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Hunter-Gatherer societies and traditional agriculture

Hunter-Gatherer societies and traditional agriculture. Maria Lackner 0025209 Tamara Neubauer 0201045 Mirjam Weber 0052101. Structure of the presentation. How to measure energy in human-environment interactions – (general considerations)

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Hunter-Gatherer societies and traditional agriculture

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  1. Hunter-Gatherer societies and traditional agriculture Maria Lackner 0025209 Tamara Neubauer 0201045 Mirjam Weber 0052101 Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  2. Structure of the presentation • How to measure energy in human-environment interactions – (general considerations) • Energy flows in Hunter-Gatherer and early agricultural societies • Energy flows of traditional agriculture in Pura (India) Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  3. How to measure energy in human-environment interactions (general considerations) Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  4. How to measure energy in human-environment interactions general questions: • What problems do we encounter when assessing energy in human-environment interactions? • How do we estimate human energy? • How do we assess the energetics of human labor? • How do we measure energy efficiency? Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  5. How to measure energy in human-environment interactions Problem No. 1Focus on „commercial“ energy in statistics Example India: energy use/capita = U.N. coal equivalent of 150 to 190 kg but: total energy use from all sources = 490 kg Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  6. Method energy per worker (kcal/hour) gross input (expenditure) Pimentel et al. 580 Makhjani and Poole 870 Passmore and Durnin 250 How to measure energy in human-environment interactions Problem No. 2Estimation of Human Energy Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  7. How to measure energy in human-environment interactions Problem No. 2Estimation of Human Energy Pimentel et al.: 580 kcal/hour energy utilized in farm labor = total food energy input of a fulltime farm worker (40 hours a week) Makhijani & Poole: 870 kcal/ hour energy in the food intake of all persons in a farming village = gross energy input for human labor 250 kcal/ hour Passmore & Durnin: metabolic energy used in different work activities (oxygen consumed, carbondioxide exhaled) Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  8. Method energy input per bullock kcal/hour/bullock 1a) 12.1 x 10³ kcal/hour of work 1b) 10.9 x 10³ kcal/hour of work 2) 5.3 x 10³ kcal/hour of work 3) 2.3 x 10³ kcal/hour of work How to measure energy in human-environment interactions Problem No. 3Estimation of Animal Energy Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  9. How to measure energy in human-environment interactions Problem No. 3Estimation of Animal Energy 1a) net energy input (feed energy – energy in dung) – energy in milk and other products 1b) consideration of the herd‘s milk production 12.1 x 10³ kcal/h 10.9 x 10³ kcal/h Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  10. How to measure energy in human-environment interactions Problem No. 3Estimation of Animal Energy 2) [energy/year consumed by the bullock (feed) – energy in dung] / hours worked = gross energy expenditure per working hour 3) weekly energy expenditure of a bullock is ca. 43% of ist total food energy intake for the week 5.3 x 10³ kcal/h 2.3 x 10³ kcal/h Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  11. How to measure energy in human-environment interactions Problem No. 4Energy efficiency – which parameters? e.g. maximization of economic profit vs. minimization of risk e.g. maximization of crop yield vs. minimization of ecosystem degradation Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  12. How to measure energy in human-environment interactions Problem No. 5power generation total energy requirements = sum of 2 flows of energy • flow used directly to generate power • flow calculated as the energy spent in the construction and maintenance of the structure delivering power Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  13. How to measure energy in human-environment interactions Problem No.6power level is often not considered work = carrying 400 kg of sand upstairs 5 m of height 400 kg 5 m Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  14. How to measure energy in human-environment interactions Problem No.6power level is often not considered work = carrying 400 kg of sand upstairs 5 m of height • 3 possibilities: • 5 trips carrying 80 kg • 20 trips carrying 20 kg • 100 trips carrying 4 kg Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  15. Power system Labor requirement (h) Level of power (W) Power generation cost (EI/AP)h Acquirement index Manpower 400 75 100 1.00 Oxen pair 65 895 25 0.51 6-HP tractor 25 4476 8 0.25 50-HP tractor 4 37300 8 0.20 How to measure energy in human-environment interactions Problem No.7difficulty in quantifying a defined work done Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  16. Applied power (MJ) Gross energy requirements (MJ) Manpower 107 10700 Oxen pair 209 5200 6-HP tractor 403 3100 50-HP tractor 537 4100 How to measure energy in human-environment interactions Problem No.7difficulty in quantifying a defined work done Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  17. How to measure energy in human-environment interactions factors related to the level of energy consumption per capita for rural/poor societies based on manpower: • body size • quality of the diet • exosomatic energy flow (energy flows converted to useful work outside the human body) Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  18. How to measure energy in human-environment interactions Literature: • Roger Revelle – Energy Use in Rural India • Giampietro & Pimentel – Energy efficiency: assessing the interaction between humans and their environment • Giampietro & Pimentel – Assessment of the energetics of human labor Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  19. Energy flows in Hunter-Gatherer and early agricultural societies • Energy flows in gerneral • The Kung! Bushmen – hunter and gatherers • The Tsembaga – early agriculture society • The energetic benefits of domestication Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  20. Energy flows in Hunter-Gatherer societies (Pimentel 1996) Wherefore energy? Obtaining food + collecting firewood Basal metabolism: 1080 kcal + … Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  21. Energy flows in Hunter-Gatherer societies (Pimentel 1996) Wherefrom energy?Wild plants and animals (wood for fire ?) Total annual production of plant biomass in a temperate region averages about 2400kg per ha. Under favourable conditions this quantity might support an animal and microbe biomass of about 200kg per ha. Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  22. Energy flows in Hunter-Gatherer societies (Pimentel 1996) How much land do hunter-gatherers need? Pimentel: 40 hectare (ideal ecosystem) Modern-day hunter-gatherers need much more (150-250ha) In the northwestern Canadian region about 14.000 ha per person In subarctic lands up to 50.000 ha per person !Kung Bushmen about 1000ha. Comparison: Austria is 84’000 km2 = 8.400.000 ha 200.000 40.000 8.400 Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  23. Energy flows in Hunter-Gatherer societies - The !Kung Bushmen Lee, 1969 • Population density: 1 person per 1040 ha • Most of the daily calorie intake of the !Kung Bushmen (56%) are mongongo nuts. • A critical decision for the bushmen is where to locate their camps. Food and water must be near enough. They occupy a camp for a period of weeks and eat their way out of it. • Energy Output/Input ratio falls with distance (19km: 2 day trip) Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  24. Energy flows in Hunter-Gatherer societies - The !Kung Bushmen Output/Input analysis of !Kung bushmen gathering mongongo nuts at a distance of 4,8 km from their camp Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  25. Energy flows in early agricultural societies – The Tsembaga Rappaport, 1968 • Population density: 1 person per 4 hectare • Early agricultural society in New Guinea • Tropical mountainous ecosystem, rainy • Swidden-type agricultural system (Brandrodungsfeldbau) • Food of plant origin (taro, sweet potatoe, fruit, leaves, bananas, yams) 99% • Some pigs Early agriculture: no fossil fuels, no animal power Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  26. Energy flows in early agricultural societies – The Tsembaga Output/Input analysis of New Guinea swidden agriculture for 1 ha of mixed crops Energetical input of wood and vegetation for fire ? Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  27. Livestock in early agricultural societies – The Tsembaga Output/Input ratio of pigs 1:2 Why? • Stock (Pimentel) • Distribution of surplus wealth (Rappaport) Kaiko ritual (pigs for the ancestors < carrying capacity) Energetic benefits of domestication • „Non convertable“ grasses → usable energy • Animal power → energy source (beast of burden) • Need of protein →Herding more energy efficient as hunting Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  28. Energy flows in Hunter-Gatherer societies Food, Energy and Society, David and Maria Pimentel, 1996. • Chapter 6: Hunter – Gatherers and early agriculture. • Chapter 7: Early livestock systems and animal power. Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  29. www.export.gov.il AgricultureAn example from India Pura 1977 www.faorap-apcar.org

  30. Pura 1977 • South India • Karnataka State • - 56 households • - 357 people • - 671 meters above sealevel • - Annual rainfall of 127 centimeters Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  31. Overview  Energy consumption patterns of Pura  Ranking of energy sources  Energy- Activity Matrix  Ranking of activities requiring energy  End Uses of Human Energy  Health Hazards for the people of Pura Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  32. Agriculture An Example from India Energy Consumption Patterns Energy used for: - agricultural operations • domestic activities • lighting • Industry www.news.bbc.co.uk www.images.wir.org www.images.wir.org Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  33. Ranking of energy sources per year: Fuelwood (89%) Human energy (7%) Kerosene (2%) Bullock energy (1%) Electricity (1%) Agriculture An Example from India www.rcfa.cfan.org www.glamro.gov.uk Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  34. Agriculture An Example from India Energy- Source Activity Matrix Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  35. Agriculture An Example from India Ranking of activities requiring energy: • Domestic activities (91%) • Industry (4%) • Agriculture (3%) • Lighting (2%) Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  36. www.rediff.com Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  37. Agriculture An Example from India The use of low level energy sources in Pura causes: • high human time input • high labor effort • health hazards www.fao.org Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  38. Agriculture An Example from India Why health hazards? • Dependence on biomass cooking fuels = fuelwood, dung cakes, crop wastes,... = high toxic emissions like carbon monoxide, suspended particulates, hydrocarbon! Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  39. Agriculture An Example from India Health Effects Production: Skin infections, enteric infections,... Collection: Trauma, allergic reactions, bites from reptiles,... Combustion: respiratory irritation, burns, chronic bronchitis,... Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  40. Agriculture An Example from India A Greater Health Impact for women and girls (1) • daily subsistance chores lead to a higher calorie expenditure/day (not compensated by food intake) • Domestic tasks more often done by women or girls are perennial and not seasonal • Depletion by repeated births Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  41. Agriculture An Example from India A Greater Health Impact for women and girls (2) • especially traditional rice cultivation methods cause complications for pregnant women • Increase of stillbirths, premature births and neonatal mortality while rice during rice planting months • Lack of adequate water = increase of genito- urinary and reproductive tract infections which stay untreated für years Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  42. Agriculture An Example from India Facit: low levels of energy services are a serious problem! - People of Pura depend on human energy and primitive technologies for their daily survival Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

  43. Agriculture An Example from India Literature: • Srilatha Batliwala - Energy as an obstacle to improved living standards • Roger Revelle - Energy Use in Rural India Energy in human-environment interactions WS 2007

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