Agriculture in Alconbria

**Agriculture in Alconbria** is a highly developed industry, which uses about 17.2% of the country's total land area and 10% of the workforce. The agricultural industry contributes 2.3% of Alconbria's annual GDP.

Despite the total arable land of the country being less than 20%, the agriculture industry has been well developed. Alconbria's agricultural production rose 50% every year from 1998 till 2008, and the country became a net food exporter in 2009. Agricultural goods account for 8% of the country's exports in 2010.

## History

During the Spanish occupation, agriculture mainly consisted of sugarcane planes, vineyards and livestock acres. Farms were located near the coastlines and on riverbanks, but never extended to the southern hills and mountains.

After Altivebrio's independence, Governor of Alconbria Cerdosine Olveysey began a rapid development of farmyards in the erstwhile Alconbrian Governorate. By 1837, the Governorate of Alconbria produced more than the rest of Altivebrio combined. After Altivebrio began raising taxes on the peasantry, several Altivebrians moved to Alconbria to work at the plantations. Agricultaral produce extended to rice, corn, grains, sorghum, potatoes, tea, coffee, fruits, nuts and pulses. However, the boom in agriculture was short-lived, as advancing Altivebrian and Spanish troops destroyed most of the farmyard during the First Altivebrian-Mexican War, and after the Governorate was dissolved, King Tomás banned Alconbrians from engaging in agriculture, and the remaining farmland were given to Altivebrians, who ruined the soil by improper irrigation practices.

Altivebrian agricultural practises were terrible at best, leading to a decline in production, as well as quality of the produce. This eventually led to a massive rise in prices, and the Altivebrians protested against their King by dropping rotten vegetables at one of his palaces, triggering the First Altivebrian Revolution.

Alconbrians began engaging in agriculture again following the establishment of British Altivebrio. However, greater priority was emphasized on the secondary industry. Despite this, over 60% of the population were employed in agriculture.

After the Protectorate of Alconbria was captured by the Altivebrians in 1927, Alconbrians were restricted to practise agriculture only in the Northern Territory. This led to the development of many agricultural towns, where individual towns practiced collective farming, producing food for themselves. Agriculture was nationalised following the fascist rise to power in 1939. Following the end of the Second Altivebrian Civil War, Alconbrians were permitted to settle elsewhere around Alconbria, and many used donations from international Alconbrian organizations to buy farmlands and began agricultural production. Louis Marshall, who headed the Agricultural Ministry in Bartolomé Tirano's fascist government still continued to serve in the agricultural ministry, and was instrumental in improving the effectiveness of agriculture in Alconbria.

However, with the beginning of the La Limpieza, Alconbrians were banned from owning land, and Alconbrian-owned farmlands were burnt by Altivebrian hooligans. Alconbrians were rounded up, and were quarantined in the *Pocilgas*, located in the "Alconbrian territory" of Northern Territory and Domomonstrojes. Despite this, Marshall set about to turn their territory into the most agriculturally productive land in South and Central America, which enabled the Alconbrians to eat since Altivebrio banned the sale of food in the territory. However, the Altivebrians were jealous of Marshall's success, and began spraying chemicals over Alconbrian towns, villages and farmland to prevent crop produce. Despite this, Alconbrian agriculture managed to persevere.

After the Alconbrian War of Independence began, Antonio Durán stressed on agriculture, and ordered agricultural farms to be set up, along with other industries in "safe zones" in the Territory of Alconbria. In 1965, the Louis Marshall Institute of Agricultural Research was established in Molinero to promote agricultural self-sufficiency. Aside from agricultural technology and industry, the Institute also researches on worker safety. Artificially high prices for food crops set up by the National Front for Alconbrian Liberation led to a massive increase in the agricultural workforce, and allowed Alconbria to maintain a steady flow of food supplies during the war of independence.

A shift to cash crops like cotton, soybeans, jute, oil palm, oranges, avocados, mangoes, guavas, cocoa and coffee took place in the early 80s, mainly for export. In 1990, the government passed a resolution to force people to grown land-intensive food crops, fearing a shortage of food. The resolution was struck down in 2001. Despite this, rapid industrialization resulted in reduced workers in the agriculture. The share of agriculture in Alconbria's GDP dropped from 36.1% in 1978 to 4% in 2008.

Alconbria also began growing for export since the early 1980s. The warmer climates help supply exotic flowers to North America and Europe during the winter season.

## Today

Despite agriculture declining as a share of the country's GDP since the 2000s, the Government of Alconbria still regards agriculture as an important industry. In addition, there has been a tremendous rise in the biofuel and bioplastic industry. Precision agriculture is being implemented all over the country, as per the Alconbria People's Party's Ten Point Plan.

Agriculture has seen a resurgence in urban communities in the form of hobby gardens. vertical farms have also been prioritized by the APP. After the end of the war of independence, several tunnels used by the Military of Alconbria were converted into vertical farmyards for producing green crops. A large scale shipping-container based vertical farm was opened in Puerto de la Libertad in 2009.