Topic: The Von Thunen Model

1
Topic The Von Thunen Model
Aim How can we apply the Von Thunen Model to
agricultural activities and regions? Do Now
Review of types of commercial farming
2

• Von Thunen Model
• Proposed in 1826 by German farmer Johann Heinrich
  von Thunen farmer and economist
• Helps explain the importance of proximity to
  market in the choice of crops and animals on
  commercial farms
• Commercial farmers compare cost of land to cost
  of transporting products to market
• As one gets closer to the city, the price of land
  increases, and the type of crop produced changes

3
Von Thunen Model

• Von Thunen Model
• What farmers produce varies by distance from the
  town, with livestock raising farthest from town.
• Cost of transportation governs use of land.
• First effort to analyze the spatial character of
  economic activity.

4

• Ring 1 Dairying and intensive farming occur in
  the ring closest to the city. Since vegetables,
  fruit, milk and other dairy products must get to
  market quickly, they would be produced close to
  the city (no refrigerated oxcarts in 1830s!)

• Ring 1
• Dairying and intensive farming occur

5

• Ring 2 Timber and firewood would be produced
  for fuel and building materials. Before
  industrialization (and coal power), wood was a
  very important fuel for heating and cooking.
  Wood is very heavy and difficult to transport so
  its located as close to city as possible.

• Ring 1
• Dairying and intensive farming occur

6

• Ring 3 Extensive field crops such as grains for
  bread occur in this ring. Since grains last
  longer than dairy products and are much lighter
  than fuel (reduces transportation costs) they can
  be located further from the city.

• Ring 1
• Dairying and intensive farming occur

7

• Ring 4 Livestock ranching is located in the
  final ring surrounding the central city. Animals
  can be raised far from the city because they are
  self-transporting. Animals can walk to the
  central city for sale or for butchering.
• Beyond the fourth ring lies wilderness.

8
Von Thunen recognized that his model would be
modified by site factors, such as a river in this
sketch, which changes the accessibility of
different land parcels to the market center.
9
Assumptions/Critiques of Theory

• City is located centrally within an isolated
  state which is self-sufficient and has no
  external influences
• Isolated state is surrounded by wilderness
• Land is completely flat and no rivers/mountains
  interrupt the terrain
• Soil quality and climate are consistent
• Farmers transport their own goods to market via
  oxcart, across land, directly to central city
  (therefore no roads)
• Farmers act to maximize profits

10
Application of Von Thunen Model

• Geographer Lee Liu studied the spatial pattern of
  agriculture production in China.
• Found
• - farmers living in a village farm both lands
  close to the village and far away intensively
• - methods varied spatially resulting in land
  improvement (by adding organic material) close to
  village and land degradation (lots of pesticides
  and fewer conservation tactics) farther from
  village.