways that help the environment and do not run out our resources. The downside to sustainable agriculture is that it is often more expensive. But it comes at the price of the inevitable fact that our industrialized ways of food production

Students with School Gardens Have Better Understanding of Agriculture and Food Sources

1530 words - 6 pages environment. They should also appreciate agriculture so they will be more directly connected to their very sources of livelihood. Many people have lost touch with the reality of both of these aspects of where their food comes from, partially because well over half of us live in metropolitan areas, where food does not grow and is not grown on a large scale. (Blair, 17) Children are restricted in their wilderness experiences because of their

How did the Good Neighbor Policy affect relations between the United States and Panama in the context of the Panama Canal?

1579 words - 6 pages The good Neighbor Policy, which reflected a major shift in Latin American Policy for the United States, has been seen in modern years as one of the most pivotal policies in maintaining constructive relationships in the hemisphere. While it affected every country in Central and South America, Panama is an interesting case because it represented intense American financial investment, and consequently influence in the Canal Zone. The aim of my

The Use of Fertilisers and Pesticides in Agriculture

3405 words - 14 pages The Use of Fertilisers and Pesticides in Agriculture Agriculture today dominates the majority of all land uses. As a result it has a fundamental role in maintaining the countryside and protecting the environment. The development of the use of fertilisers and pesticides has dramatically increased the efficiency of food production and has in fact more than quadrupled food production in the last century[1]. They also have

Environmental Impacts of Unsustainable Agriculture in Brazil and Costa Rica

2050 words - 8 pages agriculture, yet decreased the availability of food production for local consumption. This, in conjunction with governments’ fixation on the production of one type of exporting commodity, resulted in the impoverishment of Latin American masses. Major staple crops throughout Latin America like coffee, bananas, and later on soybean grew popular demand in the world market. Thus, overall modernization of agricultural practices as well as improved

Water Conservation and Agriculture in the Colorado River Basin

2111 words - 8 pages According to Webster’s dictionary, agriculture is defined as the science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting products. Essentially, agriculture is a key element to a thriving and sustainable community for the seven billion habitants of our planet Earth. A key resource in providing life to necessary agriculture is the Colorado River

Research Regarding Climate Change and Agriculture Management in Nepal

956 words - 4 pages 3 Research propose The purpose of research is to explore, how climate change had been changed the management of agriculture in Nepal? 3.2 Objectives a) To examine the management of agriculture helps to minimize the effects of climate change on agricultural products. b) To assess the relation between climate change and agricultural productivity. c) To find out the response of villagers against changes. d) To explore any adaptation strategies

Food System and Food Security in BC and Globally

1929 words - 8 pages Food System and Food Security in BC and Globally Currently our food system in BC employs a mixture of ways to obtain food. In 2008, about 45% (less than half) of our food was imported into BC (Ostry, 2010). In that sense, BC seems to be more food secure compared to other provinces and countries. Most of our imports were vegetables, fruits and nuts, and fish (Ostry, 2010). We produce much of our dairy, meats and live animals (Ostry, 2010). Our

Agriculture And Food Production In The Old Kingdom Egypt

3725 words - 15 pages Agriculture and Food Production in the Old Kingdom Egypt Agriculture and food production are quite literally the skills that feed a civilization. Old Kingdom Egypt excelled in this area. Egypt’s high success in agriculture was due to many things, ranging from a near constant climate, to the Nile and its annual inundations causing the land to be inexhaustible, to Egypt’s vast amount of other natural resources. This paper will only give a

Food And Agriculture: Root Crops Essay

1718 words - 7 pages Tropical and subtropical countries have climatic conditions which are unfavourable for the production of wheat. These countries are therefore heavily dependent on wheat imports to provide staple food products for their populations (FAO; Byerlee, 1987 1-2). In 1960 the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) began a Composite Flour Programme aimed at empowering developing nations with the technology to improve their

Environment And Climate Change In Panama

1670 words - 7 pages Environment and Climate Change in Panama Home to vast tropical rainforests, an immense variety of animal and plant species and the seaway that connects the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, Panama relies heavily on all these resources for its economy. However, environmental challenges threaten the sustainability of these assets and therefore create a significant problem for the country. This paper will

Agriculture In More And Less Developed Countries

2105 words - 8 pages discuss what agriculture is like in less developed countries and how it is different from more developed countries. Agriculture is a major part of the lives of those that live in less developed countries. "Nearly one out of every two working Indonesians is employed directly or indirectly in an agricultural job (3)." Agriculture in LDC's is descibed as subsistence agriculture which primarily provides food for consumption by the farmer's family