All about Arable land. This is another Text 2 Audio transformation using Flite. Below is the transcript for the recording: In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under annual crops , temporary meadows for mowing or market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow . Abandoned land resulting from shifting cultivation is not included in this category. Data for arable land are not meant to indicate the amount of land that is potentially cultivable. Arable land is a category of agricultural land, which, according to Food and Agriculture Organization's definition, additionally includes land under permanent or perennial crops, such as fruit plantations, as well as permanent pastures, for grazing of livestock. In 2008, the world's total arable land amounted to 1,387 Mha, and 4,908 Mha was classified as "agricultural land." Although constrained by land mass and topology, the amount of arable land, both regionally and globally, fluctuates due to human and climatic factors such as irrigation, deforestation, desertification, terracing, landfill, and urban sprawl. Researchers study the impact of these changes on food production. The most productive portion of arable land is that from sediments left by rivers and the sea. In modern times, rivers do not generally flood as often in areas employing flood control.

• published: 17 Sep 2013
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