Monocultures and intensive livestock productionSpec 20.1.2, 20.1.3
In short
A monoculture is the growing of a single crop plant on a large area of land, often every year. It is efficient and gives high yields, but biodiversity is low and pests or disease spread quickly. Intensive livestock production keeps many animals in small spaces, producing cheap food but raising welfare concerns, disease spread and pollution.
Large-scale monocultures
A monoculture is the growing of a single crop plant on a large area of land. Often the same crop is grown on the land every year.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Machinery can plant, spray and harvest the whole field in the same way, which is efficient | Only one crop species is grown, so biodiversity is low and hedges and wild habitats may be removed |
| Large amounts of food produced at lower cost per tonne | A pest or disease that attacks the crop can spread quickly through the whole field |
| All the plants need the same conditions, so watering, fertiliser and pesticide use can be planned for the whole field | If the same crop is grown every year, the same ions are removed from the soil, so large amounts of fertiliser are needed |
| The crop variety best suited to the local soil and climate can be grown, giving a high yield | Heavy use of fertilisers and pesticides can pollute nearby water, and pests can become resistant to pesticides |
Intensive livestock production
In intensive livestock production, large numbers of animals are kept in small spaces, often indoors, with controlled temperature and feed so that they grow quickly.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| A lot of meat, milk or eggs is produced from a small area of land | Animals have little space and may suffer stress, which raises animal welfare concerns |
| Less energy is lost as heat because the animals move little and are kept warm | Disease spreads easily when animals are crowded, so antibiotics may be overused and resistant bacteria can develop |
| Food is produced at a lower cost, so prices for consumers are lower | Large amounts of waste are produced, which can pollute water |
| Animals grow quickly and reach market size sooner | Large amounts of feed must be grown elsewhere and brought in |
If asked for an advantage and a disadvantage, make sure the two points are different and each is about the method named in the question.
Quick check
Name five ways humans have increased food production.
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Machinery, chemical fertilisers, insecticides, herbicides and selective breeding.
What is a monoculture?
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The growing of a single crop plant on a large area of land.
Give one disadvantage of a monoculture.
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A pest or disease can spread quickly through the crop (or low biodiversity).
Give one advantage of intensive livestock production.
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Lots of food is produced from a small area, at a lower cost.
Written and checked against the Cambridge IGCSE Biology (0610) specification · Updated October 2026