Teknikbron

Agriculture means the production of fibers, foods and other necessary goods through the process of farming or forestry. Agriculture has a wide range of specialties. The main foundation of agriculture remains the cultivation of crops on fertile lands and pastoral herding of livestocks on the rangelands. Tree farming and aquaculture are the agriculture’s more exotic varieties.

In the present time yields from cultivation have greatly increased due to technological improvements and the use of modern fertilizers, pesticides, agronomy and plant breeding. Similarly, modern practices in chicken and pig farmings and selective breeding have increased the meat output significantly. The modern method of Haber-Bosch for synthesizing ammonium nitrate has decreased the traditional practices of nutrient recycling with animal manure and crop rotation.

Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS

The major products of agriculture can be generally classified into foods, fuels, fibers, pharmaceuticals, raw materials and illegal drugs. Foods include vegetables, cereals, fruits and meats. Fibers include wool, cotton, silk, flax and hemp. Raw materials include bamboos and lumber. Drugs include opium, alcohol, cocaine, digitalis and tobacco. In the recent times agriculture has also been used for the production of bio-fuels, bio-plastics and bio-pharmaceuticals. The biofuels include ethanol, biodiesel and methane. Also some of the ornamental products of agriculture include nursery plants, cut flowers, birds for pet trade and tropical fish.

In the last years agriculture has seen its concentration, intensification and specialization through the use of agricultural chemicals of new technologies which include pesticides and fertilizers, plant breeding and mechanization.

Steps have also been taken for sustainability of agriculture by integrating ideas of conservation of environments, resources and socio-economic justice in a farming system. This has led to the development of conventional agricultural approach in urban agriculture, organic agriculture, community supported agriculture, biological or ecological agriculture, holistic management and integrated farming.
Agriculture has nowadays been subsidized by many governments for ensuring an adequate food supply. The agricultural subsidies are linked to the production of many communities like rice, wheat, soybeans, corns and milk.

A large percentage of world population living in the rural areas has difficulty in maintaining a subsistence level lifestyle. Hence today, many local and international organizations are trying to help the rural people by making them increase their agricultural output. Agricultural education systems are being developed and countries are working in this direction by investing in this system. These investments have increased the agricultural productivity in many countries.

Agriculture has not only contributed in increasing the food and raw materials supply, it has also provided the industrial sector incremental markets for new products. In many countries with the rise in agricultural production, the food purchasing power of the people has increased resulting in improved diets among their people.