5.2.5—Agricultural system classification
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2026
- Objective
- 5.2.5
- Level
- HL
Classify a Farm on Separate Axes
Agricultural labels describe separate axes, so one farm can carry several labels at once.
| Axis | Contrasting classifications |
|---|---|
| Output/system | arable, pastoral/livestock, mixed; monoculture or diverse |
| Purpose and movement | commercial or subsistence; sedentary or nomadic |
| Input intensity | intensive or extensive |
| Water | irrigated or rain-fed |
| Growing medium | soil-based or hydroponic |
| Input source | organic or inorganic |
A hydroponic tomato greenhouse selling to supermarkets may be commercial, intensive, irrigated, arable and monocultural at the same time; each label answers a different question.
Classify first, then evaluate how each choice changes economic, social and environmental sustainability.
Commercial does not automatically mean intensive, and subsistence does not automatically mean extensive.