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Text | Literature and history charging station
Edit | Literature and History Charging Station
Latvia is a country with a long history of farming, and its river valleys offer unique conditions for the development of agriculture.
01
Historical background of agriculture in the Latvian river valley
Located on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, Latvia is home to many important rivers, including the Veliky Dagva, Gava and Livia rivers.
These rivers flow through vast valleys, forming fertile farmland, and Latvia's climate is temperate and humid, with warm and humid summers and cold and humid winters, which provide a better environment for crop growth.
In the ancient and medieval period, farming in the Latvian region was carried out mainly by primitive tribal social organizations and peasant communities.
Farmers use the fertile soil of the river valley to grow a variety of crops, including wheat, barley, oats, soybeans and vegetables, and they use simple farming tools such as hand ploughs and sickles to reclaim and harvest the land.
Over time, farming tools in the Latvian region gradually improved and developed, and in the Middle Ages, iron farming tools began to be widely used, such as iron plows and sickles, the use of which increased the efficiency of farmland reclamation and increased crop yield.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, agricultural development in the Latvian region was influenced by foreign forces, and rulers in countries such as Sweden and Poland actively promoted agricultural reforms, introducing new crops and agricultural techniques.
These reforms included the introduction of new crops such as potatoes and maize, as well as improvements in farm drainage systems and irrigation facilities, and by the 19th century, Latvian agriculture had undergone major changes.
Under the Russian Empire, large-scale farmland reforms were implemented, peasant lands were expropriated, and large tracts of land were transferred to nobles and wealthy landowners, which led to the problem of poverty and land concentration among the peasants.
During this period, agriculture in the Latvian River Valley began to develop towards large-scale cultivation and specialization, large plantations and farms began to rise, mainly growing cereals, malt and industrial crops such as flax and sugar beets, agricultural production gradually shifted from subsistence to commercialization, and agricultural products began to enter domestic and international markets.
Attention has been paid to the construction of farmland drainage systems to improve the drainage capacity of farmland and reduce flooding, and the construction of drainage ditches and waterways has improved the efficiency of farmland use in river valleys so that crops can grow in a better environment.
Farmers have received more training and education to learn new agricultural methods and science and technology to improve the efficiency and quality of agricultural production.
In the 20th century, Latvia's agricultural development after independence faced new challenges and opportunities, the agricultural collectivization movement was implemented under Soviet rule, peasants' lands and farms were merged into collective farms, and agricultural production was controlled by the state.
This has led to the scale and centralization of agricultural production, but it has also brought a series of problems, including a decline in agricultural efficiency and a decrease in farmers' incomes.
The implementation of the country's agrarian reform and rural development plan provided farmers with more autonomy and business opportunities, agricultural production began to focus on environmental protection and sustainable development, and organic agriculture and ecological agriculture were promoted.
02
The importance and function of farmland drainage
Farmland drainage is a vital part of agricultural production and involves effective management and control of water in farmland to ensure healthy crop growth and stable yields.
Through drainage, excessive rainfall moisture, groundwater or irrigation water can be removed in time, so that the moisture in the soil can be maintained within the appropriate range, which helps to avoid the adverse effects of too wet or dry soil on crop growth.
The drainage system helps to provide soil aeration and ensure the oxygen supply of the root system, excessive water accumulation will reduce the oxygen content in the soil, limiting the respiration and growth of crop roots, through drainage, the aeration of the soil can be improved, and the development of the root system and the normal growth of the crop can be promoted.
In some areas, where the soil contains too much salt, which negatively affects crop growth and yields, drainage can help flush salt deep into the soil or drain farmland, reducing salt concentrations in the soil.
Excessive water can lead to soil soaking and flooding, damage the root structure of crops and cause pests and diseases, and by drainage, excess water can be quickly removed and damage caused by flooding can be reduced.
Active drainage refers to the active drainage measures carried out by manual means, such as the construction of drainage ditches, the digging of drainage canals, etc., active drainage can adjust the amount of drainage and drainage speed as needed to better manage soil moisture.
There is also gravity drainage is the use of natural gravity principle for drainage method, through the design of a reasonable drainage system, water can naturally flow from high to low, to achieve the purpose of drainage, this method is simple and practical, the cost is relatively low.
Of course, additional drainage is improved by increasing the amount of drainage in the soil, which can increase the drainage capacity by increasing the number of drainage channels or deepening existing channels.
By increasing drainage, we can better cope with increased rainfall or insufficient soil drainage capacity, and keep the drainage of farmland unimpeded.
By controlling equipment such as switches, valves or pumping stations of the drainage system, the time and speed of drainage can be controlled according to the water demand of crops and the drainage status of the soil, which can more precisely adjust the moisture status of the field and improve the growth effect of crops.
Integrated drainage management refers to taking a series of drainage measures to achieve the best drainage effect by comprehensively considering soil, climate, topography and other factors.
This includes selecting the appropriate drainage system, designing the drainage layout, regularly maintaining and cleaning the drainage facilities, etc., through integrated drainage management, the drainage efficiency of the farmland can be maximized, and the growth and yield of crops can be guaranteed.
03
Discovery and conservation of crop remains
The discovery and conservation of crop remains is an important topic in the field of archaeology and agricultural research, which records the development and evolution of ancient agriculture, and is of great significance for understanding the history of human farming, the origin and spread of crops, and the changes in agricultural technology.
Archaeologists search for well-preserved crop remains by excavating sites of ancient settlements, farmland sites, storage facilities, and more.
These remains, including the remains of seeds, fruits, grains, pollen and plants, can be analyzed and studied to provide important information about ancient agriculture.
Because of the special conditions of the wetland environment, crop remains are easier to preserve in these places, and wetland archaeologists have found a large number of crop remains by sampling and analyzing wetland sediments, revealing the development of ancient wetland agriculture.
Shimilk cave is an underground cave formed by the dissolution of limestone, and its internal environment is relatively stable, which has good conditions for preserving the remains of ancient crops.
By analyzing the sediments in the stone milk cave, archaeologists have found seeds and pollen from many crops, providing important clues for studying ancient agriculture.
These sites often contain rich crop remains, such as seeds, fruits, etc., which can be protected from damage and pollution by establishing protected areas, restricting human activities and environmental monitoring, and ensuring the integrity and preservation of crop remains.
To protect crop remains, scientists use sediment sampling to extract formation samples with potential crop remains.
These samples, which can be lakes, rivers, wetlands or other sediment-rich places, can be analyzed in detail to determine whether crop remains exist in them and further study their type, period and environmental context.
Storing information, images and data from crop remains digitally can effectively preserve and disseminate this valuable information, and digitization also allows researchers to conduct more accurate and comprehensive analyses and comparisons.
The conservation of crop heritage also requires raising public awareness of its importance through education and awareness-raising efforts, exhibitions, lectures and seminars to inform the public about the meaning and value of crop heritage and to promote its protection and respect.
Because the value of crop remains transcends national borders, international cooperation and policy development are essential for their protection, and countries can strengthen exchanges and cooperation to jointly develop standards and guidelines for the protection of crop remains.
Of course, transnational conservation projects can also be strengthened to share responsibility for research, protection and management of crop remains.
04
Evolution of agriculture in the Latvian river valley
River valley agriculture in Latvia dates back to ancient times, thousands of years ago, when primitive inhabitants began to grow crops and raise livestock in river valleys, using the water provided by rivers and the fertile soil of riparian areas to cultivate farmland and establish agrarian societies.
Over time, Latvian valley agriculture has evolved in several stages, and in ancient times, primitive inhabitants used simple farming tools and planting techniques for agricultural production.
They mainly grow cereals such as wheat, barley and oats, and grow vegetables and fruits, and in farming, they raise cattle, sheep, pigs and other livestock, and use the water provided by the river to meet the irrigation needs of farmland and drinking water for livestock.
By the Middle Ages, agriculture in the Latvian river valley was gradually developing, and with the rise of cities and the growth of trade, the demand for agricultural products also increased.
Farmers began to adopt more efficient farming tools and methods, increase the yield of their fields, and improve their drainage systems to ensure that their fields are well drained and prevent flooding and soil salinization.
During the period of industrialization, major changes took place in agricultural production methods, the introduction of mechanized agricultural tools and chemical fertilizers increased production efficiency, the scale and specialization of agriculture gradually increased, and the establishment of agricultural cooperatives enabled farmers to jointly use resources and markets.
However, this period also saw the development of agricultural science, through scientific research and practice, agricultural technology continued to innovate and improve.
In modern times, Latvian agriculture is moving towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly direction, and organic farming and sustainable farming models are promoted and applied, reducing the environmental impact.
Local farmers are paying more attention to soil protection and ecological balance, and adopt renewable energy and resource-saving methods for agricultural production.
Advances in agricultural mechanization have enabled farmers to cultivate and harvest crops more efficiently and improve production efficiency, and modern agricultural information technology has been widely used to help farmers with precise fertilization, irrigation and pest control, thereby reducing resource waste and environmental pollution.
This agricultural diversification is also an important trend in the evolution of agriculture in the Latvian River Valley, in fact, in addition to traditional cereal cultivation, farmers are beginning to grow more specialty agricultural products such as vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs to meet consumer needs for health and diversification.
Local farmers' markets and agrotourism have also been developed, allowing farmers to sell their products directly to consumers, increasing the added value of their produce.