This form of agriculture involves large-scale commercial farming of one or two high-value crops, typically in tropical or subtropical regions. Characterized by extensive land use, foreign investment, and reliance on a large, often low-wage labor force, it focuses on producing crops for export to developed countries. Examples include banana plantations in Central America, rubber plantations in Southeast Asia, and sugarcane farms in the Caribbean.
The importance of this agricultural system lies in its contribution to the economies of both the producing regions and the consumer countries. It provides revenue and employment in the source nations, while supplying raw materials and agricultural products to meet demands elsewhere. Historically, however, it has been linked to exploitation of labor, environmental degradation, and the displacement of local agricultural practices, contributing to complex socio-economic landscapes.
