ABSTRACT
Upland regions contribute a significant proportion of the world’s agricultural production. However, while mountainous areas in the middle and high latitudes can present a bleak and inhospitable alternative for agricultural production compared with the warmer lowland areas, at lower latitudes the converse may be true, with the highland zone offering a cooler and more temperate climate than the hot, often dry lowlands. Therefore, while the term ‘upland’ can be applied loosely to any region characterized by high elevation, the suitability of high-altitude regions for agriculture depends fundamentally upon latitude, with important modifying factors including soil type, slope, aspect, and climate. In this paper, we focus on changes in the last of these factors, climate, and their possible effect on upland agriculture.
