Why is farming difficult in much of Southwest Asia?
(1 point)
A. The region is too mountainous for farming.
B.Farmers have abandoned agriculture to focus on oil production
C. Much of the region is covered by desert and lacks fresh water
D. Countries import their food and do not need to farm
C. Much of the region is covered by desert and lacks fresh water.
C. Much of the region is covered by desert and lacks fresh water
The correct answer is C. Much of the region is covered by desert and lacks fresh water.
To arrive at this answer, we need to analyze the options and eliminate incorrect choices:
Option A, "The region is too mountainous for farming," is incorrect because Southwest Asia does have some mountainous areas, but it also has plains and valleys suitable for agriculture.
Option B, "Farmers have abandoned agriculture to focus on oil production," is incorrect because while some countries in Southwest Asia do rely heavily on oil production, it does not mean that all farmers have abandoned agriculture.
Option D, "Countries import their food and do not need to farm," is incorrect because while some countries may import a significant portion of their food, this does not mean that farming is not necessary or difficult in the region.
By process of elimination, we can determine that option C, "Much of the region is covered by desert and lacks fresh water," is the correct answer. Southwest Asia, also known as the Middle East, is home to large desert areas, such as the Arabian Desert, and faces water scarcity due to limited freshwater sources. These factors make farming challenging and often require the use of irrigation systems or reliance on limited water resources.