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Home / Blog

Why Is Agriculture Important? Benefits and Its Role

July 12, 2022 

Tables of Contents

What Is Agriculture?

Why is agriculture important, how is agriculture important, importance of agriculture in everyday life, how does agriculture affect the economy, importance of agricultural biodiversity, why is agriculture important for the future.

When people think of agriculture, they often envision crop farming: soil and land preparation and sowing, fertilizing, irrigating, and harvesting different types of plants and vegetation.

However, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) , crop farming is just one element of the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting sector. Agriculture also encompasses raising livestock; industrial forestry and fishing; and agricultural support services, such as agricultural equipment repair and trucking operations.

Why is agriculture important? It helps sustain life by providing the food we need to survive. It also contributes $7 trillion to the U.S. economy. Despite agriculture’s importance, the Economic Policy Institute reports that farmworkers are among the lowest-paid workers in the U.S.

However, agriculture also provides opportunities for economic equity and helps people prosper around the world. For example, since 2000, the agricultural growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa has surpassed that of any other region in the world (approximately 4.3% annually), contributing to the region’s economic gains, according to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). While there’s been a global decline in agricultural jobs — from 1 billion in 2000 to 883 million in 2019, according to employment indicators from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations — agriculture remains the second-highest source of employment (26.7% of total work).

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Agriculture is the practice of cultivating natural resources to sustain human life and provide economic gain. It combines the creativity, imagination, and skill involved in planting crops and raising animals with modern production methods and new technologies.

Agriculture is also a business that provides the global economy with commodities: basic goods used in commerce, such as grain, livestock, dairy, fiber, and raw materials for fuel. For example, fiber is a top crop in U.S. agricultural production , according to The Balance Small Business, and a necessary commodity for the clothing sector.

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Agriculture impacts society in many ways, including: supporting livelihoods through food, habitat, and jobs; providing raw materials for food and other products; and building strong economies through trade. Source: The Balance Small Business.

A key to why agriculture is important to business and society is its output — from producing raw materials to contributing to the global supply chain and economic development.

Providing Raw Materials

Raw materials are a core building block of the global economy. Without access to raw materials, manufacturers can’t make products. Nonagricultural raw materials include steel, minerals, and coal. However, many raw materials derive from agriculture — from lumber for construction materials to herbs for adding flavor to food. Corn, for example, is used to produce foods and serves as a foundation for ethanol, a type of fuel. Another example is resins : plant products used in various industrial applications, such as adhesives, coatings, and paints used in construction.

Creating a Strong Supply Chain

Importing and exporting goods such as agricultural products requires shipping methods such as ocean freight, rail, and trucking. Delays in shipping agricultural products from a Los Angeles port can create problems in China, and vice versa, impacting the global supply chain.

For example, sales of soybean crops from Iowa skyrocketed in 2021 due to various factors including delays in South American crop shipments, according to the Iowa Soybean Association. In this example, Iowa benefited from a competitive standpoint. However, delays in shipping crops could also be detrimental to regions expecting shipment, limiting availability of products on store shelves and affecting livelihoods.

Encouraging Economic Development

Agriculture impacts global trade because it’s tied to other sectors of the economy, supporting job creation and encouraging economic development. Countries with strong agricultural sectors experience employment growth in other sectors, according to USAID. Countries with agricultural productivity growth and robust agriculture infrastructure also have higher per capita incomes, since producers in these countries innovate through technology and farm management practices to boost agricultural productivity and profitability.

Resources on the Importance of Agriculture

The following resources provide information about the importance of agriculture as a source of raw materials and its impact on transportation and contribution to economic development:

• American Farm Bureau Federation, Fast Facts About Agriculture & Food : Provides various statistics demonstrating why agriculture is important.
• The Western Producer, “Suddenly Agriculture Is Important ”: Highlights agriculture’s role as a stable commodity provider even amid disruption.
• LinkedIn, “What Is Agriculture and Its Importance? ”: Discusses the importance of agriculture in 10 areas.

When global supply chains are disrupted , considerable attention is given to the technology sector. For example, the lack of computer chips — made from silicon, a nonagricultural raw material — limits a manufacturer’s ability to make computers, cars, and other products. This impacts many areas of society and business.

Agriculture also plays a central role in meeting consumer and business market demand in a world with interconnected economies. Here are different types of products derived from agriculture.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are essential sources of fiber, proteins, and carbohydrates in human diets. Vitamins, such as A, C, and E, and minerals, such as magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus, are naturally occurring in many fruits and vegetables. In addition to health benefits, fruits and vegetables add flavors to the human palette.

Animal Feed

Some fruits and vegetables are grown to provide feed for animals, from poultry to livestock. The American Industry Feed Association reports that about 900 animal feed ingredients are approved by law in the U.S. These include ingredients that come from agricultural production, including hay, straw, oils, sprouted grains, and legumes.

Natural Rubber Production

The number of vehicles in the world  is more than 1.4 billion, according to Hedges & Company market research. Every single one runs on rubber tires. According to GEP, the top rubber-producing countries are Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia — collectively representing approximately 70% of  global natural rubber production  — and about 90% of suppliers are small-scale farmers.

Cotton for Clothing

From cotton to clothes, the journey starts with agricultural production. Cotton is grown, harvested, and then processed, spun, and woven into fabric before it becomes a piece of clothing. Cotton production encompasses an expansive global supply chain, and according to Forum for the Future , it’s a leading commodity, making up approximately 31% of all textile fibers globally.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports favorable economics of biofuels , produced from biomass sources including agricultural products such as corn, soybeans, sugarcane, and algae. The benefits include reduced greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions and the potential for increased incomes for farmers. However, biodiesel production requires the use of land and water resources that can affect food costs.

Industrial Products

Bio-based chemistry involves using raw materials derived from biomass to develop industrial products. Different industrial products derived from bio-based chemicals include bioplastics, plant oils, biolubricants, inks, dyes, detergents, and fertilizers. Bio-based chemicals and products offer an alternative to conventional products derived from petroleum products. Bio-based chemistry is considered a type of green chemistry because it promotes the reduction of environmental impacts in industrial production.

Pharmaceutical Products

For thousands of years, humans have turned to plants to help treat what ails them. For example, ginger, a plant root typically consumed in tea, can help aid digestion. Substances derived from plants and herbs can also help in healthcare. For example, extracted chemicals from the foxglove plant are used for digoxin, a drug used for heart failure. Another example is polylactic acid (PLA), a chemical produced when glucose is fermented into lactic acid in green plants. PLA has applications in tissue engineering, cardiovascular implants, orthopedic interventions, cancer therapy, and fabrication of surgical implants, according to a study published in Engineered Regeneration .

Agricultural products provide essential resources for daily activities, such as: getting ready for work in the morning, thanks to coffee and clothes; washing hands with soap; fueling vehicles to travel; preparing and eating food; and minding health through medicines and treatments. Sources: Commodity.com, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ThoughtCo, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For thousands of years, agriculture has played an important role in everyday life. Before agriculture, hunting and gathering enabled humans to survive. It wasn’t until the transition to the planned sowing and harvesting of crops that humans began to thrive. Humans developed tools and practices to improve agricultural output with more efficient means of sustaining themselves. From there, innovations that created industries led to the modern era.

Today, the importance of agriculture in everyday life can’t be minimized. Without the agriculture sector, activities such as getting dressed for work and cleaning the home wouldn’t be possible. Here are examples of the agricultural products we use in our everyday lives:

• Shelter . Wood and plant-based materials, such as bamboo, can be used for indoor décor and construction materials.
• Morning routine.  Mint is often an ingredient in toothpaste, adding flavor while brushing your teeth, and the caffeine in coffee that keeps you awake is derived from the coffee bean.
• Dressing up.  In addition to cotton, clothing can be manufactured from hemp, ramie, and flax. Bio-based materials can be used to produce grooming products such as skin creams and shampoos.
• Cleaning.  Two types of chemicals used in detergents, cleaning products, and bath or hand soap — surfactants and solvents — can be produced from biomass.
• Driving to work.  Plants make it possible to get to and from work. Think of rubber (sourced from rubber trees) and biodiesel fuel, which often includes ethanol (sourced from corn).
• Entertainment.  Paper from trees enables you to write, and some musical instruments, such as reed instruments, require materials made from plants.
• Education.  From pencils (still often made of wood) to paper textbooks, students rely on agricultural products every day.

Agriculture can have a significant effect on the economy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service reports that  agricultural and food sectors  provided 10% of all U.S. employment in 2020 — nearly 20 million full- and part-time jobs. Additionally, the USDA reported that  cash receipts from crops  totaled nearly $198 billion in 2020.  Animal and animal product receipts  weren’t far behind in 2020, totaling $165 billion.

The interdependence of the  food and agriculture sector  with other sectors, including water and wastewater systems, transportation systems, energy, and chemical, makes it a critical engine for economic activity, according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Agriculture also impacts economic development by contributing to the overall U.S. gross domestic product (GDP), directly and indirectly. It does so through farm production, forestry, fishing activities, textile mills and products, apparel and food and beverage sales, and service and manufacturing.

• Farm production.  The latest USDA data on  farming and farming income  report the U.S. had a little over 2 million farms, encompassing 897 million acres, in 2020. Farm production includes producing fruits, vegetables, plants, and varieties of crops to meet demand for agricultural products throughout the country and abroad.
• Forestry and fishing activities.  Agricultural activities include forestry and harvesting fish in water farms or in their natural habitat.  Agroforestry is focused on “establishing, managing, using, and conserving forests, trees and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values,” according to the USDA. A form of fishing activity known as  aquaculture  involves the production of fish and other sea animals under controlled conditions to provide food.
• Textile mills and products.  The  S. cotton industry  produces $21 billion in products and services annually, according to the USDA. The industry has created various employment roles, such as growers, ginners, and buyers working on farms and in textile mills, cotton gins, offices, and warehouses.
• Apparel and food and beverage sales.  Since agriculture is a business, selling products made from agricultural production is essential. A key aspect of the sales component in agriculture is to help growers build capacity and understand the market dynamics to meet the needs of customers, many of whom care deeply about Food services and eating and drinking places accounted for 10.5 million jobs in 2020, the largest share among all categories within the agriculture and food sectors, according to the USDA.
• Manufacturing.  Agricultural products contribute to the manufacturing of a huge variety of goods, including food and beverage products, textiles, cleaning and personal products, construction materials, fuels, and more. According to the USDA, food and beverage manufacturing companies employ about 1.7 million people in the U.S.

Here’s how agriculture directly and indirectly contributes to the U.S. gross domestic product: farm production, forestry and fishing activities, textile mills and products, apparel and food and beverage sales, and service and manufacturing. Sources: American Farm Bureau Federation, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the USDA.

Here are ways agriculture and related industries impact economic development:

Agribusiness

Agribusiness  consists of the companies that perform the commercial activities involved in getting agricultural goods to market. It includes all types of businesses in the food sector, from small family farms to global agricultural conglomerates. In the U.S., farms contributed about $136 billion to GDP (about 0.6% of total GDP) in 2019, according to the USDA.

However, farms are just one component of agribusiness. Agribusiness also includes businesses involved in manufacturing agricultural equipment (such as tractors) and chemical-based products (like fertilizers) and companies involved in the production and refinement of biofuels. USDA data reports that in total, farms and related industries contributed more than $1.1 trillion to GDP, a little over 5% of the GDP, in 2019.

The  economics of agribusiness  also entails building production systems and supply chains that help maintain a country’s economic and social stability. Through the development of organizational and technological knowledge, agribusiness plays a vital role in protecting the environment and biodiversity near farms and using natural resources sustainably.

Food Security

Food security  is central to the agricultural industry:  Sustainable agriculture  is a key to fulfilling the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including  SDG 2 :  Zero Hunger . In addition to food security, the agricultural sector raises the incomes among the poorest communities  up to four times more effectively  than other sectors, according to the World Bank.

Job Creation

Throughout the world, agriculture plays an important role in job creation. For example, agriculture accounts for 25% of exports in developing countries in Latin America, about 5% of their regional GDP, according to a report about  the importance of agribusiness  from BBVA, a corporate and investment bank. This activity is a source of economic activity and jobs in these countries. In the U.S., agriculture and related industries provide 19.7 million full- and part-time jobs, about 10.3% of all employment.

Resources on the Economic Impact of Agriculture

The following resources highlight agriculture’s impact on the economy, from how disruption affects the business and the benefits of the sector to people’s livelihoods:

• Economic Research Service, Farming and Farm Income : Provides an overview of trends in farming and economic development statistics.
• American Journal of Agricultural Economics, “The Importance of Agriculture in the Economy: Impacts from COVID-19” : Highlights why agriculture is important based on the impact of COVID-19’s disruptions to the sector.
• Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics, “Agriculture, Transportation, and the COVID-19 Crisis” : Discusses how transportation services that COVID-19 has disrupted can impact agricultural supply chains.

Advanced farming equipment and the increased use of fertilizers and pesticides have resulted in higher crop yields. At the same time, they’ve impacted the environment, contributing to soil and water pollution and climate change. NASA projects a 24% decline in corn crop yields by 2030, thanks to climate change. However, ensuring a healthy biodiversity can help mitigate the impact. Here are some factors to consider:

• Sustainable agriculture.  Through  sustainable agricultural practices , farmers and ranchers help ensure the profitability of their land while improving soil fertility, helping promote sound environmental practices, and minimizing environmental impacts through  climate action .
• Climate change regulation.  The agricultural sector produced about 10% of U.S.  greenhouse gas emissions  in 2019, according to the EPA. Regulation and policy changes can help promote sustainable practices in the sector and provide guidance on agricultural adaptation to address the challenges that climate change poses.
• Agriculture technology and innovation.  From temperature- and moisture-sensing devices to GPS technologies for land surveys to robots,  agriculture technology  can result in higher crop yields, less chemical runoff, and lower impact on natural resources.

Agricultural Biodiversity Resources

Find information about agricultural biodiversity and its impacts in the following resources:

• Our World in Data, “Environmental Impacts of Food Production” : Discusses how sustainable agriculture offers a path to addressing food and nutrition issues.
• IBM, “The Benefits of Sustainable Agriculture and How We Get There” : Addresses how artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics technologies help farmers maximize food production and minimize their environmental impact.
• S. Environmental Protection Agency, The Sources and Solutions: Agriculture : Explains how agriculture can contribute to reducing nutrient pollution.
• FoodPrint, Biodiversity and Agriculture : Provides answers to what it will take to preserve the health of the planet to safeguard our own food supply.
• Brookings, “What Is the Future of Work in Agri-Food? ”: Discusses the future of agricultural automation and its impact on work.

Agriculture offers an opportunity to improve the lives of millions of food-insecure people and help countries develop economies that create jobs and raise incomes. Today’s agriculture also impacts future generations. To ensure the long-term success of the global agricultural sector, building a more sustainable economic system aligned with the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals is a crucial imperative to help create a more equitable society.

Infographic Sources

American Farm Bureau Federation, “Farm Contribution to Agricultural GDP at Record Low”

Bureau of Economic Analysis, “Gross Domestic Product (Third Estimate), Corporate Profits (Revised Estimate), and GDP by Industry, Second Quarter 2021”

Commodity.com, “Learn All About Agricultural Commodities and Market Trends”

Environmental Protection Agency, Commonly Consumed Food Commodities

The Balance Small Business, “What Is Agricultural Production?”

ThoughtCo, “List of Medicines Made From Plants”

USDA, Ag and Food Sectors and the Economy

USDA National Agricultural Library, Industrial, Energy, and Non-food Crops

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Essay on Agriculture

Updated October 27, 2023

Essay on Agriculture – Introduction

Agriculture is a timeless ancient practice of growing crops or raising animals that started 11,700 years ago. Every day, thanks to the dedication of over 600 million farmers worldwide, we are able to enjoy delicious and healthy meals filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains. It is not just farming, it’s the foundation of our existence. Agriculture is the skill of producing food resources that keep us healthy and help us survive. Countries such as China, India, and the United States are among the leading producers of key agricultural goods like wheat, rice, and cotton. In this essay on agriculture, we will explore the essential role of agriculture in feeding and nurturing our world while considering the challenges and opportunities it presents.

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Essay on Agriculture – Evolution

1. birth of farming.

A long time ago, our human ancestors were just hunters and gatherers. They didn’t farm but hunted animals and gathered fruits and plants to eat. Around 11,000 years ago, people found they could plant seeds in the ground and grow plants. This was the birth of farming.

As time passed, farming became more organized. People began to settle in one place, leading to the growth of ancient civilizations, like the Egyptians, who cultivated crops along the Nile River.

2. Evolving Agricultural Tools & Techniques

Agriculture kept evolving with inventions and discoveries. Humans built plows to help with planting and harvesting. The Chinese even developed paper money to make trading farm products easier.

The 20th century of agriculture saw a big shift as scientists developed new crop varieties that could produce more food. Farmers also started using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to protect crops. This period is known as the Green Revolution.

 3. Modern Agriculture

Today, farming has gone high-tech. We have tractors, GPS-guided planting, and even robots to help with farming. Moreover, some farmers use satellites to monitor their fields, experimenting with things like vertical farming (growing crops in stacked trays) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil).

Important Roles of Agriculture

Agriculture is the backbone of our civilization, providing us with the food we eat and many other important resources for our well-being. It is our primary food source that ensures our well-being through diverse crop production, supporting our physical and mental health.

Moreover, it also provides employment and income to millions worldwide, including farmers, laborers, and supply chain workers. Agricultural raw materials help us create useful products. For instance, we use cotton for textiles and plants for biofuels.

Agriculture shapes culture, traditions, and social structures in many societies, deeply influencing our way of life. It also reduces the impact of climate change through sustainable practices. Additionally, it plays a significant role in international trade, fostering economic interdependence by exporting surplus agricultural products.

Top Agricultural Nations Worldwide

These are the top 5 countries that have the highest agricultural exports in the world.

Agriculture Sector’s Growth and Development In India

The agriculture sector in India has played a crucial role in the country’s economic development, employment generation, and food security. Over the years, it has witnessed significant growth, as mentioned below:

• In India, farmers are transitioning from conventional crops like corn and wheat to high-value produce such as organic mangoes in Maharashtra, vibrant floriculture in Gujarat, and export-quality bananas in Andhra Pradesh.
• Farmers use modern farm machinery, high-yield seeds, and modern farming techniques, e.g., the adoption of high-yielding wheat and rice varieties in Punjab, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh.
• India is now using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agriculture to help farmers optimize crop yield and minimize wastage. For instance, a startup, Cropin, gives farmers real-time data that helps them analyze their produce’s quality.
• The government has built major dams and canals for improved water access, e.g., Bhakra Nangal and Sardar Sarovar Dams.
• Food processing industries have grown substantially, e.g., companies like Amul, ITC, and Patanjali.
• There is MSP (Minimum Support Prices) and crop insurance to ensure minimum crop prices and mitigate other risks.

The Pattern of Agriculture in India

In India, the monsoon determines the prospects of agriculture. Therefore, India’s agriculture is heavily reliant on the monsoon season. The two main agriculture seasons are the kharif and rabi seasons.

1. Kharif Season

This season begins with the arrival of the monsoon. Farmers sow crops when monsoons begin and harvest usually between September and October. Key crops during this season include maize, cotton, rice, sorghum, and soybean. As these crops need a lot of rain to grow well, monsoon is the best season to plant them.

2. Rabi Season

Plants like wheat, pulses, linseed, mustard, oats, and barley grow better during the dry season. Thus, these rabi crops are planted in the winter, around October and November, and typically harvested in spring.

Agriculture’s Negative Impact

Although agriculture is the heart of human survival and growth, improper agricultural practices can have several negative impacts.

1. Deforestation

When nations clear forests for big farms, it harms nature, releases climate-changing carbon, and disturbs ecosystems. For instance, in the Amazon rainforest, large forest areas are still being cleared for soybean farming, leading to deforestation.

2. Water Pollution & Wastage

Farming needs lots of water, which can cause water shortages. Moreover, farm chemicals run into the water, hurting fish and making drinking unsafe. For instance, groundwater depletion in India’s Punjab region due to irrigation is causing water scarcity. Excess fertilizer runoff in the Mississippi River Basin has created a massive “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico.

3. Health Impacts

Farming generates greenhouse gasses, like the beef industry contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, as cows produce methane during digestion. In addition, chemicals in farming can end up in our food and water, harming our health.

4. Harmful Agricultural Practices

Sometimes, hard farming damages soil, making it less fertile and prone to erosion. For example, intensive corn farming in the US Midwest has led to soil erosion and declining fertility. Additionally, when modern farming takes over, like the change from traditional rice farming to new methods in Japan, it can put at risk special cultural traditions.

Final Thoughts

This essay on agriculture covers how agriculture is an important and dynamic economic sector vital to human society. With an expanding global population and rising consumer demand for food and other goods, agriculture’s importance will only increase.

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Student Essays

Essay on Agriculture | Importance & Significance of Agriculture Essay

Agriculture is the backbone of our country. The following essay on agriculture discusses the significance, importance and role of agriculture for the progress & power of a nation.

Agriculture Essay | Importance & Significance of Agriculture in Life

The primary purpose of agriculture is to cultivate crops and to domesticate animals for the purpose of providing food and other necessities for mankind.

Although it has been practiced since ancient times, it has evolved over time and has become an important part of our country’s economic development.

Importance of Agriculture

Agriculture is very important. Following are the main points regarding the significance of agriculture in our lives

1. Agriculture is the main Source of food:  Agriculture is a gift to the country, so it is no surprise that our food is a product of this activity. Food shortages existed in the country before independence, but they were resolved with the advent of the green revolution in agriculture in the year 1969.

>>>>>>>> Related Post:    Speech on Soil Pollution For Students

2. Agriculture contributes to National Income:  Agricultural activities generated over 59% of national income in 1950-51. Although it has reduced to around 24% about ten years ago, the agricultural sector remains one of the major sources of income in India.

3. Progress of Industrial Sector:  The agricultural sector plays a major role in the industrial sector by providing the raw materials which are used in manufacturing. Many industries are dependent on agriculture, including cotton textiles, sugar, jute, rubber, and oil.

4. Agriculture creates Employment Opportunities:  Agricultural activities require a large labour force, which provides numerous employment opportunities. There are not only direct employment opportunities available but indirect ones as well. A good example is farmers need to transport their products from one place to another, which supports the transport sector.

5. Agriculture increases Foreign Trade:  Agriculture accounts for the majority of exports. Agricultural exports account for more than 70% of total exports. India is the world’s third largest producer of jute products and sugar.

6. Increase in Government Revenue:  Government revenue is generated from excise duties on agricultural goods, land revenue and taxes on agricultural machinery sales.

7. Formation of Capital:  Capital can be generated from surplus income generated from agricultural activities.

8. Agriculture is dangerous Industry:  However, it is no secret that agriculture is a dangerous industry, and the importance of agriculture cannot be underestimated. Injuries among farmers are quite common. Rollovers and other accidents involving motor and machinery are some of the common causes of agrarian injuries.

Additionally, they are also at risk of skin diseases, lung infections, noise-induced hearing problems, sunstroke, and some types of cancers caused by the nature of their job. The pesticides may cause serious illnesses, even birth defects, in those exposed to them.

>>>>>>>> Related Post:  Speech on Importance of Water For Students

Even so, agriculture still plays a crucial role in the evolution of human civilization. As Booker T. Washington once said about agriculture that, “No race can prosper till it learns there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem”, Therefore, the agriculture sector is an integral part and a great strength  of a country.

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Essay on Agriculture: Short Essay, 100 and 250 Words

• Updated on  
• May 18, 2024

Agriculture is one of the major sectors in India that provide livelihood to the people. The majority of the Indian population depends on agriculture as it is the major source of income and contributes to around 18.3% of India’s GDP. It provides food, raw materials, and employment to billions of people across the world. As common people, most of us anticipate that agriculture is just the cultivation of crops.

However, it is much more than that, it includes fishery , livestock, forestry , and crop production . It is the backbone of the civilization. Read this blog and get to know how to write an essay on agriculture with the help of examples!

Table of Contents

• 1 Short Essay on Agriculture
• 2 Essay on Agriculture 100 Words
• 3.1 Significance of Agriculture
• 3.2 Challenges for Agriculture
• 3.3 Sustainable agriculture

Short Essay on Agriculture

India is also referred to as agricultural land because a major part of India is covered by agricultural activities. The entire world has been practising agriculture for thousands of years from the nomadic times to date. 

Agriculture started during the Neolithic Revolution for the production of food. Nowadays, the scenario has been completely changed with the application of AI tools and Machinery in the world of Agriculture. New technologies and equipment are being developed to replace the traditional methods of farming. Some of the AI technologies are integrated sensors, weathering forecasting, IoT-powered agriculture drones, smart spraying, etc. 

Millions of people across the world depend on agriculture, even animals are also dependent on agriculture for their fodder and habitat. Besides that, agriculture also plays a key role in the economic development of the country because 3/4th of the population depends on agriculture.

Also Read: Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 

Essay on Agriculture 100 Words

Agriculture is the main source of life on earth. Animals and humans depend on agriculture for a living. It is the oldest practice in the history of mankind. There has been tremendous growth and evolution in the field of agriculture.

The use of AI-based technology and modern techniques in farming is helping the sector to generate high yields with better quality. 

Now, our country is able to produce surplus food crops which is enough to satisfy domestic needs. It also helps to eradicate malnutrition and address hunger issues in various parts of the world. Thus, agriculture will always remain the cornerstone of human existence and continue to fulfil the demands of the changing world.

Also Read: Essay on Population Explosion

Essay on Agriculture 250 Words

Agriculture can be termed as the global powerhouse of the world. It is feeding billions of people across the world. Every individual directly or indirectly depends on agriculture.

Significance of Agriculture

The significance of agriculture is listed below:

• The food we consume is a gift of the agriculture sector. Farmers are working day and night to cultivate food crops for the entire human population.
• It also adds value to the Gross Domestic Product as well as the national income of the country.
• As it is one of the largest sectors, there is a huge need for a labor force and employees. Thus, it imparts employment to 80% of the people in this world.
• 70% of the total food crop production of India is used for the purpose of exports. Some of the main items of export are rice, spices, wheat, cotton, tea, tobacco, jute products, and many more.

Challenges for Agriculture

Every year, the agriculture sector has to face difficult challenges. It includes harsh weather conditions be it drought or flood or extreme heat waves and cold breezes. Soil degradation is also one of the major threats to agriculture due to soil erosion and soil pollution. All these conditions create the need to generate sustainable practices in the agriculture sector.

Sustainable agriculture

Advancement in technology helps to create sustainable agriculture. The use of technology in the field of agriculture like weather forecasts, automated sowing, drones, AI-driven sensors, pest control, etc. helps in developing sustainable agriculture.

Besides that, farmers are adopting new farming practices such as crop rotation reduced chemicals, organic farming, etc. for sustainable agriculture.

Also Read: Essay on Water Pollution

Agriculture is the process of cultivation of crops. Every individual is dependent on agriculture for food crops, and employment. The perfect essay on agriculture must include, what is agriculture, the importance, and the significance of agriculture.

Here are 5 main points about agriculture: Agriculture is the source of food and fodder for the world; It is one of the oldest human practices that date back thousands of years; Agriculture is essential for the breeding and raising of livestock; The incorporation of modern techniques in farming helped in the evolution of the agriculture sector; and Agriculture contributes to the economy of the nation.

Agriculture refers to the science, art, or practice of cultivating crops, raising livestock, and marketing the finished products for the use of human consumption while contributing to the economy of the country.

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Geography Notes

Essay on agriculture (for students) | world | economic geography.

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Here is a compilation of essays on ‘Agriculture’ for Class 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Agriculture’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Agriculture

Essay Contents:

• Essay on Agriculture Changes in Different Countries

Essay # 1. Introduction to Agriculture:

The word “Agriculture” has no rigid definition. It has been explained by many people very comprehensively. Agriculture has been defined as the science and art of cultivating the soil, and this definition emphasizes the primary nature of plant production in agriculture.

Moreover, it is so frequent that the same person performs both the primary functions of growing plants and the secondary one of feeding the plants to livestock that these two industries are grouped together as agriculture. Therefore, it may be said that agriculture includes not only the production of crops by the cultivation of the soil, but also the rearing of livestock.

Thus, milk, meat and wool are as much agricultural products as are wheat, rice and cotton. In the words of George O’Brien, therefore, the word agriculture includes, “every industry which aims at producing vegetables or animals by the cultivation of the soil.”

So, agriculture is the business of raising products from the land. The products raised may either be plants and their products or animals and their products. The former are the direct products while the latter are the indirect products of the land. Agricultural products are complex and diverse, in nature, and as such, agriculture may be regarded as complex industry.

Modern agriculture is such broader in scope than merely the art and science of cultivating the land. It is the whole business of supplying food and fiber for a growing population at home and abroad. Again in agriculture we include all forms of soil production, from forestry to glass-house culture, from fishery to artificial insemination, and from breeding to horticulture.

Essay # 2. Origin of Agriculture:

Agriculture is the most fundamental form of hu­man activity and includes not only the cultivation of crops but also the domestication of animals. Agri­cultural land is thus the most basic of the world’s vast and varied resources, and from it the human masses are fed, clothed and sheltered. It is still not known when agriculture actually originated.

Primi­tive men must have begun as food gatherers, eating whatever fruits, leaves and roots they could obtain. Nature must have been bountiful in those days when human numbers were so small and wild plants grew everywhere. As time passed and human numbers grew, fishing and hunting became increasingly im­portant in supplementing what was lacking in the field, and an endless search for food ensued.

It was soon realized that some form of food pro­duction was necessary if men were to live long and secure. Animals were tamed, first to provide meat, milk and skin; later for use as draught animals. Seeds were sown in ploughed fields, carefully tended and harvested when the time came.

Men were then able to live in settled communities. Because they were no longer continually moving they had time to develop the various arts, crafts and skills that formed the basis of modern industries and also evolved religious and political ideas. Without a settled agriculture, a meas­urable degree of civilization is not possible.

Naturally, as civilization became more and more advanced, the demands upon the productivity of the environment became more exacting. In an ever-expanding com­munity, ways and means had to be found to increase the agricultural productivity of the land. Canals were dug to bring in more water; better seeds and improved methods of tillage helped to increase the annual harvests.

With the spread of agriculture as a global activity, tremendous progress was made in every as­pect of crop production. The use of steam, oil, gas or hydro-electric power allowed farms to be mechanized, which not only raised productivity per hectare, but also brought rapid expansion in the total land-area farmed, especially in the New World.

Mechanization created large crop surpluses so that international trade in agricultural crops became possible. Many indus­trial nations today grow very little food and yet they are able to support large populations with the help of food imports.

Essay # 3. Definition of Agriculture:

Thus, milk, meat and wool are as much agricultural products as are wheat, rice and cotton. In the words of George O’Brien, therefore, the word agriculture includes “every industry which aims at producing vegetables or animals by the cultivation of the soil.”

Modern agriculture is such broader in scope than merely the art and science of cultivating the land. It is the whole business of supplying food and fibre for a growing population at home and abroad.

Again in agriculture we include all forms of soil production, from forestry to glass-house culture, from fishery to artificial insemination, and from breeding to horticulture.

Essay # 4 . Features of Agriculture:

The following are the features of agriculture:

i. Land use Pattern:

Out of 328 million hectares total land, at least 45 per cent area is devoted to agriculture. At present 180 million hectares of land is under multiple cropping.

ii. Relative Importance of Different Crops:

Nearly 72.3 per cent agricultural land is de­voted for food-grain production and remaining 17.7 per cent land is used for the production of other crops. Considering the total volume of production and area under cultivation, rice se­cures the prime position.

More than 20 per cent land may be classified as rice land. In order of importance wheat is close behind rice, taking more than 10 per cent of the cultivable land. Cash crops like cotton, sugar cane and jute are the other dominant agriculture products.

iii. Average Size of Land Holdings:

All over India tiny and uneconomic land holdings are characteristic feature. Compared to other developed and developing countries, Indian land units are one of the smallest. The major reason, India is one of the most densely populated regions on earth. Besides this high density of population, high degree of dependence on agri­culture also forced the people to acquire land holdings whatever size it might be.

According to Hindu Law, after the death of a land-owner his property is equally subdivided among his successors. In this way the average size of land holdings decreases. The average size of agri­cultural land units in USA is over 148 acres, in Denmark it is 42 acres, in England it is more than 18 acres while in India it is only 5.7 acres. There is a lot of disparity visible between the different size of existing land holdings. Even less than 1 acre land is not uncommon.

iv. Pattern of Land Ownership:

The most peculiar characteristic feature of Indian farm­ing is the concentration of a large amount of land ownership to a handful of people. Only 11 per cent cultivators occupy 62 per cent of the arable land. On the other hand, at least 21 per cent of farmers still remain landless or merely marginal farmers. This mal-distribution of land among the cultivators result in stress and strain in the socio-economic life of India.

v. Fragmentation and Isolation of Land Holdings:

This is another main characteristic feature of Indian agriculture. In the early colonial period, average size of land holding was 9 to 12 acres or even more. But repeated division of land after the death of owner resulted further fragmentation of land and land holdings become tiny. Some of the holdings are so small, that these are uneconomic for further cultivation.

vi. Land Tenure System:

The Indian land tenure system was formulated during the Brit­ish period. The Permanent Settlement system, promulgated by Lord Cornwallis in 1993, assured the land ownership permanently to a handful of people. This semi-feudal system in the agrarian sector created a large number of absentee landlords. Due to imposition of this system, ownership of the cultivable land became highly concentrated to a handful of people.

In this system farmers, those who are engaged in production, were not interested to develop the quality of the land. Another characteristic feature developed in this system was the feeling of insecurity among the cultivators.

vii. Subsistence Level of Production and Heavy Dependence on Agriculture:

Agriculture is still one of the low-earning occupations. Most of the crops produced are directly consumed by the farmer himself. Nearly 45% of the products are consumed by cultivators themselves. At least 16% is given to government as revenue.

7% is to be kept as seed and only 32% may be regarded as marketable surplus. Due to low surplus, cultivators are unable to get liquid money. Due to lack of liquid money, he cannot invest more on the field. As the investment is low, it is very difficult for farmers to achieve a surplus production. Here lies the vicious circle of pov­erty as promulgated by Prof. Narks.

viii. Disguised Unemployment:

The number of agricultural labour in India is the highest in the world. On an average, 25% of the people may be classified as marginal farmers and agricultural labourers. This large number of people do not possess any land of their own. They sustain their livelihood as daily wage earner. The major part of the year they remain jobless, particularly in the lean season.

These labours are seasonal and do not have any commitment on the production. Even, as suggested by some noted economists, the contribution of these workers in the production is very low. They are known as disguised unemployed.

These dis­guised unemployed workers constitute the bulk of the labour force. As they do not contribute anything in the production, they are in reality unemployed, but as they get wage, capital outflow occurs from agriculture.

ix. Low Investment:

Low investment in Indian agriculture is another major characteris­tic feature. Low investment leads to low production and low income to the farmer. That is again the reason of low investment. This vicious circle creates a fundamental problem in In­dian agro-economics. Low inflow of capital in the agricultural sector is primarily responsible for the primitive character of our agrarian system.

x. Low Production:

Despite all efforts in recent years, average agricultural production in India per acre is still one of the lowest in the world. Compared to developed countries production per acre in India is one-fourth of USA and Canada. Production in China is even twice that of India.

xi. Organizational Deficiency:

Most of the agro-farms are governed by either individu­als or families. Most of these families belong to low income groups. So they are not able to provide sufficient capital, different inputs of agriculture, managerial ability and proper mar­keting facilities in the cultivation.

Essay # 5 . Importance of Agriculture in India:

i. Agriculture’s Share in National Income:

Agriculture and allied occupations still contribute about 34% of the national income of India. It is true that with an acceleration of the secondary and the tertiary sectors the share of agriculture has been declining.

Such decline in the percentage share of the income from agriculture indicates the degree of economic development of the country. For instance, today the share of agriculture in the national income is 13% in Australia, 7% in Canada, 5% in the U.S.A. and only 4% in the U.K.

ii. Agriculture as a Source of Livelihood:

According to Census of Population 1971, 7 out of every 10 persons in India still depend on agriculture their main source of livelihood. This proportion of 66% has remained on constant ever since 1901 and is likely to remain so for at least a few more decades.

This fact also reacts the importance of agriculture. In the developed countries, the position is just the reverse. The percentage of population dependent on agriculture is only 25% in France, 20% in New Zealand, 15% in Canada and West Germany and a little over in the U.S.A.

iii. Agriculture and Pattern of Employment:

It is often suggested that the importance of a sector can be judged from the percentage of working population (and not the total population) engaged in that sector. 66% of the working people are engaged in agriculture.

This indicates the fact that employment opportunities are greater in agriculture than in other sectors of the economy. It is of course, due to the fact that the other sectors have not yet developed. In many of the advanced countries where other sectors have developed rapidly, the percentage of employment in agriculture is negligible.

iv. Importance of Agriculture for Industrial Development:

Unless agriculture is well-developed, industries may not develop rapidly. This is because agriculture provides a number of raw materials to industries. In India, most of our leading industries depend on agriculture for their raw materials. For instance, industries like cotton textiles, jute, sugar and vanaspati depend on agriculture for their raw materials.

The plantation industries like tea, coffee, rubber etc. also depend directly on agriculture. There are a number of other industries whose dependence on agriculture is indirect. These are hand/pounding and husking of rice, crushing of oil, weaving of handloom and khadi cloth, etc.

Many others, like paper, leather and tanning, matches, chemicals, etc., depend on allied activities of agriculture like forestry, animal husbandry, factories etc. It is, of course, true that a number of modern industries like iron and steel, machine tools, engineering, aircraft etc., do not depend on agricultural for their raw materials. But these industries supply important agricultural inputs like fertiliser, farm machinery and equipment. Thus both agriculture and industry are inter-dependent.

v. Agriculture and the Foreign Trade of India:

Indian agriculture has been a net earner of valuable foreign exchange for the country. At present, about 50% of our exports are of agricultural commodities. This share goes upto 70% if we add to it the exports of manufactured goods like cotton and jute textiles which have substantial agricultural content.

Further our exports trade in agricultural commodities is well diversified over a number of countries. Whereas agricultural exports earn about 70% of foreign exchange this sector spends only about 20% of it so that it makes a net contribution of about 50% to the earrings of foreign exchange. This indeed hints at the fact that the requirement of imports for faster industrialization of the country has contributed to largely by the agricultural sector.

vi. Agriculture and the Tertiary Sector:

Tertiary sector consists of trade, transport service, etc. Agriculture contributes substantially to all these sectors. In respect of our internal trade, agriculture contributes considerably because most of the internal trade is in agricultural commodities.

Agriculture is also the main support for our transport system. Agricultural also helps manufacturing industries because when the incomes are high, their purchasing power is also high and a part of this is diverted to the purchase of manufactured goods.

vii. Agriculture and State Revenues:

Agriculture also brings about an increase in the Government’s revenues—both directly as well as indirectly.

viii. Food for Men and Fooder for Livestock:

Agriculture provides the food for her millions people and livestock. The two outstanding features of agricultural production in India are the wide variety of crops and the preponderance of food over non-food crops in as much as about 80% of the area under cultivation is devoted to cereals, pulses and small millets.

ix. Agricultural Development Essential for Economic Development:

The significance of agriculture in our country arises also from the fact that the development of agriculture is an essential condition for the development of the national economy. Nurkse argues that the surplus population in agriculture should be removed and used in the newly started industries.

Essay # 6. Factors Influencing Agriculture:

The distribution of crops and farm activities is every­where influenced by environmental controls. In some environments, farming is favoured by climate, soil or relief, so that very little effort is needed to raise crops. In others, farmers are at the mercy of nature; and great skill is required to modify the environment to obtain even the barest subsistence.

The following are some of the major geographical factors that in­fluence farmers and their work:

i. Climate:

Climatic factors exert the greatest control over the world distribution of agricultural types. It is essentially a question of climate when grapes are not grown in the tropics and date palms flourish only in the deserts. Despite all the advances made in science, Man can do little to control climate.

He cannot prevent the Siberian rivers from freezing in winter, nor is he able to lower the high tempera­ture of the Sahara. He can at best adapt himself to the climatic environment or moderate the climatic extremes by using greenhouses, central heating or irrigation.

The various climatic elements that affect agriculture are as follows:

(a) Temperature:

The degree of warmth, the dura­tion, and the intensity of sunshine, all affect crop maturity to a certain extent. For example in Britain, wheat and forage crops do better in the south where conditions are warmer; while oats and turnips can be grown in the cooler climate of the north.

Many garden crops and fruits are not able to withstand extreme diurnal temperature variations. Night frosts may damage the tender leaves of plants and protective measures must often be taken, such as burning oil lamps to raise the temperature, or ‘smudging’, i.e. creating smoke that prevents rapid ground cooling. Very low temperatures in the Arctic regions preclude any form of crop cultivation.

Sunshine not only accelerates ripening of crops but also improves the quality of the final products. In temperate farming, the length of the growing season is often an important consideration. For example, wheat requires a 90-day frost-free growing period and summer temperatures around 16°C (60°F); cotton needs summer temperatures of over 21°C (70°F) and 200 days without frost.

(b) Moisture:

Moisture, either from the atmos­phere or from the ground, is absolutely essential in plant growth. It is not only the amount of moisture that counts, but also such vital considerations as the distribution pattern during the year, the rate of evaporation and the conditions of relative humidity at the periods of sowing, growing and harvesting.

An annual precipitation (including both rain and snow) of 1 016 mm (40 inches) may be ideal for most temperate crops, but it is inadequate for agricul­ture in the tropics, where the rate of evaporation is very great. In many tropical countries there are distinct wet and dry periods following one another in a regular pattern. Crops are sown and grow through the rainy period, to be harvested in the almost per­fectly rainless conditions of the dry season.

This is the typical rhythm of rice cultivation in the Orient and of cotton farming in East Africa. In the Medi­terranean shorelands, which experience winter rain and summer drought, plant growth is almost restrict­ed to autumn and spring when both the temperature and the moisture conditions are favourable.

The long summer drought, with its low humidity conditions and excessive evaporation, poses a real threat to many plants. Cereals often require irrigation; but citrus fruits, vines and olives which have either a thick skin as protection against evaporation or long tap roots to reach moisture, are well-suited to the Mediterranean environment.

Some plants are harmed by strong winds which may accelerate evaporation or physic­ally damage the plant. For example, in West Africa or eastern Brazil, high winds may blow off fruits like cocoa pods that hang precariously on the trunks and branches of the trees. Cocoa cultivation is there­fore least suited to regions where violent winds like typhoons and hurricanes occur.

On the other hand, sea breezes and light winds are often advantageous to certain plants like coconuts and coffee. Where winds are known to attain destructive proportions, e.g. the typhoons of northern Luzon, Philippines, low-growing plants such as padi or tobacco have a better chance of survival than tall tree crops as they offer less resist­ance to the wind and are able to sway with the storm rather than snapping off.

ii. Topography:

A comparison of Fig. 3.3 with a world map of relief features will reveal that the most intensively cultivated parts of the earth are the lowlands. The levelness of the ground eases cultiva­tion and the use of machinery.

Consequently, such areas have the greatest concentrations of population. All over Monsoon Asia wet padi is grown in flooded lowland fields, coastal plains and alluvial river basins. The hills are terraced to create artificial flooded low­land conditions for wet padi cultivation.

In the New World, the rolling grasslands of the Pampas and the Prairies have been improved, by such measures as re- grassing, for large-scale livestock farming, mixed farming or extensive mechanized wheat cultivation. Some other crops like cocoa and rubber are limited to tropical lowlands. Latex yield from rubber trees decreases appreciably at altitudes above 760 metres (2,500 ft).

Not all crops prefer lowland regions, however. Crops like coffee and tea grow best on hill slopes and at altitudes up to 1 525 metres (5,000 ft) or more, as in Assam, Sri Lanka, Colombia and the Bra­zilian Plateau, where the slopes are well-drained and there is little possibility of water remaining stagnant for long to rot the roots of the shrubs.

The wetter condi­tions and higher temperatures of the lowlands do not suit these crops. With the rapid growth of human num­bers, there is an increasing need to utilize the uplands, especially in crowded Monsoon Asia. In some areas the virgin soils of the newly-cleared upland forests have proved to be some of the most productive lands in the world but steep slopes are very prone to soil erosion.

Agriculturalists are devising new strains of crops that can survive at higher altitudes and in colder cli­mates but efforts to overcome topographical restric­tions have so far affected only small areas. The moun­tainous regions, therefore, remain sparsely settled or virtually unpopulated.

Thus physical, as well as cli­matic controls over agriculture are profound and Man can do little to alter them, except in such directions as land reclamation from swamps, marshes or shallow seas. The annual increases in the world’s food produc­tion come mainly from greater intensification of farming on existing agricultural land, e.g. by use of multiple-cropping, use of higher yielding seeds and use of fertilizers, which all improve yields per hectare.

Extension of farmlands is possible only in areas where potential croplands have not yet been fully utilized.

The soil, which is composed of a variety of minerals and organic substances, forms the physical support of plants and is fundamental to any form of agriculture. As soils are so varied in their physical and chemical composition, being so closely related to their climatic and vegetational environment, their suitabi­lity for the cultivation of different kinds of crops varies tremendously.

The soil requirements for cereals, beverages, root crops and garden crops differ so much that unless the farmer has a sound knowledge of soil properties, he is not likely to gain the most from his land.

iv. Biotic Factors:

Crop cultivation may be hampered by weeds, parasitic plants, diseases, insect- pests and animals. They either compete with the sown crop for plant nutrients or destroy the crop be­fore it can be harvested. Many weeds render tilling and thinning operations more difficult, and pests such as the boll-weevil in the Cotton Belt, U.S.A. or fungus diseases like the Coffee Blight of Sri Lanka, may com­pletely exclude cultivation of certain crops in an area.

Despite all the climatic and geographical advantages that a farmer may enjoy, his efforts can be useless in the face of diseases or insect infestations.

v. Social Factors:

Social factors affect farming in a number of ways. In the first place the type of farming practised, be it shifting cultivation, subsistence farming, extensive cereal cultivation or mixed farming affects the type of crops which can be produced and the yields which can be obtained.

Intensive wheat farming in Europe, for instance, gives far greater yields than extensive wheat farming in the North American Prairies. The type of farming which is practised de­pends on the culture of the farmers concerned and to some extent on the physical and topographical charac­teristics of the area in which they live.

Social factors can also affect the type of crops that are grown. In West Africa for instance, where much farm work is done by the women, the amount of land cleared and the type of crops grown are dependent on how much work the women of a family can put in. Similarly some crops such as yams are planted by the men, while others such as vegetables are planted by the women. Tribal differences also lead to agricultural differences.

Nomadic herders such as the Fulani in West Africa or the Masai in East Africa despise settled agriculture and do not often practise it. Certain crops are traditionally grown by certain peoples so that there is a major division in Ivory Coast, for example, between peoples to the west who depend on rice as a staple food and people to the east who traditionally depend on yams.

Another way in which social factors can affect agri­culture is in the ownership and inheritance of land. In many areas, e.g. in parts of Europe and in much of Asia the land of a father is divided between his child­ren. This leads to the breaking up of already small farms into smaller and smaller units which are often uneconomic to farm.

It is difficult to introduce the use of modern tractors or harvesters in areas where the fields are too small for them to operate econom­ically. Elsewhere public or co-operative ownership of land may affect the type of crops grown or the agri­cultural methods employed.

Finally social and religious influences have pro­found effects on animal rearing. The belief that pigs are unclean, held by Muslims, Jews and Hindus, limits the rearing of pigs in many parts of Asia and Africa. Similarly the Hindu veneration of cattle, or the prestige conferred by a large herd of cattle in many parts of Africa, limits the full exploitation of the animals for meat.

vi. Economic Factors:

Besides the factors out­lined above, the farmer has constantly to take into consideration many economic factors, which may be unstable or entirely beyond his control. A peasant in Monsoon Asia practising subsistence farming where everything grown is consumed within the farm or the village boundaries may not be so seriously affected in the case of a trade recession as the wheat specialist in the Canadian Prairies whose crops are all intended for cash sales, including exports to overseas markets.

However, the peasant’s income is so meagre that in hard times he has very little to fall back on. Natural hazards such as floods, droughts or diseases that ruin his harvests pose an even greater threat to him than market fluctuations.

Three kinds of economic con­trols are, however, operative in all farming practices throughout the world, except in state-owned farms where there is no individual ownership and economic problems have to be dealt with by government agen­cies.

Essay # 7. Location of Agricultural Activities:

The distribution of different crops or livestock farming activities within a country is strongly influ­enced by physical factors of terrain, soil and climate. But economic factors are also very important, partic­ularly transport costs to markets. Crops which are ex­pensive to produce because they need skilled cultiva­tion, much costly equipment (such as milking ma­chines), or labour intensive picking, packing or pro­cessing for market are only profitable if transport costs can be kept low.

Therefore they must be grown near city markets. Crops which require less intensive farm­ing can stand higher costs in marketing, while crops or livestock produced on an extensive basis at low cost can stand higher transport costs and be grown at greater distance from markets.

This is the basis of the theory of J. H. von Thunen (1783—1850) who lived in northern Germany and published his ideas in 1826. Given the ideal condi­tions of a single market and uniform land qualities he maintained that land use would react to the economic forces of production and transport costs and would be located in a series of concentric rings around the urban market.

Von Thunen’s theory has been criticized on many counts. There is rarely an area where condi­tions are uniform and the pattern is therefore affected by physical differences; whatever the economic forces it is useless to try and grow crops in unsuitable soil or climatic conditions, though in some cases the eco­nomic forces may be such that it is profitable to modify natural conditions by the use of glass-houses, irriga­tion or other techniques which increase production costs.

Even where zones are fairly regular they may be interrupted by an area of high fertility where par­ticular crops are favoured or low fertility where noth­ing can be grown. Moreover a single market rarely exists and the land use zones around one city or town are always modified by impinging zones around other towns.

Finally farmers may not be equally well- informed about farming techniques or marketing con­ditions and this may lead to some farmers growing crops inappropriate to the zone in which they live. Some of these factors modifying the ideal von Thunen rings are illustrated in Fig. 3.2.

Von Thunen propounded his theory more than 150 years ago and since then the relative cost of trans­port has diminished, except perhaps in developing countries where there are few lines of transport. La­bour and production costs have risen by comparison and the actual cost of land has also increased.

In areas close to the city there is more competition from hous­ing and industrial uses and this pushes up the price of land. Thus only very valuable crops can be grown. The effect of these changes has not invalidated the theory, however, but has led to a change in the types of land use found close to towns.

For instance the second land use ring in von Thunen’s original model was one of forestry. This was because wood was the major fuel and building material at the time and in very great demand. It was heavy and bulky to trans­port however and was best produced fairly close to its markets.

Nowadays a typical pattern of land use rings is for market gardening producing perishable and bulky goods, especially fruit, flowers and vegetables to be closest to the city, followed by dairying which has high production costs and bulky, perishable prod­ucts.

Then comes mixed or arable farming and lastly livestock farming. Transport of animal products is fairly expensive, requiring refrigerated trucks and so on but the price of meat is high so it can stand higher transport costs.

In Peninsular Malaysia it is possible to discern a similar pattern although the crops are entirely differ­ent. Market gardening is found nearest to the towns and supplies the markets, while cash crops such as rub­ber or oil palm are grown further from the cities and towns but must have access to lines of transport so that the products, e.g. rubber sheets, can be easily transported to the towns where they are traded and processed ready for export.

Finally beyond the cash crop regions where hilly or mountainous terrain, lack of communications and distance from urban centres all combine to reduce agricultural potential the land is forested. Where the forests are relatively more accessible timber is extracted, but there is a core of ‘virgin forest’. Despite this seeming agreement with the von Thunen model, there are several ex­ceptions.

Rice is grown in distinctive regions, most of which are in fact in densely peopled regions, around Alor Star, around Kota Bharu and around Malacca, but the main reason for its location in these regions is the need for a particular set of physical conditions where fields can be flooded.

Some crops have very specific locations, e.g. pineapples in Johore where the correct peaty type of soils are found, and some market gardening takes place at a distance from the main cities in the Cameron Highlands. Here con­ditions allow the production of some temperate fruits and vegetables which command a high price and can therefore stand the high transport costs to the cities.

Essay # 8. Forms of Agriculture:

I. Simple Subsistence Farming:

This form of agriculture is widely practised by many tribes of the tropics, especially in Africa, in tropical South and Central America, and in South-East Asia. It is better known as shifting cultivation. Farming is on a self- sufficient basis and farmers grow food only for them­selves and their families. Very little ever leaves the farm and every farmer produces practically the same range of crops as his neighbour.

Some small surpluses may be either exchanged by barter (i.e. payment in kind not cash) or sold for cash. The resultant economy is thus static with little chance for improvement, but there is a high degree of rural independence because farmers are not tied to landlords or to trading centres.

Shifting cultivation is practised in the tropics by many different peoples and thus has many different names, e.g. milpa in Central America and parts of Africa, conuco in Venezuela, roca in Brazil, masole in Zaire, ladang in Malaysia, humah in Indonesia, caingin in the Philippines, taungya in Burma, tamrai in Thailand, bewar or poda in India and chena in Sri Lanka.

II . Intensive Subsistence Agriculture:

This form of agriculture is best developed in and prac­tically confined to the monsoon lands of Asia. It is found in China, Japan, Korea, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the greater part of continental South-East Asia and parts of insular South-East Asia (Java, Luzon, Visayan Islands, coastal Sumatra and Malaysia). Farm­ing in both the wet lowlands and the terraced uplands has to be very intensive to support a dense population.

Population densities in some agricultural areas in Asia are higher than those of industrial areas in the West. Many of the regions of intensive subsistence farming have a highly developed form of society and govern­ment and some such as China and India have a contin­uous history of civilization going back more than 4,000 years. The fast-growing population, almost un­checked for centuries, necessitates an ever greater in­tensity in the tillage of the lands.

A small plot of land has to support 5 or 10 times the number of people that a similar plot on an extensive corn farm in the U.S.A. could feed. The distinctive characteristics of this type of agriculture have led some geographers to call it oriental agriculture. Basically, there are two types of intensive subsistence agriculture: that domi­nated by wet padi and that dominated by other crops such as sorghum, soya beans, sugar-cane, maize, kao­liang, tubers and vegetables.

Intensive subsistence agriculture dominated by other food crops:

Due to differences in relief, climate, soil and other geographical factors, it is not practicable to grow padi in many parts of Monsoon Asia. Though methods are equally intensive and farming is on a sub­sistence basis, a very wide range of other crops is raised. In most parts of North China, Manchuria, North Korea, northern Japan and Punjab wheat, soya beans, barley or kaoliang (a type of millet) are extensively grown as major food crops.

In the Indian Deccan and parts of the Indus Basin sorghum or millet is the dom­inant crop due to the scarcity of rain and the poorer soils. In many parts of continental South-East Asia such as the Dry Zone of Burma, the Korat Plateau of Thailand and the interior regions of Indo-China, the annual precipitation is too low for wet padi cultivation, and the substitute crops are millet, maize and ground­nuts together with cotton, sugar-cane and oil-seeds.

Generally farming in these areas has very similar fea­tures to those of wet padi cultivation, including an in­tensive use of land, much manual labour, little use of farm machinery or modern implements and the use of a variety of manures and fertilizers.

Irrigation is often employed to make good the lack of moisture, though this has not yet been fully developed in many areas. With the intervention of the European colonists in India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia inten­sive subsistence farming has given way to more profit­able, large-scale cash crop cultivation on plantations.

III . Plantation Agriculture:

The specialized commercial cultivation of cash crops on estates or plantations is a very distinctive type of tropical agri­culture and is found in many parts of Asia, Africa and tropical and sub-tropical America.

Its initiation by the Europeans during the colonial period has made possible the manufacture of a wide range of modern materials. Some of the main plantation crops are rub­ber, oil palm, cotton and copra, beverages like coffee, tea and cocoa, fruits like pineapples and bananas, as well as sugar-cane, hemp and jute.

IV . Extensive, Mechanized Grain Cultiva­tion:

This is a recent development in the continen­tal lands of the mid-latitudes, which were once roamed by nomadic herdsmen. The continental position, well away from maritime influence, and the low precipita­tion (between 305 and 660 mm/12 and 26 inches) make crop cultivation a calculated risk.

It was the in­vention of farm machinery which enabled farmers to cultivate grain on a large scale, and there is a marked specialization in wheat monoculture in many areas. Communication with the outside world is mainly by railways and the bulk of the grain harvest is exported.

This is, in fact, a type of plantation agriculture in temperate latitudes. This form of large-scale grain cul­tivation is best developed in the Eurasian Steppes in regions of chernozem soil; the Canadian and American Prairies; the Pampas of Argentina, the Veld of South Africa, the Australian Downs, and the Canterbury Plain of New Zealand.

V . Nomadic Herding:

This is an extensive form of animal grazing on natural pasturage, involving con­stant or seasonal migration of the nomads and their flocks. Nomadic herding is confined to rather sparsely populated parts of the world where the natural vege­tation is mainly grass and where the rather low rain­fall has a markedly seasonal distribution so that vegeta­tion thrives at certain times of the year, necessitating seasonal movements in search of pasture. The move­ments of nomads are not random but are geared to traditional routes which take them from one area of pasture to another according to the season.

Nomadic herding has been practised since the ear­liest times and may have occupied about one-tenth of the earth’s land surface until the early twentieth cen­tury. However, the constant spread of sedentary cul­tivators into formerly marginal areas, often due to improved farming techniques or the development of irrigation, and the change to a settled form of animal ranching in most parts of the world, have combined to reduce drastically the importance of nomadic herd­ing. It is a declining type of agriculture and continues to become less and less important.

Nomadic herding is practised in many parts of Africa, especially by the Fulani of the West African savannas, by many different peoples, including the Masai, in East Africa and the Nuba in Ethiopia and Sudan, and by the Bantu and Hottentots of southern Africa in Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa.

The Bedouin of Saudi Arabia and the Tuareg of the Sahara also practise nomadic herding in the desert and semi-desert areas of North Africa and South-West Asia, but changes in the economy of most Middle East­ern countries due to the exploitation of oil resources, and the difficulties posed to nomads by the multi­plicity of political boundaries in the region, are reduc­ing the importance of this mode of livelihood.

Some herdsmen in parts of Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan still have a nomadic way of life. The whole of Central Asia from the Caspian Sea to Mongolia and northern China was also traditionally an area of no­madic herding and many sub-arctic areas in Siberia and northern Europe were also dominated by this form of livestock farming, but this pattern is rapidly changing.

Nomadism is virtually non-existent in the Soviet Union today and Mongolia and China are both taking measures to settle the Mongol herdsmen or re­duce their movements to very short distances. Groups in Central Asia such as the Kirghiz, Kazaks and Kalmuks have been brought into the state farming system and the pastures are divided into immense state cereal farms or ranches.

In the tundra lands of Siberia, Yak­uts, Samoyeds and Koriaks have also been settled on the state farms. In Scandinavia, the Lapps are tending to settle down and fewer of them nowadays have a truly nomadic way of life. Nomadic herding was never important in the Americas where bison were never domesticated.

VI . Livestock Ranching:

In the extensive tem­perate grasslands, once roamed by nomadic herdsmen or by hunters, are found permanent ranches where large numbers of cattle, sheep, goats, and horses are kept. In Siberia reindeer are also kept on ranches in the sub-Arctic lands.

VII . Mediterranean Agriculture:

Within the Mediterranean climatic region, where there is win­ter rain and summer drought, a distinctive type of agriculture has evolved. This type of farming is also found in irrigated semi-desert and desert areas in similar latitudes. Farming is intensive, highly specialized and rather varied in the kinds of crops raised. Subsistence agriculture occurs side by side with commercial farm­ing.

Many crops such as wheat, barley and vegetables, are raised for domestic consumption, while others like citrus fruits, olives, and grapes are mainly for export. The Mediterranean lands are, in fact, the ‘orchard lands of the world’, and the heart of the world’s wine industry.

The Mediterranean climate and landscape is very varied in different localities and this affects the emphasis on certain crops. Land use is dependent on such factors as the total annual amount of precipita­tion, the length of the summer drought, the availability of melting snow and mountain streams for irrigation and power supply, local soil conditions, the ability of the farmer to finance capital equipment and price fluctuations in local and world markets.

VIII . Mixed Farming:

This is one of the most im­portant forms of agriculture found in the highly de­veloped parts of the world: north-western Europe, eastern North America, parts of the U.S.S.R., and the temperate latitudes of parts of the southern continents. Farming is very intensive and sometimes highly spe­cialized. Some farms may be devoted entirely to arable farming or entirely to livestock, but traditionally farmers practise a truly mixed economy raising ani­mals and growing crops on the same farm.

Mixed farming is still the major agricultural type. The pro­portion of crops and animals at any time is dependent on many inter-related factors such as the locality of the farm, soil fertility, the animal-carrying capacity of the land, the market demand, the prevailing price of crops and animal products, as well as farm traditions and government policies.

Within the mixed farming belt of the temperate regions, a number of well-developed agricultural sub­types may be distinguished. Each is differentiated from the others by the emphasis placed on the kind of crops or animals raised, the extent of commercial­ization, the intensiveness of the farming method and the degree of specialization.

Essay # 9 . Agriculture Changes in Different Countries:

General farming types can be described but in any country a continuous process of change, sometimes rapid, sometimes very gradual, is taking place. By studying some examples, the problems facing farmers and also the government agencies responsible for farm­ing policy become clearer.

In Kenya before Independence, the over­whelming problem was of a division between the white settlers who produced cash crops on large estates and local farmers who produced subsistence crops on small farms. The first change, which took place in the 1950s, was to introduce cash crops to the African farmers and to reduce the reliance on food crops.

Coffee, tea and pyrethrum (used in making insecticides), sisal, pineapples, sugar-cane, cotton and tobacco, were in­troduced and the people adopted the new crops with such eagerness that there was overproduction of coffee and pyrethrum by 1968.

The change to the growing of cash crops has been accompanied by the introduc­tion of mixed farming, use of new hybrid seeds with higher yields and the use of chemical fertilizers essen­tial for the best use of such new varieties.

The second change occurred in the former White Highlands after Independence when white farmers left the country or sold their farms to African or Ken­yan Asian farmers. Some of the former extensive farms were taken over as large going concerns and have continued to operate in this way, either under private ownership or under cooperative control.

Others, es­pecially where the land was of high quality and capa­ble of supporting more intensive use was divided into smallholdings which were settled by African farmers.

Kenya is fortunate that its farmers are enterprising and have been able to adapt rapidly to the efficient production of a wide range of cash crops. But it has many agricultural problems still. About 80 per cent of the population of the country, some 11 million people, is dependent on agriculture. The 1.5 million smallholders in the country have on average, six de­pendents and three-quarters of them have less than 2.6 hectares (6 ½ acres) of land.

Under these circum­stances there is clearly a demand for more land, from existing farmers as well as from the many rural people without any land of their own. Farmers’ income is very much lower than that of urban Kenyans but cannot be easily increased. Moreover there is a shortage of land of high enough quality to support subsistence or cash crop farming.

Most of the land not yet fully developed is only suitable for extensive grazing and where farmers have settled and cultivated it there have been problems of soil erosion. On the other hand the ranching of livestock has not developed as rapidly or as successfully as has crop production.

This is partly due to the traditional attitudes of the Masai herders who gain prestige from the numbers of their cattle rather than from their quality and who are reluctant to slaughter their animals, or to improve their stock and moreover, degrade the land by keep­ing too many beasts.

Secondly, incentives for beef production have not been as strong, in terms of guaranteed prices, as for cereals and dairy products. Financial rewards can be adjusted to encourage various branches of agriculture but this will not over­come the land hunger of rural Kenyans who attach great importance to owning their own land. Increasing land ownership may lead to disastrous results if too much marginal land is overused.

Japanese agriculture has changed very rapid­ly, mainly in the period since the Second World War. Before the war it was essentially an oriental farming region with heavy dependence on rice and subsidiary silk production. Much of the population was engaged in farming and yields per hectare were fairly low.

As industry expanded, however, farming also changed, becoming far more efficient and far less labour-inten­sive. Only 11 per cent of the population is now engaged in agriculture and it plays only a small role in the national economy even though production is much higher and more varied.

Rice production was only 7 million tonnes in 1910, around 9 million tonnes in the inter-war period, but rose to 14 million tonnes by 1966-68. Hectareage in­creased only slightly and higher production came mainly from higher yields.

These were made possible, mainly from 1955 onwards, by land improvement and consolidation into larger fields, by the breeding of hardy and high yielding varieties, the adoption of early transplanting from nursery beds, use of fertilizers and extensive use of pesticides.

At the same time the amount of labour involved in rice production fell rapidly. Powered cultivation became common between 1965 and 1970 and rice-planting machines, combines and threshing machines were widely used after 1970. Tractors, combines and rice storage facilities have been introduced through cooperatives and are now very common. After 1967 rice was overproduced and a control policy to limit production came into force in 1971.

Horticulture has expanded rapidly and many spe­cialized forms have developed, especially since 1955 when the chemical industry provided plastic sheeting as a cheap alternative to glass. Market gardening zones around large cities were the first to develop but these are now being overtaken by city growth.

Inter-war development of transport favoured truck farming in specialized areas, e.g. strawberries at the foot of Kuno- San (Japan is the world’s second largest producer of strawberries) or cabbages and similar vegetables in greenhouses in highland regions in Nagano, Gumma and Iwate prefectures. The total area under glass and vinyl-sheeted houses is more than 20 000 hectares (49,380 acres).

Livestock numbers in Japan have increased enor­mously, particularly poultry, pigs and dairy cattle. In the past Buddhist principles limited meat consump­tion and low standards of living reduced the use of dairy products. Animals are now generally kept in stalls owing to the lack of grazing land, and milk yields are among the highest in the world (5 903 kg/13,000 lb of milk per cow per year in 1977).

As farming has been made more efficient and less labour-intensive a major feature of Japanese farming has been the change to part-time farming. Workers earn their main livelihood in factories and work only a few hours a week on their farms. Jobs that require a greater labour input are contracted out.

One group of five farmers, for example, works 53 hectares (131 acres) of padi land and a further 11 hectares (27 acres) of non-irrigated land on its own farms; in addition the group ploughs 125 hectares (309 acres) of padi, sprays 38 hectares (94 acres) and harvests 58 hectares (143 acres) on contract to other farmers.

Despite Japan’s great efficiency its small area of farming land, limited by mountains and increasingly by urban sprawl, can never hope to supply all Japan’s food requirements. Farmers therefore concentrate on the traditional staple—rice and on fruit, vegetables and milk which would be the most costly to import.

Wheat, soya beans and other crops are grown but the bulk of Japanese requirements for these as foodstuffs or fodder crops, as well as industrial raw materials like cotton and wool, has to be imported.

U.S.A. American agriculture is probably the most ef­ficient in the world in terms of its reliance on high technology equipment and low labour inputs. Produc­tion has improved so much that about one-third of all farmland in the U.S.A. is producing crops for export. Much of the credit for this lies, however, in the vast size of the available high-quality land and not in in­creasing yields per hectare as is the case in many smaller countries, e.g. Japan.

In order to maintain high production figures, and therefore profits, American farmers have to be very adaptable and ready to try every new development in crop varieties, fertilizers, pesticides, farming equip­ment and harvesting devices, and prices for farm machinery are very high indeed.

Only guaranteed prices and the hope of higher profits allow the farmers to take the calculated risk of investing in new techno­logy. Farmers must work on credit to a great extent because if they do not risk their capital in this way they cannot keep pace with their neighbours and soon find themselves unable to compete and have to sell their farms.

The number of farmers has dwindled rapidly—between 1940 and 1960 at a rate of about one million per year-and the decline in agricultural population continues. Only 4 per cent of the American population now depends on agriculture.

At the same time farm sizes have increased, from 87 hectares (214 acres) on average in 1950 to 162 hectares (400 acres) in 1978 and this is a continuing trend. Larger farm sizes, of course, give added impetus to mechanization and offer great economies of scale.

The use of machinery for so many farm operations, even the picking and sorting of fruit such as tomatoes and grapes or vegetables like lettuce which bruise very easily, has led to a sharp decline in the labour force and has made redundant large numbers of Mexican Americans who traditionally worked as fruit and vege­table pickers, just as machines forced negro labourers off the cotton fields in the 1930s and 1940s.

Farmers today employ a few, highly skilled workers, who can operate their huge tractors or electronic fruit pickers, and there may in future be a shortage of skilled men to do these jobs.

Not only are the farmlands empty of people but also of animals. Most animals are kept under cover. Chickens are almost exclusively, and pigs increa­singly, factory farmed, while cattle are fattened in feedlots rather than ranging across the fields for fodder.

This allows farmers to grow more arable crops which are mostly destined for animal feeding, either for local or overseas markets. Oil seeds, including soya beans, sunflower and peanuts, and grains, such as sorghum, are increasingly grown, as well as the tra­ditional crops of corn, wheat, cotton and tobacco.

Given the prosperity and success of American farm­ing there seem to be few problems. But in fact the large surpluses make the American farmers as depend­ent on exports as farmers in developing countries growing tropical crops. The export market fluctuates widely, since the importing countries naturally try to produce as much as they can themselves and only im­port what they cannot produce.

American grain and feedstuff markets depend therefore on annual varia­tions in climatic conditions and changing demand overseas over which they have no control. The chief importing countries are Japan, Netherlands, West Germany, Canada and the U.S.S.R. Government po­licies must therefore keep overproduction within bounds but, at the same time, because of their guaranteed price agreements with the farmers, the government agricultural agencies, and ultimately the taxpayers are liable to great expenditure when crops fail, as was the case in 1980 when widespread droughts in the U.S.A. allowed grasshoppers to multiply and eat their way through the grain fields.

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Essay on Agriculture | Agriculture Essay for Students and Children in English

May 18, 2023 by Prasanna

Essay on Agriculture:  Agriculture is, without a doubt, the foundation of our country. One straightforward Agriculture in India Essay won’t be adequate to expound on the significance of agriculture in India article and commitment of agriculture to India. India, the second-biggest maker of agricultural items on the planet, delivers more than 280 million tons, adding to over 15% of India’s GDP.

Jai jawan Jai Kisan a term authored by the previous Prime Minister of India, Lal Bahadur Shastri, holds worth and pertinence for millennia to come. While troopers at our country’s boundaries shield our nations from adversaries, India’s ranchers feed the nation every day.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Long and Short Essays on Agriculture for Students and Kids in English

We are providing the students with essay samples on an extended Essay on Agriculture of 500 words and a Short Essay on Agriculture of 150 words on the topic of Agriculture.

Long Essay on Agriculture of 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Agriculture is helpful to students of classes 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.

On the off chance that you have had your dinners today, it’s a given, yet thank a rancher. We can live without a driver or a craftsman or film legend or a vocalist, yet would you be able to live without a rancher? Would we be able to try and envision our lives without food? Food is just about as significant as oxygen and water. While our nonexistent divine beings create oxygen and water, food is delivered by our living God, the rancher of India. Be that as it may, for what reason is rancher’s situation, particularly in a non-industrial nation India, is not so great?

What are we not doing that other created nations are doing to their cultivating local area? Even though we have refined advances to distinguish rainfalls and dawns, it isn’t adequate regarding horticultural scales. In any case, just forecast is of no utilization. There are meagre rainfalls, an abrupt expansion in temperature and different variables that may hurt the harvests. This is generally alluded to as Force Majeure or a demonstration of God. Man has been dealing with this issue since the time the get-go.

It torments me to say that as you are perusing this Agriculture in India, a rancher someplace in a side of India would have ended it all. India has one of the most effective rancher self-destruction rates on the planet. There is a normal of ten rancher suicides in the country consistently. They end it all typically when they can’t reimburse their credits back that they took to develop the land. Either in light of the critical factor from the property manager, moneylenders or the banks, ranchers make to this outrageous stride. The agriculture area needs quick government help and mediations to forestall additional passings.

Nations like America and China utilize innovation and information examination devices to improve their agricultural site. Lamentably, India falls a long ways behind them in this field. In the wake of perusing Agriculture in India Essay in China or America, where they have expressed how they use information logical devices to conquer variable climate conditions and other incidental elements, I feel it’s about time that India receives the equivalent.

These are a portion of the issues that ranchers are confronting. However, there are without doubt manners by which the area can be improved. The resulting part of the Agriculture in India Essay discusses the estimates that the public authority and cultivating local area can improve the current situation with conditions. As referenced in the past piece of this Agriculture in India Essay, ranchers need to uphold all of the country’s edges. Given the present-day situation where all aspects of the economy are enduring due to the Covid pandemic, the agriculture area needs prompt alleviation and relaxations.

The public authority can begin with forgoing off credits of the ranchers and mix money into the area so ranchers can backfire in the right place again. This is another significant arrangement that the public authority of India is quick to present. Regardless of whether it’s rabi harvest or Kharif yields, organic products, or vegetables, a base cost will be set underneath which ranchers shouldn’t be compelled to sell their produce. Typically, the ranchers are exploited by mediators at mandis and discount markets where the product is purchased for significantly less cost and afterward offered to end shoppers at an exorbitant price, leaving ranchers misfortune.

Short Essay on Agriculture 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Agriculture is helpful to students of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Agriculture isn’t only an area for India or simply a task that individuals do. It is a lifestyle for us Indians. Without this area, the populace blast in this country and the financial cycles will reach a strict halt. A common day in a rancher’s life at a town comprises rising right on time around 5 am, cleaning up at the regular streams close by, having lavish breakfast, pack some sound lunch, and leaving to the fields.

From seed planting, soil ploughing, treating and collecting the land, each and everything is finished with affection and care by the rancher. Agriculture, having contributed for over 15% of India’s GDP and given business and occupation to the greater part of the nation’s working populace, hasn’t got its due credit. The measure of help a rancher has given to his nation is more than the measure of help the nation has given to its rancher.

10 Lines on Agriculture Essay

• Agriculture adds to over 15% of India’s GDP and has given work to a huge number of individuals in the country
• India is the second-most elevated maker of rural items on the planet
• Agriculture structures more than over 70% of India’s fare limit
• Agriculture in India should be improved from its current state
• The structure of dams, water system waterways and innovative framework is important to improve the area
• Information insightful devices and another such programming ought to be accustomed to improving agrarian procedures
• Agriculture prompts deforestation and adds to the hardships of unnatural weather change issues
• Old farming strategies like yield consumption and waterway water system lead to expanding air contamination and water contamination
• Inordinate and compressed rural strategies lead to a diminishing in the groundwater table
• Over the top utilization of substance, pesticides, and compost for alternate way strategies for farming produce can prompt food acting like well as a decline in the dirt supplement limit.

FAQ’s on Agriculture Essay

Question 1. Who creates the most noteworthy horticultural items on the planet?

Answer: China is the world’s most elevated maker and exporter of farming items

Question 2. What amount of land surface is developed on the planet?

Answer: As of now, 11%, that is 1.5 billion hectares of worldwide land, is utilized for agriculture.

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Home Essay Samples Science

Essay Samples on Agriculture

The impact of technology on agriculture: a transformative force.

Introduction The world of agriculture has seen a significant transformation in recent decades, largely due to advancements in technology. From the way farmers plant and nurture crops to the methods used to harvest and distribute products, technology has drastically altered the agricultural landscape. This essay...

• Agriculture
• Impact of Technology

Agriculture as the Main Activator of Growth in Developing Countries

Agriculture is studied to be viable as one of the preponderance remarkable profit-making activities. It necessitate the manufacturing of plants, livestock, fiber, fuel and more by making use of the fundamental supplies in particular; water and land. The locution agriculture is wider than it is...

• Developing Country
• Organic Farming

Agriculture in the United States and the Role It Plays in the Country

Agriculture or farming is a major part of the lives of people and animals around the world everyday. From the clothes we put on when we get up in the morning, to the food we eat and drink throughout our day, to the bed we...

• Economic Growth

Why Agriculture Is Important Field

Imagine not being able to eat your favorite food, or not being able to go to your favorite restaurant, or not being able to have Thanksgiving or Christmas feast with your family or being able to go trick or treating. The question that connects this...

• Factory Farming

Benefits Of Using Artificial Intelligence For Humanity

Artificial intelligence is the ability of the machine to simulate the human mind and the way it works, such as its ability to think, discover and benefit from past experiences. Artificial intelligence has become very frequent in recent times, because of its great role in...

• Artificial Intelligence
• Climate Change

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1. The Impact of Technology on Agriculture: A Transformative Force

2. Agriculture as the Main Activator of Growth in Developing Countries

3. Agriculture in the United States and the Role It Plays in the Country

4. Why Agriculture Is Important Field

5. Benefits Of Using Artificial Intelligence For Humanity

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• Essay On Agriculture

Essay on Agriculture

500+ words essay on agriculture.

In India, agriculture is considered a primary livelihood for most of the population, which can never be underestimated. Agriculture has existed for thousands of years in our country and has developed with new technologies and equipment that have replaced traditional farming methods. In India, few farmers still use the traditional farming method because they lack the resources to use modern techniques. Agriculture is the only sector that contributes to itself and other country sectors. India is the second-largest wheat, rice, cotton, fruit, vegetables, and tea producer. It is also a global powerhouse of agricultural production. It is the world’s largest producer of spices, milk, wheat, rice and cotton.

Role of Agricultural in Economic Development

The population of India largely depends on agriculture, and it is not only just a means of livelihood but a way of living. The Government of India is continuously developing the agricultural sector by framing new laws, implementing modern technology, etc. In India, the entire nation depends on agriculture for food. In earlier times, agriculture was mainly dependent on the monsoon, but dams, canals, pump sets, and tube wells are now being constructed.

Agriculture plays a crucial role in the economic development of India as 3/4th of the population is based on agriculture. It is one of the largest sources of livelihood for the country. The country was dependent on agriculture for a thousand years.

The agricultural sector also benefits the industries in getting their raw materials, which clearly states that a large part of the economy will freeze without a flourishing agriculture sector. It leads to the expansion of the industrial sector. Indian agriculture provides employment opportunities to most people, and 70% of the population, especially in rural areas, earn their livelihood from cultivation.

In India, agriculture plays an imperative role in enhancing foreign exchange. To other nations, India exports commodities such as coffee, spices, tea, vegetables, tobacco, etc. Agriculture contributes to Indian exports. With the invention of organic farming, exports have also increased in the last few decades.

Agriculture is the Indian economy’s most important sector, and India’s farm sector is the largest industry. With constant changes and developments happening and introduced policies, it will only go upwards. It will always remain a significant factor in the nation’s economic growth.

An essay on Agriculture is crucial that can be asked during the exam. Students can also access CBSE Essays from our BYJU’S website.

Frequently Asked Questions on Agriculture Essay

Where was agriculture originally developed.

Agriculture was developed in modern-day Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, parts of Turkey and Iran which was also known as the Fertile Crescent.

What are the main types of agriculture?

The four main types of agricultural activities include livestock production, crop production, agricultural economics and agricultural engineering.

What are agricultural methods which are famous in India?

The majority of Indian farmers practice subsistence farming which involves the cultivation of crops on small pieces of land.

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Home — Essay Samples — Science — Agriculture

Essays on Agriculture

The importance of writing an essay on agriculture cannot be overstated. Agriculture is the backbone of our society, providing us with the food and resources we need to survive. By writing an essay on agriculture, you can help raise awareness about the importance of sustainable farming practices, the impact of climate change on food production, and the need for technological advancements in the agricultural industry.

When writing an essay on agriculture, it's important to first do thorough research on the topic. This may involve reading academic journals, interviewing experts in the field, and gathering data on current agricultural practices and trends. This research will provide you with the necessary information to make strong arguments and support your claims.

Additionally, it's important to consider the audience for your essay. Are you writing for a general audience or for a specific group of people, such as policymakers or farmers? Tailoring your writing to your audience will help ensure that your essay is relevant and impactful.

Another important tip for writing an essay on agriculture is to use clear and concise language. Avoid jargon and technical terms that may be difficult for the average reader to understand. Instead, focus on communicating your ideas in a straightforward manner that is accessible to a wide range of readers.

Finally, don't forget to include evidence to support your arguments. This may include statistics, case studies, and expert opinions. Providing evidence will help strengthen your essay and make it more persuasive.

The Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture today. Write an essay exploring the various ways in which climate change is affecting agriculture, including changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, increased frequency of extreme weather events, and the spread of pests and diseases. Discuss potential strategies for adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change on agriculture.

The Role of Technology in Modern Agriculture Advances in technology have revolutionized the way we produce food. In this essay, discuss the impact of technology on agriculture, including the use of precision farming techniques, drones and other aerial technologies, and the development of genetically modified organisms. Explore the potential benefits and drawbacks of these technological advancements on the agricultural industry.

Sustainable Agriculture Practices Sustainability is a growing concern in agriculture, as farmers and policymakers seek to minimize the environmental impact of food production. Write an essay discussing sustainable agriculture practices, such as organic farming, crop rotation, and integrated pest management. Explore the potential benefits of these practices for both the environment and the long-term viability of the agricultural industry.

The Importance of Soil Health in Agriculture Healthy soil is essential for productive and sustainable agriculture. In this essay, explore the role of soil health in agriculture, including the importance of soil conservation, the impact of soil degradation on crop yields, and the potential benefits of regenerative agriculture practices. Discuss potential strategies for improving and maintaining soil health on farms.

The Future of Agriculture: Urban Farming and Vertical Agriculture As the global population continues to grow, the demand for food is increasing, leading to new innovations in agricultural practices. Write an essay discussing the potential of urban farming and vertical agriculture to address food security and sustainability challenges. Explore the benefits and drawbacks of these alternative farming methods and their potential impact on the agricultural industry.

The Economics of Agriculture: Farm Subsidies and Trade Policies The agricultural industry is heavily influenced by government policies and international trade agreements. In this essay, explore the economic factors that shape agriculture, including the role of farm subsidies, tariffs, and trade barriers. Discuss the potential impact of these policies on farmers, consumers, and the global food supply.

The Ethical Considerations of Animal Agriculture The treatment of animals in the agricultural industry is a topic of growing concern. Write an essay exploring the ethical considerations of animal agriculture, including the use of factory farming practices, the treatment of livestock, and the impact of animal agriculture on the environment and public health. Discuss potential strategies for promoting ethical and sustainable practices in animal agriculture.

The Impact of Biotechnology on Agriculture Biotechnology has the potential to revolutionize the agricultural industry, from the development of genetically modified crops to the use of biotechnology in food processing and preservation. In this essay, explore the potential benefits and drawbacks of biotechnology in agriculture, including its impact on food security, environmental sustainability, and public health.

The Role of Women in Agriculture Women play a crucial role in agriculture, from farm labor and management to entrepreneurship and leadership. Write an essay discussing the contributions of women to the agricultural industry, including the challenges and opportunities they face. Explore potential strategies for promoting gender equality and empowering women in agriculture.

The Future of Agriculture: Sustainable Food Systems As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, food security, and environmental degradation, there is growing interest in developing sustainable food systems. In this essay, discuss the potential of sustainable food systems to address these challenges, including the role of regenerative agriculture, local food movements, and alternative food distribution models. Explore the potential benefits of sustainable food systems for both the environment and human health.

In , agriculture is a complex and multifaceted industry that intersects with numerous social, economic, and environmental issues. These essay topics provide a starting point for exploring the many dimensions of agriculture, from the impact of climate change and technological advancements to the ethical considerations of food production and the potential of sustainable food systems. By delving into these topics, students and researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the agricultural industry and contribute to the development of innovative solutions for a more sustainable and equitable food system.

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176 Agriculture Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best agriculture topic ideas & essay examples, 💡 most interesting agriculture topics to write about, 📌 simple & easy agriculture essay titles, 👍 good essay topics on agriculture, ❓ agriculture essay questions.

• Sustainable Agriculture It is believed that the increase in the demand for food due to the increase in global population and change in dietary habit of the population.
• Culture and Agriculture: Nature and Significance Understanding Seeing that agriculture shapes the society and defines the course of its further development, promoting the ideas of environmentalism and sustainability, it will be reasonable to assume that agriculture belongs to the domain of cultures.
• The Impact of Groundwater Pollution on Agriculture and Its Prevention People have to be aware about the impact of their activities on groundwater and be able to improve the conditions, they live under, and this piece of writing will inform each reader about each detail […]
• The Difference Between Agricultural Societies and Hunter-Gathers Societies in the Past In the course of time, people have been searching for techniques and approaches to adjust to geographical, social, and cultural environment in the past and in the modern contexts.
• Smart Farming and Sustainable Agriculture Smart farming allows for a wide range of options, from robotization and satellite imagery to the Internet of Things and the blockchain technology that increases the efficiency of crop cultivation by optimizing the use of […]
• Urban Agriculture Effects on Economy The preparation of the journals involved conducting interviews with the urban farmers and surveys on the certainty of the farming practices.
• Environmental Degradation and the Use of Technology in the Agricultural Sector According to the United Nations Environmental Program, environmental degradation is the term used to refer to the destruction of the environment through the exhaustion f natural resources such as air water, and soil along with […]
• Growing Pumpkins: Here’s What You Need to Know One way of keeping the leaves dry is by ensuring that the pumpkins are watered early in the morning to give them sufficient time to dry during the day. Microbes found in the soil contribute […]
• Hydroponics in Agriculture These different setups have the same idea of hydroponics growing but the difference comes in the type of medium used in the growing and the state of the nutrient solution.
• Agriculture Effects on Wild Animals An increase in agricultural activities has subjected a majority of the wild animals to the danger of extinction. Prior to the introduction of the mongoose in Hawaii, it was easy to find a Nene goose […]
• Sustainable Agriculture as a Primary Model of Production The benefits of sustainable agriculture are derived from its meaning which is to use agriculture in a way that is beneficial to the environment.
• Agricultural Modernization in Third World Countries Due to underdevelopment in third world countries, the state considered the need for integrated rural development to reduce poverty in rural areas.
• Effects of Industrialized Agriculture Finally, the corporations that are involved in the process of food production are responsible for the creation of new markets for consumption and the global trade of agricultural products.
• Agriculture and Regulations in African Countries This work is aimed at determining the significance of agriculture in African countries, the main features of the regulation of this field, as well as the causes leading to a failure in a traditional developmental […]
• Agriculture Versus Forestry Sequentially, in the endeavor to determine what type of an activity to be dedicated to a land, it is proper to comprehend how the activity would work towards maintaining an excellent ecosystem’s functionality.
• Application of Geography (GIS) in Biotechnology in Field of Agriculture and Environment According to Wyland, “the ability of GIS to analyze and visualize agricultural environments and work flows has proved to be very beneficial to those involved in the farming industry”.
• Recycling of Wastewater for Agricultural Use in Arid Areas Given that in these arid areas water is a rare commodity, recycling of wastewaters has been considered as one of the ways that can be used to increase the amount of water for irrigation for […]
• Agricultural Sector: The Use of Drones Thompson states that the application of drones in agriculture, specifically in the United Kingdom, can promote the enhancement of the crops and reduce the usage of pesticides.
• The Olmec and the Inca Civilizations Agriculture Practices The aim of this paper is to compare the lifestyles and achievements of the Olmec and the Inca civilizations. The creation of the civilization was instigated by the fact that local alluvial soil was well […]
• Internet of Things in Agriculture According to Chalimov, farmers can control such indicators as soil contamination, the proportion of harmful substances in the air, the level of water pollution, and many other characteristics that are crucial to address timely.
• The Agricultural Revolution: From the Neolithic Age to a New Era of Agricultural Growth The discovery of tools is recognized to be one of the most important events of human development, as it is a well-known fact that “The development of tools such as flint points, axes, weapons such […]
• Sprinkler Drones in the Agricultural Sector The introduction of drones in agriculture is expected to solve the problem of the shifting structure of the workforce in agriculture.
• The Indian Agriculture Sector Given the significance of the agricultural sector to the economy, the government introduced the 11th five-year plan to provide support and incentives to farmers and other stakeholders in order to enhance production of food.
• Agriculture Development in Economic Development This they attribute to the division of labour, where the workers that perform the basic, manual jobs that demand a lot of strength are the least paid, while those that perform the lightest and sophisticated […]
• Agricultural Revolution and Changes to Ancient Societies in Terms of the State, Urbanization, and Labor This made the climate and soil more adaptable to plant growth and farming as some of the wild variants of barley and fruit began to grow in the region on their own.
• Poverty and Global Food Crisis: Food and Agriculture Model Her innovative approach to the issue was to measure food shortages in calories as opposed to the traditional method of measuring in pounds and stones.
• Improving Stress Resistance in Agricultural Crops The biotechnology involved in producing such crops faces many difficulties and there are a lot of considerations of the methods used to improve the crop’s resistance that need to be assessed.
• Impacts of E-Commerce on Agriculture An analysis can be done to the decision-makers in the industry, agricultural and food products, business processes, firms as well as the interaction that results in the marketplaces, the structure of the market and the […]
• Changes in Agriculture in the Next 25 Years The most dramatic change will be the lives and lifestyles of the farmers that will in the next 25 years be the envy of urban folks.
• Agricultural Geography and the Production and Consumption of Food in British Columbia The impact of the disparity in the natural environment which causes variable conditions in different geographical areas is reflected in the productivity, production cost and efficiency of production.
• Zimbabwe’s Agriculture Sectors: Role in the Economic Development This report is dedicated to exploring the agriculture sectors of Zimbabwe and their role in the economic development of the country.
• Application of Biotechnology in Agriculture and Health Care The more I studied this issue, the more I became interested in biotechnologies and the possibilities of their use for people.
• Agriculture in the UAE Water supply is one of the basic demands needed to align the efficient functioning of the agricultural sector, which, in its turn, will be able to provide the food needed to satisfy workers needs and […]
• Global Warming and Agriculture The first and the most obvious result of the global warming is the decrease of the harvest in the majority of regions all over the world.
• Lucretius’s View About the Roman Agriculture This was not a mere rhetoric considering that writers on the Roman agriculture also highlighted the decline in land productivity either due to the land being old or because of humans’ failure to preserve the […]
• History of Agriculture in the American West The introduction of electric and gasoline-powered machinery, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides made agriculture one of the main sources of income for West America.
• Soil Degradation as an Issue Facing Agriculture The most informative indicators of purely hydrological degradation of soils are a decrease in the total moisture capacity of the soil and a reduction in the lowest moisture capacity of the soil, which characterizes the […]
• Agricultural Pesticide Negative Impacts The presence of pesticide residues in water, air, and the food is considered the main consequence of the neglectful use of pesticides in agriculture as it puts a serious risk to the safety of people […]
• Japanese Agricultural Policies To cope with the hardships of food supply, Japan needs a flexible and robust regulation in the food and agricultural fields.
• Organic Agriculture Funding: Regenerative Organic Agriculture In turn, organic farming will persist in enriching the soil and the products, Additionally, products that are certified organic continue to be in high demand due to consumer preference.
• Industrial Revolution in Agriculture On the other hand, the industrial revolution in agriculture has led to the introduction of new safety challenges. In conclusion, as a result of the industrial revolution in agriculture, automation has become increasingly relied upon […]
• History of Mexican Agriculture and Land Tenure The topics covered in the article are related to the history of land tenure in Mexico. Furthermore, it is vital to adapt to the emerging situation in terms of protecting the farmers and land from […]
• Environmental Ethics of Pesticide Usage in Agriculture For example, pesticides are responsible for the destruction of the soil and harm to the overall ecosystem. The soil, water, and air resources are at a high risk of contamination from the toxins that are […]
• The Effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture Thus, the research question of the proposed study is as follows: how effective is the application of artificial intelligence to agriculture in terms of removing inefficiency and the lack of productivity?
• Food Security, Improved Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture The sizes and types of farming in the US smaller farms could be evaluated to determine the potential of these entities.
• Blockchain and Internet-of-Things in Agriculture The intensification of the deep penetration of information technology in all areas of life has naturally led to the development of strategies to use it everywhere to optimize processes.
• The Agriculture, Energy, and Transportation Infrastructure: Main Threats Thus, the purpose of the work is to analyze the food/agricultural, energy, and transport sectors of critical infrastructure in terms of physical, cyber, or natural disaster threats.
• The Impact of Acetamiprid on Agriculture It is also effective in corroding insects with biting and sucking parts of the mouth, as the active ingredient of acetamiprid is nicotine, which is dangerous for a significant portion of animals and insects.
• The Seasonal Agriculture Worker Program Reflection There are many cases of violation of labor in migrant employees, and it is essential to examine how SAWP undermines accommodations for Caribbean and Mexico migrants and seek an efficient solution.
• Effects of Invasive Species on the Agriculture Industry By conducting a study that assesses the impact of the proposed tool on the management of the invasive species’ effects, one will be able to introduce an improvement.
• Is It Safe to Apply Biosolids to Agricultural Lands? This essay demonstrates that biosolids are safe, beneficial to the environment, and essential for enhancing the soil structure while providing a better alternative to inorganic fertilizers.
• Agriculture: Environmental, Economic, and Social Aspects One of them is agriculture, and its examination from the selected perspective seems reasonable in order to reveal the interrelation of the above concepts alongside the importance of sustainability.
• Immigrants’ Employment in Agriculture and Food Processing Most people in the grocery and farm product wholesales are immigrants and account for the largest agricultural and food processing workers in the United States.
• Use of Pesticides in Agriculture The general narrative on pesticide use in agriculture is the assertion that it saves labor and ensures higher crop yields. These adversities show just how greater danger than the usefulness of pesticide use is in […]
• Agriculture and Its Social Origins Despite the advantages of old methods of finding food and the disadvantages of agriculture, the transition could occur due to the human factor.
• The Reduction of Agricultural Nutrient Pollution: Possible Solutions The nutrients that are contained in fertilizer or manure may reach water basins and cause a dramatic increase in the populations of phytoplankton and algae.
• Industrialization and Increased Agricultural Production During this time, there was a reduction in adult mortality and this resulted in increased savings, increased acreage of agricultural land, increased capital stock, reduced rates of capital returns, and improved agricultural production.
• The Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture However, the move to introduce foreign species of grass such as Bermuda grass in the region while maintaining the native grass has been faced by challenges related to the fiscal importance of the production.
• American Agricultural and Food System The agricultural system is one of the most important for the functioning of any state. Finally, the reason for this behavior is the nature of the distribution of food to consumers in America.
• Agricultural Policies’ Impact on Developing Economies It is seen that there are disparities between the agricultural policies of rich countries and their consequent impact on poorer ones lies in the fact that the current distribution of over 90 Billion Euros in […]
• Agricultural Revolution Process and Its Results Animals were brought to people’s settlements, they were chosen according to their abilities to provide products, to work, or to serve as a source of food.
• The Main Objective of DNA Fingerprinting in Agriculture Therefore, the main objective of DNA fingerprinting in agriculture is to overcome the limitation of insufficient dissimilarity among prior genotypes and come up with the best ideas to discover new molecular markers and collect data […]
• The Idea of an Agricultural Electric Tractor It is important to analyze and provide a demonstration of how the electric tractor will operate and the principles behind it.
• Financial Profile of Oman Agriculture Development Company Although the year 2008 has been the most beneficial for the company, yet in comparison to the year 2009, the company has managed to improve the figures in 2010.
• Agriculture and Environment: Organic Foods Nitrogen has various effects on the food supply, and it’s present in the soil in the form of nitrates and nitrites.
• The Impact of Geography on Agriculture: Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia Due to the fact that the river overrode the Ethiopian lowland, the inclined gradient of the River Nile sent the water torrent which overflowed the river banks resulting in over flooding of the river.
• Common Agricultural Policy in Italy One of the latter is the so called Common Agricultural Policy implemented by the EU officials in 2003 to develop for the coming decades and ensure the equal development of the agricultural spheres of all […]
• The Debate on Conventional vs. Alternative Agricultural Approaches The fundamental shift in contents is the pro-ecological balance thrust of the alternative agriculture methods which are in direct contrast to the traditional methods.
• Should Common Agricultural Policy Be Reformed? So with the CAP policy, it is sending a strong message to the world in that it is through the CAP policy that our farmers will be in a position to strongly compete with world […]
• Libyan Agricultural Infrastructure Analysis The telecommunications network in Libya is in the process of being modernized. The development of agricultural infrastructure has played a big role in alleviating poverty in this nation.
• World Trade as the Adjustment Mechanism of Agriculture to Climate Change by Julia & Duchin The significant value of the article under consideration consists in the authors’ presenting a new methodological framework for the evaluation of a trade as the stated mechanism and its use for analysis of changes in […]
• Social Capital in Agriculture and Rural Development The first usage of this term is traced back to 1899 when John Dewey made the first direct mainstream use of the term social capital in the book, “The school and the society”.
• Weather Tracking and Effects on Agriculture The success of weather forecasting to meet the needs of different stakeholders depends on the tools and technologies put in place.
• A Technique for Controlling Plant Characteristics: Genetic Engineering in the Agriculture A cautious investigation of genetic engineering is required to make sure it is safe for humans and the environment. The benefit credited to genetic manipulation is influenced through the utilization of herbicide-tolerant and pest-safe traits.
• Pesticide Ban and Its Effects on US Agriculture The findings of the research also challenged the notion that a ban on insecticides would help the environment. Sam is whether to protect the lives that can be lost through the harmful effects of the […]
• Agriculture: “Yield Prospects by Land and Air” by Schafer The crop tour allows farmers to participate in learning a lot during their visits. The editors of the article, however, failed to share what the farmers learned at the tour despite the delayed corn.
• Common Agricultural Policy in the EU The number of funds that were being used for the payments was proposed to be used in developing the countryside through the establishment of a budget for rural development.
• Agricultural Policies in the EU vs. the US It is the position of this paper concerning the European Union, and the United States, particularly in the light of the political implications on policymaking in the Agricultural Sectors, that both the EU’s Common Agricultural […]
• “The Political Economy of Agricultural Transition” by Rozelle and Swinnen Other important highlights of the article include the motivations behind the actor’s push for economic reform in China and the Soviet Union.
• Agricultural Issues in the Global South The latter has ensured that food is produced in plenty and that the citizens do not starve at the expense of cash crops.
• The Agricultural Revolutions: Timeline, Causes, Inventions This revolution prevented food emergencies in Latin America and Asia during the 1970s and 1980s. However, the revolution was not a successful tactic in ending global food shortage and hunger.
• Agricultural Issues in the “Food Inc.” Documentary One of the reasons is that large corporations can launch a mass-scale production of food, and therefore, they can dictate pricing policies to the small farmers, who, in their turn, have to work with these […]
• Agricultural Products vs. Animal Rights Dilemma A while back I was looking for a summer job and I was able to get one in the farms that rear chicken for their eggs and meat.
• Agricultural Policies in African and Asian Countries Agriculture is the largest contributor to the GDP in most countries accounting for 32% of the GDP. Agriculture is the main source of income for the majority of the population.
• Farmers and Their Role in the American Agriculture The recent changes in the world’s largest countries’ economies can be a good illustration of the exclusive role of agriculture which can enable a state to play an important role in the world.
• Big Data and Agriculture Big Data is expected to feed the world in the future by analyzing large volumes of data associated with predicting the weather, finding appropriate regions for farming and agriculture, and eliminating possible adverse outcomes.
• Yara vs. Southern Agricultural Corridor of Tanzania At the same time, the approaches of both companies to maintaining high market positions are different, and the purpose of this work is to analyze the strategies applied by Yara and SAGCOT to ensure interest […]
• Agriculture and Farming in Abu Dhabi Many researches have been done on soil taxonomy in the UAE, with the invention of a non-absorbent type of soil that was one of the breakthroughs that have greatly influenced agriculture in Abu Dhabi.
• Current Condition of Australian Agriculture The current situation in the agricultural sphere is one of the critical drivers for the need for government intervention and the development of new reforms.
• Australian Economy: Agriculture, Industry and Services Most of the responsibility for the upsurge lies on the technological advancement of the industry that drives the growth and productivity.
• Jethro Tull as a Change Agent in the Agriculture First, he told his people to be more exact and throw seeds to the whole, but his commands were ignored. In order to prove the effectiveness of his methods, he did not use manure for […]
• Genetically Modified Organisms in Canadian Agriculture The primary goal of the public engagement initiative is to come up with practical solutions to the challenges facing the adoption of GMOs in Canadian agriculture. The project will inform and consult the citizens to […]
• Environmental Health and Agricultural Hazards OSHA contributes to environmental health, as it attracts attention to the fact that a lot of people are injured and killed on farms.
• Urban Agriculture in Chicago: Pros and Cons The climatic changes that have adversely affected the ability of farmers in the rural areas to generate high yields in their farms have led to a reduction in the number of fresh products reaching the […]
• Agriculture in the Pacific Northwest The large variety of marine and terrestrial resources made agriculture the secondary food source and allowed for the development of storage-based subsistence economy in the Pacific Northwest, especially in Oregon.
• Construction Control Inspector in Agriculture The job description by the Natural Resource Conservation Service for the construction control inspector position is accurate in the description of the duties and tasks that may be required.
• American Agriculture in “Food Inc.” Documentary My decision to use the film for the assignment was based on the fact that I had watched it before and was highly influenced by it.
• Agricultural Nutrient Pollution and Its Reduction The solutions that have been proposed for the issue are varied: there is the possibility of upgrading farms with the help of better technologies, controlling the use of fertilizers and waste discharge with the help […]
• Urban Agricultural Impact on Human Life One major characteristic of urban agriculture that differentiates it from rural agriculture is the integration of agriculture in the urban economic and ecological system.
• Canadian Small Agricultural Business and Its Trends Some of the misconceptions are illustrated in the report are that the sector is shrinking with no modernization and innovation. In reality, the study showed that over 95% of the farmers in Canada take measures […]
• Management Accounting in Agriculture The farming industry of the nature of John and Mary falls in this category however with such a management accounting system like the one portrayed, then the management is likely to be more easy and […]
• Exchange Rates Impact on the Australian Agriculture The random trend in the foreign exchange market is a macroeconomic issue that has significant implications on the export market prices and the appreciation of the Australian dollar.
• Energy Problems in the Agriculture Sector From the start, I recognized that using the diesel generator was not the most effective way to solve the power needs of the farm.
• Agriculture Improvement: The US Farm Bill Nadine Lehrer, who has been studying the bill, asserts, “The bill was developed in the wake of 1930’s farm crisis to bring farm incomes up to the par with the required minimum incomes”.
• The Nayar Caste of India: Agricultural Practice This paper explores the culture of the Indian Nayar’s with the perspective to establish their subsistence methods. The Nayar society is matrilineal in nature and women enjoy massive power regarding diverse aspects of their culture.
• Agricultural Industries in Australia The Commonwealth of Australia is situated in Oceania and is “the world’s sixth-largest country”. This is at least partially the result of the historical development of the country.
• Intensification of Agriculture Industries in Canada and the USA Therefore, one should not suppose that the growth of production can be explained by the increase in the number of people who wanted to work in this industry.
• Urban Agriculture and Localization The increased rate of rural to urban movement has caused urban food shortage, a high cost of food, and a huge reliance on imported food, among other challenges.
• US Food Industry: Market Dynamics and Regulation Impact The overall outcome of such a supply management program is rising in production costs, consumer prices and a reduction in the capacity of US milk products to compete in the global market.
• Agricultural Studies: The Kuwaiti Pineapple People who meet me at their life paths are inclined to experience similar emotions and feelings while analyzing the details of my appearance and character, and my friends agree that the discussion of pineapple as […]
• Whole Foods Trends: Stringent Standards to Agricultural Practices and Food Products Some of the most common trends pertaining the retail of organic food products in the industry include the ups and downs within the farming sector, concerns of the environment, and concern of healthy lifestyles.
• Impact of Policies on the Practice of Urban Agriculture in Los Angeles This paper looks at the city of Los Angeles and the practice of urban agriculture as a case study to enable the exploration of some of the components of climate change coupled with how political […]
• Vicious Cycle: The Flipside of Brazil’s Agricultural Expansionist Policies But more importantly, environmental policymakers in Brazil should realize that another vicious cycle between economic development and income distribution will set in the near future as long as farmers in North-East regions of the country […]
• Potential Reduction in Irrigation Water Through the Use of Water-Absorbent Polymers in Agriculture in UAE The purpose of this study is to focus on the possibility of the use of super absorbent polymers in agriculture in other parts of the world too with an aim of reducing water used in […]
• Organic Agriculture in the United Arab Emirates The business plan will shed light on the business idea, the value proposition, and the technology that will be required to operate the business.
• The Agricultural Policy in European Union and the United State of America To achieve the main aim of the study, the third objective will be to analyse the common agricultural policy in the European Union and its effects on the member countries with the use of Germany, […]
• Human Development. Role of Agriculture. Importance of Technology and Foreign Aid in Mozambique The access to wage labor, which enhances the state of agriculture and the whole country, depends on the people’s education. The rapid development of the agriculture is connected with foreign investments and earnings, as they […]
• Advices to the French Minister of Agriculture, the Head of the French Wine Industry Association and the Owners of Vineyards One of the major problems of the French wine industry is the incapacity to produce the cheap wine due to the climate characteristics of the region, luck of commercial interest and the low support of […]
• Applying Ecological Theory: Agricultural Degradation of Tropical Forest Ecosystems & Restoration of Exhausted Agricultural Land In this latter case, the conditions inhibit the recovery of the original forest and can lead to a different ecosystem. One of the human activities that are proving to be a dangerous threat to tropical […]
• Managing for Sustainability: The Case of Agricultural Producers & Coal Mining in Australia In spite of the fact that these agricultural producers are responsible for bringing significant income to state and local budgets, and despite the fact that the agricultural producers are personally or cooperatively responsible for decreasing […]
• Agricultural, Economics and Environmental Considerations of Bio-Fuels With the end of the oil crisis at the onset of the 1980s decade, the keen interest in bio-fuels fizzled out.
• Brazil Sustainable and Productive Agricultural Practices The country is the source of water and also a water table of up to 12% of the available freshwater worldwide the Brazil is also undoubtedly one of the leading producers of food and biofuels […]
• Critical Review: “Food’s Footprint: Agriculture and Climate Change” by Jennifer Burney The ability to unravel the current quagmire surrounding the causes and effects of global warming on food and agricultural production remain the key area towards effective policy design, management application and eventual sustainability assimilation in […]
• Pesticides Usage on Agricultural Products in California Some of the aspects that must be incorporated in that report are the date of application, the amount used as used as well as the ell as the geographical location of the farm in question.
• Swidden Agriculture: Shift Farming Although this farming technique has been efficient in the past, it has proved to be unsustainable with the current increase in the global population.
• Sowing Blood With the Maize: Zapotec Effigy Vessels and Agricultural Ritual At the very beginning, the author overviews the importance of maize for human and relates it to the peculiarities of Zapotec religion, including the description of genital bloodletting as an act of self-sacrifice to gods.
• Malaria’s and Agriculture Relationship in Kenya This case study analyses the relationship between malaria and agriculture and some of the measures which have been put in place to lower the occurrence of the disease.
• Changes and its Effects Observed at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology For instance, the main entrance was fully furnished and the stretch from the gate connecting other units of the campus was renovated.
• Can Genetically Modified Food Feed the World: Agricultural and Biotechnological Perspective Undoubtedly, the practice of tissue culture and grafting in plants is never enough to quench the scientific evidence on the power of biotechnology to improve breeding and feeding in living organisms.
• Agriculture and Genetics Disciplines Relationship The collapse of Crick’s theory was a setback to the genetics discipline because the foundations of genetic engineering are based on the central dogma premise.
• Agricultural Subsidies and Development In the event that the world prices is lower than the guaranteed price the government of the nation in question will make up the difference through its subsidy kit set aside for this purpose.
• Cultural Innovations: An Archaeological Examination of Prehistoric Economics, Agriculture and Family Life The type of structures made were and still are determined by the availability of building materials, the level of development of building tools, the climatic conditions, and the economic resources available to the builder.
• Addressing Concerns on Food and Agriculture Mechanization of agriculture running back to the days of the industrial revolution contributes quite a lot to increasing food production. Genetic engineering contributes considerably to the increased food production for the needs of the human […]
• Does Agriculture Help Poverty and Inequality Reduction?
• How Can Caribbean Agriculture Reach Its Potential?
• Can Conservation Agriculture Improve Crop Water Availability in an Erratic Tropical Climate Producing Water Stress?
• How Did Government Affect Agriculture?
• Does Agriculture Matter?
• Are African Households Leaving Agriculture?
• How Can Multifunctional Agriculture Support a Transition to a Green Economy in Africa?
• Does Crop Insurance Influence Commercial Crop Farm Decisions to Expand?
• Can Geographical Indications Modernize Indonesian and Vietnamese Agriculture?
• Does Education Enhance Productivity in Smallholder Agriculture?
• Where and How Can a Debate About Non-safety Related Issues of Genome Editing in Agriculture Take Place?
• Does Group Affiliation Increase Productivity and Efficiency in Russia’s Agriculture?
• Can Integrated Agriculture-Nutrition Programs Change Gender Norms on Land and Asset Ownership?
• Does Off-Farm Employment Contribute to Agriculture-Based Environmental Pollution?
• Are Mega-Farms the Future of Global Agriculture?
• Does Oil Palm Agriculture Help Alleviate Poverty?
• Can Agriculture Support Climate Change Adaptation, Greenhouse Gas Mitigation, and Rural Livelihoods?
• Does Organic Agriculture Lead to Better Health Among Organic and Conventional Farmers in Thailand?
• Are Non-exporters Locked Out of Foreign Markets Because of Low Productivity?
• Does Urban Proximity Enhance Technical Efficiency in Agriculture?
• How Does Biological Control Contribute to Sustainable Agriculture?
• Can Climate Interventions Open up Space for Transformation?
• Are Production Technologies Associated with Agri-Environmental Programs More Eco-Efficient?
• Can Conservation Agriculture Save Tropical Forests?
• Does Agriculture Generate Local Economic Spillovers?
• Can Sustainable Agriculture Feed Africa?
• How Can African Agriculture Adapt to Climate Change?
• Why Are Cooperatives Important in Agriculture?
• Who Influences Government Spending in Agriculture?
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Essay on Agriculture and It’s Significance

Agriculture is the main occupation in India. Two-third of population is dependent on agriculture directly or indirectly.

It is not merely a source of livelihood but a way of life. It is the main source of food, fodder and fuel. It is the basic foundation of economic development.

Agriculture provides highest contribution to national income.

“Agriculture needed top most priority because the Govt. and the nation would both fail to succeed if agriculture could not be successful”

Literally speaking agriculture means the production of crops and live stock on a farm. Generally speaking, agriculture is cultivation of crops. In Economics, agriculture means cultivation of crops along with animal husbandry, poultry, dairy farming, fishing and even forestry.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Agriculture is the back bone of our economy. Agriculture is important not only from economic point of view but has deep rooted influence on our social, political and cultural life. In the words of Jawahar Lal Nehru, “Agriculture needed top most priority because the Govt. and the nation would both fail to succeed if agriculture could not be successful”

The following points explain the significance of agriculture:

(i) Contribution to National Income:

Contribution to national income from agriculture, forests and other primary activities is 24%. In 1950-51 contribution of agricultural sector to national income was 59% and in 2004-05, it came down to 24.4%. Contribution of agricultural sector in national income is considerable. In rich countries the agriculture is quite developed but contribution is very little. In USA agriculture contributes only 2%. In under-developed countries like India, contribution of agriculture is national income was 27%.

(ii) Main source of Food:

Agriculture provides food for Nation. Before 1947, we had acute food shortage but after 1969 Green Revolution in agriculture has made us self sufficient in food production. In 2003-04, production of rice was 870 lakh metric tonnes and of wheat 721 lakh metric tonnes.

(iii) Agriculture and Industrial development:

For industrial development, agriculture plays active role. It provides essential raw materials to many industries like cotton textiles, jute, sugar, vegetables, oil, tinned food, Cigarettes and rubber etc.

(iv) Sources of Revenue:

Land revenue, excise duty on agro-based goods, taxes on production and sale of agricultural machinery forms a goods part of sources of Govt. Revenue.

(v) Source of Foreign trade:

Foreign trade is associated with agriculture. We export tea, tobacco, spices and coffee etc. Other agricultural exports include cotton, textiles, jute goods and sugar etc. So total share of agricultural exports becomes 70%.

(vi) Transport:

Means of transport are required for transporting food grains from farms to consumers and agricultural raw materials to markets and factories. Transport is also needed for taking chemical fertilizers, seeds, diesel and agricultural equipment from markets and factories to villages and farms.

(vii) Source of saving:

Green revolution has increased the production manifold and farmers become rich. The additional income earned by these farmers can be saved and invested in Banks.

(viii) Capital formation:

Agriculture also helps in capital formation. Surplus income from agriculture production can be invested in other sources like banks, shares etc. Use of tractors and harvesters increase capital formation.

(ix) International importance:

India ranks top position in production of groundnuts and sugarcane. It has second position in production of rice and staple cotton. It has third position in production of tobacco. Our agricultural universities are working as role model for other developing nations.

(x) Way of life:

Agriculture in India is not only a source of livelihood but has become a way life. Our fairs, festivals and customs are influenced by agriculture. In politics; too, agricultural community has say.

(xi) Effect on prices:

Sufficient production of food grains will bring stability in prices of food grains. This brings stability in cost of living and wages also. Agriculture influences the price level. So increased production of agriculture keeps the price stable.

(xii) Source of labour supply:

Agriculture is the main occupation in India. Majority of people live in villages. So labour force in various sectors like police, defence and industries is provided by villages disguised unemployment present in agricultural sector can be used as source of supply for other sectors.

(xiii) Economic development:

India is agricultural state. 71% people live in villages and most of these depend on agriculture. So development of agriculture gives boost is economy. Progress of industry, trade and transport is impossible without progress of agriculture. Stability of prices also depends on agriculture growth.

Related Articles:

• Importance of Agriculture in Indian Economy
• 8 Main Features of Indian Agriculture – Explained!
• 8 Main Features of Occupational Structure in India
• Agriculture and the Development of Indian Economy

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Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix

Lesson plan, grade levels, type of companion resource, content area standards, agricultural literacy outcomes, common core, growing a nation era 1a: seeds of change, grade level.

Students will engage with the Growing a Nation  timeline to explore the significant historical and agricultural events and inventions from American history during the years 1600-1929. Students will recognize the importance of labor in agriculture, discover how the implementation of technology increased agricultural production, and explore the role wool played during this era.  Grades 9-12

Estimated Time

Materials needed.

Supporting Question 1: What significant events took place in agriculture during Era 1?

• Growing a Nation  timeline and necessary projection equipment or computer lab
• Demonstration of Learning Strategies

Supporting Question 2: What are the similarities and differences of my daily life compared to when my grandparents were my age?

• In the Good Old Days Inventory activity sheet , 1 copy per student

Supporting Question 3: How has ariculture impacted the growth of the nation and individual lives?

• Chronological Event Strips for 1600-1929 , 1 set per group 
• Significant Agricultural Events activity sheet , 1 copy per group 

Supporting Question 4: Why was wool important to the economy in early colonial times?

• Carded wool,* 1/4" wide and 14" long piece per student
• Spinning hooks,* 1 per student
• Wool Spinning Tutorial

*These items are included in the Wool Spinning Kit , which is available for purchase from agclassroomstore.com. A Wool Refill Kit  is also available.

boll: the part of a cotton plant that contains the seeds; the pod or capsule of some plants, such as cotton and flax

cotton gin: a machine that separates the seeds, seed hulls, and other small objects from the fibers of cotton

Did You Know?

• George Washington was a farmer. He had a farm where he experimented with crop rotation and was the first to breed mules.
• Early Americans were self sufficient; 93% of them were farmers.
• Farm technologies such as the plow, the use of horse power, and many more helped early colonists thrive.

Background Agricultural Connections

Seeds of Change (1600-1929)

Seeds of Change (1600-1929) is the first story event in the Growing a Nation  online interactive timeline.   The timeline provides a chronological presentation of significant historical events focusing on the important role agriculture has played in America's development.  Growing a Nation  uses a graphic organizer (timeline) and online multimedia resources to bring depth and meaning to historical events. The interactive timeline and lesson plans merge seamlessly with existing American history textbooks and high school history curricula.

Our country has witnessed sweeping changes—from the untamed wild times of Buffalo Bill to the technological era of Bill Gates and Elon Musk—but food has never lost its central role in our lives. Food not only sustains life but also enriches us in many ways. It warms us on cold, dreary days, entices us with its many aromas, and provides endless variety to the everyday world.

Food is also woven into the fabric of our Nation, our culture, our institutions, and our families. Food is on the scene when we celebrate and when we mourn. We use it for camaraderie, as a gift, and as a reward. We are all aware of how food has changed. What Americans often forget, however, is the remarkable system that delivers to us the most abundant, reasonably priced, and safest food in the world. The American food system—from the farmer to the consumer—is a series of interconnected parts. The farmer produces the food, the processors work their magic, and the wholesalers and retailers deliver the products to consumers, whose choices send market signals back through the system.

In the Good Old Days

In the “good old days” a country kid would help milk the cows, collect fresh eggs, feed the pigs, and pick some berries for breakfast. Today, with less than 2% of the population in the United States involved in agriculture, most of your students get milk from cartons, strawberries from a box in the freezer, and their morning routine involves nothing more than choosing their favorite box of cereal from the cupboard. Their connection to their food has been reduced to a visit to the grocery store. But things may be changing. Farmers’ markets are springing up everywhere, bringing fresh produce, meat, dairy products, and baked goods even to city dwellers. Community supported agriculture programs involve people in growing and harvesting their own food. Everywhere, plots of land are being set aside for community gardens with local libraries checking out tools along with books to get people started growing some of their own food. Many schools are developing innovative educational programs centered on school gardens. And throughout the country, farm “bed and breakfasts” have become popular. Some even offer family vacations where you can become “Old MacDonald” for a week. So even if you don’t live in the country, take the opportunity to become part of agriculture today, and enjoy “the good new days!”

Sheep and Wool 

Wool played an important role in colonial America. Before the Revolutionary War, most of the finest textiles and fashionable styles were imported from Great Britain. Many colonists wanted to produce their own clothing and textile goods. Wool and linen were the most common materials used. Homespun clothes, clothes that were produced by the colonists, reduced the amount of clothing that had to be bought from England.

Wool cloth is woven from yarn that is spun from the fibers grown as the thick fleece of sheep. Once a year, sheep have their fleeces cut off, or sheared. In colonial times, the sheep were sheared in early spring using hand clippers. The wool was cleaned through a process called scouring in which the wool underwent a series of baths before it was laid out to dry. Wool grease is produced as part of the wool's growth and helps protect the sheep's wool and skin from the environment. Scouring removes this grease from the wool.

In preparation for spinning, wool must be carded. The colonists used hand carders to comb the wool, remove debris, and untangle the fibers, aligning them parallel with each other. Colonists used dye formulas that included insects, roots, flowers, nuts, seeds, tree bark, leaves, or berries. Because of the toxic chemistry, many of these colonial dyes have been deemed unsafe in our era. The dyeing process involved soaking wool in kettles of dye over fires for several hours.

Wool was spun into thread or yarn by tightly twisting the fibers using a spinning wheel. Weavers turned the wool thread into cloth using looms. Wool was also felted, a process of matting fibers together, to make products such as hats and slippers.

The Lowell System was a labor production model invented by Francis Cabot Lowell to move each step of the wool manufacturing process under one roof. The Lowell System was first used in the Waltham and Lowell textile mills during the industrial revolution.

Compelling Question: How did agricultural events and inventions help shape history from 1600-1929?

• Discuss with your students the possible answers to the question, "What are the major events or inventions that changed American families and communities, science and technology, education, economy, business, trade, labor, and legislation from 1780-1929?"

• Following the video clip, point out that wool is still a fiber used in some textiles today. Ask, "What do you think is different about modern wool production and processing compared to what you saw in the video?"
• On a whiteboard or chart paper display the question, "How did agricultural events and inventions help shape history from 1600-1929?" Explain to the students that they will be investigating this compelling question.

Explore and Explain

Supporting Question 1: What significant events took place in agriculture during Era 1?

• Using a projector, mobile devices, or computer lab, review the Growing a Nation: Seeds of Change  section of the multimedia timeline. The Growing a Nation events and sub-events  are designed to be adaptable to a variety of teaching strategies. Each  Main Event  contains  Sub-events that explore American history for a greater understanding of the time period or historical cause and effect relationships. The sub-event tiles ask higher order questions to not only expand student knowledge, but also to increase their comprehension to the level of application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

• Ask the students to be prepared to answer the questions on their tile by either using the Think, Pair, Share strategy or by using one of the attached  Demonstration of Learning Strategies . You may want to choose a particular strategy to use with the entire class or cut the strategies into strips and ask each student to pick one or two. If the student or group of students is allowed to pick two, ask them to choose the learning strategy they prefer and put the other one back. Keep in mind that some  Demonstration of Learning Strategies  will be a better fit for some of the event topics than others and that some take more time than others. Some strategies may need to be grouped depending on the available time.
• Revisit the question, "What significant events took place in agriculture during Era 1?" (Student answers will vary depending on the events the students research.)
• Explain to the students that they will investigate the question, "What are the similarities and differences of my daily life compared to when my grandparents were my age?"
• Read the "In the Good Old Days" section of the  Background Agricultural Connections  portion of this lesson.
• Ask the students if daily life chores have changed since their parents or guardians were children. Ask your students if they can share their parents’/guardians' or grandparents’ childhood stories about things they did around the house that are no longer done today. Are there activities that the students do today that might someday seem dated to their children or grandchildren?
• Explain to the students that you have prepared an inventory activity sheet to determine the types of agricultural and everyday activities they have done. Tell the students that some of the activities on the list may seem like novelties, but they may have been a way of life for their parents or grandparents. Pass out the  In the Good Old Days Inventory Activity Sheet , and give them time to read it over. Give students the option of adding a few items to the list.
• Ask the students to complete the activity sheet by putting a check in the box if they have done the activity.
• Ask them to find someone in the class that has done the activity, and then write his or her name in the space. Have all the items been done by the students in class?
• Tell the students that they will now get a chance to survey their parents/guardians and their grandparents. Assign students to complete the activity sheet at home by filling in the names of their parent or guardian and, if necessary, a grandparent or neighbor over 65 to fully complete the activity sheet.
• When the homework is returned, graph the differences between the generations. As a class, count the number of activities the students did compared to those their parents/guardians and grandparents did. What kind of differences do the students notice? How many students have grown their own food? How many have made their own clothes? Where do these necessities come from today?
• Explain to the students that these differences indicate the changes that have taken place over time regarding our relationship to agriculture and our connection to food and fiber production.
• Revisit the question, "What are the similarities and differences of my daily life compared to when my grandparents were my age?" (Students should recognize that their grandparents had fewer technologies and likely participated in more of farming practices that produced their food.)

Supporting Question 3: How has agriculture impacted the growth of the nation and individual lives?

• Tip: If you’d like the strips to be reused, laminate the Chronological Event Strips pages before you cut them apart.
• Explain to the students that they will investigate the question, "How has agriculture impacted the growth of the nation and individual lives?"
• Provide each group with selected event strips for the time periods you are discussing. Ask the groups of students to place the events, to the best of their knowledge, in chronological order on their desk. Ask them how confident they are about the order.
• Provide each group of students with a Significant Agricultural Events Activity Sheet . Ask them to reorganize their chronology strips into the correct order based on the data sheet. Together, the groups should consider the significance of each event and how it has affected and impacted the cultural/societal categories on the activity sheet.
• As an optional activity, ask students to prepare an individual or group project on the event they feel had the most impact.
• Revisit the question, "How has agriculture impacted the growth of the nation and individual lives?" (Agriculture has made it possible for communities to grow and thrive by meeting their basic needs (food, clothing, and shelter) and providing products that could be sold for a solid local economy.)
• Explain to the students that they will investigate the question, "Why was wool important to the economy in early colonial times?"
• Share with the students the "Sheep and Wool" section of the  Background Agricultural Connections .
• Give each student a piece of wool approximately 1/4" wide and 14" long and a spinning hook. Explain to the students that they will be hand spinning the wool.
• Fold about 1/2" of wool over the end of the spinning hook and begin spinning.
• Back your non-spinning hand out as the wool is spun; this is called drafting.
• Draft out the wool so that the spun wool is taut, but not "bumpy." If you get twisted bumps in your spun yarn, draft (or let out) more unspun wool. When you have twisted the entire length of the wool, don't let go—it will unspin. You are now ready to ply your yarn.
• Plying the yarn will keep it from unspinning and make it stronger. Plying is the twisting together of two single strands of spun wool. Have someone hold the center of the twisted wool while you hold the ends.
• Bring the ends of the wool together in one hand so that there are two strands side-by-side. Have your helper let go, and let the wool twist together. It should spring into a twisted strand. The double strand is now called plyed yarn.
• You can view a Wool Spinning Tutorial . 
• Revisit the question, "Why was wool important to the economy in early colonial times?" (Prior to the Revolutionary War colonists depended on Great Britian for their wool. Producing and processing wool in the United States decreased dependence on Great Britian.)

Summative Performance Task 

Using evidence from historical sources,   construct an argument (e.g., essay, project, video production, portfolio, detailed outline, poster) that addresses the compelling question, "How did agricultural events and inventions help shape history from 1600-1929?"

Taking Informed Action

• Understand: Explore modern wool processing. Create a Venn diagram of the similarities and differences between historic wool processing and modern wool processing.
• Assess: Make a list of technological inventions along with their impact to colonial society.
• Act: Write an explanatory essay answering the question, "Why was wool important to the economy in early colonial times?"
• https://www.cotton.org/econ/cropinfo/cropdata/rankings.cfm
• https://www.cotton.org/edu/faq/
• https://www.asanet.org/sites/default/files/savvy/documents/students/docs/FINAL%20C3%20Fact%20Sheet%209-13-13-1.pdf

Acknowledgements

Activity 2: In the Good Old Days , Adapted from Project Seasons , Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, Vermont

Growing a Nation was funded by USDA CSREES cooperative agreement #2004-38840-01819 and developed cooperatively by: USDA, Utah State University Extension, and LetterPress Software, Inc.

Recommended Companion Resources

• America's Heartland: Cotton Episodes
• Colonial House
• Cotton Boll Kit
• Cotton Campus
• Cotton Counts Educational Resources
• Cotton Now & Then: Fabric-Making from Boll to Bolt
• Cotton Reader
• Growing a Nation Multimedia Timeline
• How Farming Planted Seeds for the Internet
• How It's Made: Cotton Yarn
• The Story of Seeds
• Tractor Timeline- A History of Tractors

Debra Spielmaker

Organization

National Center for Agricultural Literacy

Culture, Society, Economy & Geography

• Evaluate and discuss the impact of major agricultural events and agricultural inventions that influenced world and U.S. history (T5.9-12.g)
• Discuss how agricultural practices have increased agricultural productivity and have impacted (pro and con) the development of the global economy, population, and sustainability (T5.9-12.e)

Science, Technology, Engineering & Math

• Correlate historical events, discoveries in science, and technological innovations in agriculture with day-to-day life in various time periods (T4.9-12.a)

Education Content Standards

Social studies - history (history).

History Era 4 Standard 2D (Grades 9-12): The rapid growth of 'the peculiar institution' after 1800 and the varied experiences of African Americans under slavery.

• Objective 2    Explain how the cotton gin and the opening of new lands in the South and West led to the increased demand for slaves.

NCSS 2 (Grades 9-12): Time, Continuity, and Change

• Objective 3    That knowledge of the past in influenced by the questions investigated, the sources used, and the perspective of the historian.
• Objective 8    The importance of knowledge of the past to an understanding of the present and to informed decision-making about the future.

NCSS 8 (Grades 9-12): Science, Technology, and Society

• Objective 2    Science and technology have had both positive and negative impacts upon individuals, societies, and the environment in the past and present.
• Objective 4    Consequences of science and technology for individuals and societies.
• Objective 7    Findings in science and advances in technology sometimes create ethical issues that test our standards and values.
• Objective 11    That achievements in science and technology are increasing at a rapid pace and can have both planned and unanticipated consequences.

World History Across the Eras Standard 1 (Grades 9-12): Long-term changes and recurring patterns in world history.

• Objective 3    Assess the usefulness of the concept that the revolutions of toolmaking, agriculture, and industrialization constituted the three most important turning points in human history.

World History Era 7 Standard 5A (Grades 9-12): Connections between major developments in science and technology and the growth of industrial economy and society.

• Objective 3    Analyze how new machines, fertilizers, transport systems, commercialization, and other developments affected agricultural production in various parts of the world.

Common Core Connections

Anchor standards: speaking and listening.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

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Farmer Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on farmer.

Farmers are the backbone of our society. They are the ones who provide us all the food that we eat. As a result, the entire population of the country depends upon farmers . Be it the smallest or the largest country. Because of them only we are able to live on the planet. Thus Farmers are the most important people in the world. Though farmers have so much importance still they do not have proper living.

Importance of farmers

Farmers have great importance in our society. They are the ones who provide us food to eat. Since every person needs proper food for their living, so they are a necessity in society.

There are different types of farmers. And they all have equal significance. First are the farmers who grow a crop like wheat, barley, rice, etc. Since the maximum intake in the Indian houses is of wheat and rice. So, the cultivation of wheat and rice is much in farming. Moreover, farmers who grow these crops are of prime importance. Second, are the ones who cultivate fruits. These farmers have to prepare the soil for different types of fruits. Because these fruits grow according to the season. Therefore the farmers need to have a great knowledge of fruits and crops. There are many other farmers who grow different other types . Furthermore, they all have to work very hard to get maximum harvesting.

In addition to the farmers contribute almost 17% of the Indian economy. That is the maximum of all. But still, a farmer is deprived of every luxury of society.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conditions of farmers in India

The condition of farmers in India is critical. We are hearing suicide news of farmers every week or month. Moreover, farmers are all living a difficult life from past years. The problem is they are not getting enough pay. Since the middlemen get most of the money, so a farmer gets nothing in hand. Moreover, farmers are not having money to send their kids to school. Sometimes the situation gets so worse that they are not even having proper food. Thus farmers go in famine. As a result, they attempt suicides.

Furthermore, the other reason for the worst condition of farmers is Global warming. Since Global Warming is hampering our planet in every way, it affects our farmers too. Because of global warming, there is a delay in season. As different crops have their own season to ripe, they are not getting nourishment. Crops need proper sunlight and rain to grow. So if the crops are not getting it they get destroyed. This is one of the main reasons why farms are getting destroyed. As a result, farmers commit suicide.

In order to save farmers, our Government is trying to provide them with various privileges. Recently the government has exempted them from all the loans. Moreover, the government pays an annual pension of Rs. 6000 to them. This helps them to at least have some earning apart from their profession. Furthermore, the government provides quotas (reservations) to their children. This ensures that their children get a proper education. All the children should get a proper education in today’s world. So that they get a chance to live a better life.

At last, farming is a profession which hard labor and effort . Moreover seeing the growing population of our country we should take initiatives to help farmers of our country.

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Essay on Agriculture

Agriculture is a very common word which is used almost by everyone. When we talk about agriculture than the very first thing that strikes our brain is, it must be something that is related to farming and farmers. But this thought limits the aspects of agriculture. Agriculture does not only mean the procedure of cropping instead it means much more.

Short and Long Essays on Agriculture in English

Here I have provided you with three different essays that are different in length. With the help of these essays, you will be able to know almost all the aspects of agriculture.

Agriculture Essay 10 Lines (100 – 150 Words)

1) Agriculture is the process of producing crops and rearing animals for gaining profit.

2) Agriculture provides occupation to a huge Indian population.

3) The contributor to India’s more than 15% GDP is agriculture.

4) Agriculture is the occupation that gives us crops to eat.

5) Fruits, pulses, oil, vegetables, etc things are obtained through agriculture.

6) Agriculture also provides us with leather, cotton, wool, and other animal products.

7) Shifting cultivation, dairy farming, grain farming, fruit farming, etc are some types of agriculture.

8) The use of pesticides in agriculture reduces soil fertility.

9) Agriculture is also a contributor to environmental pollution.

10) Agriculture can reduce starvation, poverty, and can raise employment to some extent.

Essay 1 (250 Words) – Meaning and Importance of Agriculture

Introduction

Agriculture is one of the most important aspects of everyone’s life. It is something that is necessary for the survival of each and every human being. Along with being a necessity, it also helps in the economy of the country.

Agriculture has been derived from two different Latin words, ‘ager’ and ‘cultura’ where ager means ‘field’ and cultura means ‘growing or cultivation’. So the literal meaning of agriculture is the ‘cultivation of fields’.

Agriculture is the process of practicing farming including cultivation of the soil for growing crops, rearing animals, and producing other products such as wool, oil, etc.

Importance of Agriculture

Agriculture plays a vital role in living life. It is impossible for one to sustain his/her life without agriculture as it gives the most usable products of human life such as food, fruits, oil, etc.

The most important aspect of agriculture for human beings is to provide food for people. As we all know that food is the most important thing for the survival, nothing comes before food when it comes to sustaining life, and food is a very important part for everyone’s livelihood, so we can say that agriculture is particularly important because it is our main source of the food supply. It is also the backbone of our economic system. Agriculture not only provides food and raw materials but also employment opportunities to a large proportion of the population.

Agriculture plays a very vital role in our life. Without agriculture, the existence of human beings is not possible as it is the main source of our food supply to sustain on the earth and it also helps to grow our economy across the world.

Essay 2 (400 Words) – Types and Impact of Agriculture

We feel gratitude when we hear the word “agriculture”. Without agriculture, it is not possible to feed ourselves. Our farmers work so hard in the agriculture sector to feed us. They also help to prevent future attacks on us or our neighbor country for food. Our farmers stand for us in any situation by giving food to the world.

Types of Agriculture

There are many types of agriculture; here we will see all the types point-wise and in details:

• Grain Farming

Grain farming is the process of planting a variety of crops which is later harvested at the end of the season. The seeds of the crops are later refined for use. Grains are basically the seeds of the crops planted. In this farming, people from the same family can work on a small piece of land. Grain farming is done for providing food to animals and human beings.

• Shifting Cultivation

As the word shifting has been used, this cultivation is shifted from one place to another. In this cultivation, farmers use a small piece of land for a temporary time and then leave it to abandon until and unless the land gets its fertility back naturally.

• Gardening and Fruit Farming

In gardening and fruit farming, fruits and vegetables are produced on a large scale from a commercial point of view. It requires fewer resources and laborers as compared to grain farming and shifting cultivation.

• Pastoral Nomads

Here pastoral means sheep herding. This is a kind of agriculture that is based on the herding of domesticated animals.

• Dairy Farming

Dairy farming is related to the prolonged production of milk. This procedure is done for producing products like sweets, chocolates, curd, cheese, etc.

Few other types of agriculture are:

• Mediterranean agriculture
• Livestock ranching
• Plantation farming
• Mixed crop and livestock

Environmental Impact of Agriculture

Agriculture has many impacts on the environment. Even if it is very important for sustaining life, it also has some bad effects on the environment. We will see a few impacts one by one point wise:

• The pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture cause pollution.
• Waterlogging and pesticide contamination causes soil degradation.
• Deforestation is also taking place as the forests are being transformed into agricultural land.
• Poor agriculture also leads to climate change.

Agriculture is a very important aspect of each and everyone’s life. It is impossible to feed human beings without the help of agriculture. There are many types of agriculture such as grain farming, shifting cultivation, dairy farming, etc. There are some bad impacts of agriculture on our environments such as manures and fertilizers cause pollution, soil loses its fertility and many more.

Essay 3 (500 – 600 Words) – Benefits and Issues Faced in Agriculture

If we generally talk about agriculture then it means that agriculture is related to harvesting and cropping. But in economics the meaning of agriculture is little different, here it does not only mean harvesting or cropping instead it also includes animal husbandry, dairy farming, poultry, fishing, and forestry.

Agriculture in India

No one can deny the fact that agriculture is the backbone of our nation. In the world, India is the second-largest producer of various agricultural products like rice, wheat, sugarcane, etc. It produces more than 280 million tonnes, which contribute more than 15% of India’s GDP [Gross Domestic Product]. Farmers play a vital role in uplifting the economy of India because agriculture forms more than 70% of India’s export capacity.

If we had our food today then we should be heartily thankful to the farmers of our nation. India’s farmers are the most dedicated peasants towards their duties. This is the reason because of which our former prime minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri termed a coin saying “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan”. The way soldiers of our nation protect our country from enemy attacks, in the same way; farmers of our country feed us daily.

Issues Faced in the Agriculture

Farmers have to face many problems during agriculture. Few of the major problems are discussed below:

• Instability

As we know that in India, agriculture depends upon the monsoon. Being dependent on the weather condition, area, and yield, the production of crops is liable to substantial variations from year to year in this way the production becomes unstable.

• Land Ownership

In, land ownership, a piece of land is owned by a person. The owner of the land gives his piece of land to poor farmers for cultivation and they charge the cost of their land from the poor farmers.

• Subdivision and Fragmentation of Land Holding

When division takes place among the families then the pots also get divided between the family members. These scattered pieces of land increase the cost of agriculture management and make the agricultural occupation uneconomical.

• Land Tenure

In the procedure of land tenure, a large piece of land is owned by a person and that person decides who can use his land and for how long. This procedure is almost similar to land ownership.

• Grain Storage Problem

Even if there is a good production of crops, sometimes what happens is, farmers, don’t get enough space to store their surplus food grains and thus grains are wasted in a large amount.

Benefits of Agriculture:

• It helps in satisfying the hunger of people.
• It uplifts the economy of our country.
• It provides employment to unemployed people.
• It helps in trade.
• It contributes to the government by paying revenue.

From the above discussion, we can conclude that India is the second-largest producer of the product of agriculture. We get benefited a lot by agriculture in many ways; however, people nowadays, are getting distracted from agriculture and moving towards cities for their butter and bread, which is not good for the country and its people.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Ans . The study of agriculture is called Agricultural science.

Ans . The green revolution is related to agricultural production.

Ans . The title of “Father of the Green Revolution in India” is given to Dr. M.S. Swaminathan.

Ans . The Methane gas is released from the paddy fields.

Ans . The agricultural sector is called the backbone of the Indian economy?

Ans . The first Agricultural University of India was established in Pantnagar that is now in Uttrakhand.

Ans . Grey Revolution is related to the production of fertilizers.

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Essay on Importance Of Agriculture

Students are often asked to write an essay on Importance Of Agriculture in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Importance Of Agriculture

Food supply.

Agriculture is vital because it provides food for everyone. Farmers grow crops like wheat, rice, and vegetables. They also raise animals for milk, eggs, and meat. Without agriculture, it would be hard to find enough food to eat.

Economy Booster

Farming is important for the economy too. It creates jobs, not just on farms, but in factories that make farm tools and food processing. Countries also earn money by selling crops to other places.

Environment Caretaker

Agriculture helps the environment. Plants from farms can clean the air by taking in carbon dioxide. Farming also keeps the soil healthy if done in a good way.

Community Builder

Farms bring people together. In many towns, markets where farmers sell food are places where neighbors meet. Agriculture can help build strong communities.

250 Words Essay on Importance Of Agriculture

Jobs and economy.

Many people’s jobs depend on agriculture. Not just farmers, but also people who make farm tools, transport food, and sell it in stores. When farmers do well, they buy things they need, which helps other businesses grow too. This means agriculture is a big part of what makes our economy strong.

Environment and Nature

Farms are important for the environment. They give homes to lots of animals and plants. Good farming can help keep the soil healthy and the water clean. Farmers can also grow plants that help the air by taking in bad gases and giving out oxygen.

Education and Research

Agriculture teaches us about science and nature. People study farming to learn how to grow food better and protect the environment. They find new ways to fight plant diseases and pests. This helps us have more food and healthier plants.

Culture and Traditions

Farming is a big part of our culture and history. It has shaped the way we live, the holidays we celebrate, and the stories we tell. Agriculture links us to our past and guides how we live together as communities.

In short, agriculture is very important. It feeds us, gives us jobs, takes care of nature, teaches us, and keeps our cultures alive. We must respect and look after our farms because they look after us.

500 Words Essay on Importance Of Agriculture

What is agriculture, food for everyone.

The most important job of agriculture is to provide food for all people. Without it, we would not have enough to eat. Farmers grow crops like wheat, rice, and corn which are main foods for people all over the world. They also raise animals such as cows, pigs, and chickens that give us meat, milk, and eggs. By producing food, agriculture makes sure that we all have the energy to grow, learn, and live healthy lives.

Jobs and the Economy

Agriculture is a big part of the economy and creates many jobs. In many places, farming is the main job that people do. It’s not just farmers who work in agriculture, but also those who make farm tools, process food, and sell it in stores. This means that agriculture supports the jobs of millions of people around the world, helping them to earn money to take care of their families.

Helping the Environment

Science and innovation in agriculture.

Agriculture is full of science and new ideas. Farmers use science to find out the best way to grow crops and keep animals healthy. They can use machines that help them do more work with less effort. Scientists are also working to make crops that can grow in tough conditions, like where there is not much water or the soil is not very good. This means that we can grow food even in hard places.

Farming is also a big part of culture and traditions around the world. Many festivals and holidays are based on the farming calendar, like harvest festivals when crops are gathered. Foods that we eat on special occasions often come from farming traditions that are many years old.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Essay on Agriculture in English for Children and Students

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Essay on Agriculture in English for Children and Students: Agriculture is known to be one of the most significant economic activities. It involves the production of plants, livestock, fiber, fuel and more by utilizing natural resources such as water and land. The term agriculture is broader than it is commonly anticipated to be. It includes forestry, fishery, livestock and most importantly crop production. Agriculture sector is also one of the largest employers across the world, mainly in developing and under developed nations. Millions of people around the world, directly or indirectly depend on agriculture sector for their livelihood. It is an activity which provides our everyday requirement of food, vegetables, fruits, spices etc.

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Long and Short Essay on Agriculture in English

Here are essay on agriculture in English of varying lengths to help you with the topic in the exam.

These Agriculture Essays will let you understand the meaning of “agriculture” and the significant role it plays in the overall economic growth and prosperity of a nation.

After going through the following Agriculture essay you will be able to understand the advantages of agriculture.

These essays will be helpful during several of your school assignments. You can select any agriculture essay as per your need and interest.

Agriculture Essay 1 (200 words)

Introduction

Agriculture is basically the cultivation of plants for the production of food, fuel, fiber, medicines and many other things that have become a necessity for the mankind. Agriculture also involves the breeding of animals. The development of agriculture turned to be a boon for the human civilization as it also gave way to their development.

Agriculture is said to be an art, science and commerce all at the same time as it suffices the factors involved in all three.

It is said to be an art as it involves the growth, development and management of crop and animal husbandry. It requires patience and dedication to yield good results in this field and only someone who possesses this art can achieve it.

The knowledge of breeding and genetics is employed to come up with new improved methods of agriculture. Several inventions and explorations are being made in the field. It is ever evolving and thus qualifies as science.

Agriculture supports the economy like no other sector and thus undoubtedly falls in this category too.

With around two-third of the Indian population dependent directly or indirectly on agriculture, it is considered to be the basis of the country’s economic development. It is not just known to be a source of livelihood in India but a way of life.

Agriculture Essay 2 (300 words)

The term agriculture comes from the Latin word ager which means field and cultura that means cultivation. Agriculture basically involves the cultivation and production of crops and livestock products.

History of Agriculture

The history of agriculture dates back several centuries. It began in different parts of the world independently about 105,000 years back mostly by the collection of wild grains for the purpose of eating. Here is how different countries were involved in this activity:

• In Mesopotamia, pigs domesticated around 15,000 years ago. They began domesticating sheep around 2000 years later.
• In China, rice cultivated around 13,500 years ago. They eventually began cultivating soy, azuki beans and mung.
• In Turkey, cattle domesticated around 10,500 years ago.
• Beans, potato, coca, llamas and alpacas domesticated around 10,000 years ago.
• Sugarcane and certain root vegetables were cultivated in New Guinea around 9,000 years ago.
• Cotton was domesticated in Peru around 5,600 years ago.

Similarly, the domestication of various plants and animals is being done in many other parts of the country since thousands of years.

Impact of Modern Technology on Agriculture

The development in the field of science and technology led to the use of modern techniques in agriculture. While it has contributed a great deal to the development of the agriculture sector, the modern technology has also had certain negative repercussions on the sector. Here is the kind of impact it has had:

• The use of fertilizers and pesticides as well as the use of technologically advanced equipments for the cultivation of crops has increased the yields drastically however it has also been the cause of ecological damage and impacted the human health negatively.
• Selective breeding and the use of other modern practices in the rearing of animals has increased the supply of meat however it has raised the concern about animal welfare.

Like every other sector, the agricultural sector has also evolved over the centuries and its development has brought about certain positive and negative repercussions to the society.

Agriculture Essay 3 (400 words)

Agriculture is a vast subject. It encompasses the production of crops, animal husbandry, soil science, horticulture, dairy science, extension education, entomology, agriculture chemistry, agri engineering, agri economics, plant pathology and botany. These subjects taught in various universities across the world to train people in the field.

Different Kinds of Farming

Here is a look at how the agricultural field has broadly categorized in our country:

Subsistence Farming

One of the most widely practiced technique of farming in India. Under this type of farming, the farmers grow grains for themselves as well as for the purpose of sale.

Commercial Agriculture

This type of agriculture focuses on high yield with the aim to export it to other countries to generate profit. Some of the commonly grown commercial crops in the country include cotton, wheat and sugarcane.

Shifting Agriculture

This type of farming majorly practiced by tribal groups to grow root crops. They mostly clear the forested area and grow crops there.

Extensive Agriculture

This is more common in the developed countries. However, it also practiced in certain parts of India. It focuses on the use of machinery to grow and raise crops.

Intensive Agriculture

This a common practice in densely populated areas of the country. It focused on generating maximizing output of the land by employing different techniques. A good amount of investment in terms of money and huge labour force required for this.

Plantation Agriculture

This type of agriculture involves the cultivation of crops that require a good amount of time and space for growing. Some of these crops include tea, rubber, coffee, cocoa, coconut, fruits and spices. This is mostly practiced in the states of Assam, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala.

Wetland Farming

The areas that receive heavy rainfall well irrigated and these are apt for the farming of crops such as jute, rice and sugarcane.

Dry Land Farming

It practiced in desert-like areas such as the central and northwest India. Some of the crops grown in such areas are bajra, jowar and gram. This is because these crops require less water for growth.

With the advancement in technology, agriculture has come a long way. It not limited to just growing crops and rearing of cattle. It includes a whole lot of other subjects and someone who interested in getting into the agricultural field can choose to specialize in one.

Agriculture Essay 4 (500 words)

Agriculture basically involves the cultivation of crops and the domestication of animals for the purpose of generating food and other things necessary for the mankind. While it practiced since centuries, it evolved over the time and has become one of the major factors in the development of our country’s economy.

Significance of Agriculture

Here is a look at the significance of agriculture:

Major Source of Food

It goes without saying that the food we eat is a gift of the agricultural activities that take place in the country. The country seen times of acute food shortage before independence however the problem resolved with the advent of the green revolution in agriculture in the year 1969.

Major Contributor to National Income

Statistics reveal that, the national income from primary agricultural activities was about 59% in the year 1950-51. While it has come down eventually and reached around 24% about a decade back, the agricultural sector in India is still one of the major contributors to the national income.

Development of the Industrial Sector

Agriculture plays a major role in the development of the industrial sector by providing the raw material. Industries such as the cotton textiles, sugar, jute, oil, rubber and tobacco are majorly dependent on the agricultural sector.

Employment Opportunities

The agricultural sector offers numerous employment opportunities as a large labour force required for the smooth functioning of various agricultural activities. It does not only open a vast arena of direct employment opportunities but indirect as well. For instance, the agricultural products need to transported from one place to another and hence it supports the transport sector.

Boost in Foreign Trade

Foreign trade relies majorly on the agricultural sector. Agricultural exports form a good 70% of the total exports. India is an exporter of tea, tobacco, cotton textiles, jute products, sugar, spices and many other agricultural products.

Generation of Government Revenue

Excise duty on agro-based goods, land revenue and taxes on the sale of agricultural machinery make for a good source of government revenue.

Formation of Capital

The surplus income generated from agricultural activities can very well invested in banks for capital formation.

Agriculture: A hazardous Industry

While agricultural sector is of great importance to the country, we cannot deny the fact that is a hazardous industry. Farmers across the globe have a high risk of work related injuries. One of the common causes of agricultural injuries is tractor rollovers and other motor and machinery related accidents. Due to the nature of their job they are also prone to skin diseases, lung infections, noise-induced hearing problems, sun strokes as well as certain types of cancers. Those exposed to pesticides may have serious illnesses and might even have kids with birth defects.

However, that said, agriculture does play a significant part in the development of the human civilization as a whole. As Booker T. Washington said, “No race can prosper till it learns there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem”, agriculture sector is an integral part of the country.

Agriculture Essay 5 (600 words)

Agriculture is one sector that has been in place since thousands of years. It has developed over the years with the use of new equipments and techniques of farming and domestication. This is one sector that has not only seen immense growth but has also been the reason for growth of various other sectors.

The Growth and Development of Agricultural Sector

India is one such country which is largely dependent on the agricultural sector. Agriculture in India is not just a means of livelihood but a way of life. The government is continually making efforts to develop this sector. Let us learn how this sector has evolved with time.

Though agriculture is being practiced since centuries in India, it remained under developed for a pretty long time. We were unable to produce sufficient food for our people and foreign export was simply out of question. On the contrary, we had to purchase food grains from other countries. This was because agriculture in India depended on the monsoon.

In case, enough rain, the crops fertilized properly, when there wasn’t enough rain the crops just failed and most parts of the country were hit by famine. However, things changed with time. After independence, the government planned to bring about improvement in this sector.

With the use of technologically advanced equipment, good irrigation facilities and with specialized knowledge about the field things began improving. We soon started producing much more than we required and subsequently started exporting food grains and different agricultural products. Our agricultural sector is now stronger than that of many countries. India stands first in the production of groundnuts and tea and ranks second in the production of sugarcane, rice, jute and oil seeds across the globe.

However, we still have a long way to go and the government is making efforts in this direction.

Negative Repercussions of Agriculture on Environment

As much as it has helped in the development of the human civilization and the growth of the country’s economy, agriculture has also had certain negative repercussions on the people involved in this sector as well as the environment as a whole. Here are the negative repercussions of agriculture on environment:

• Agriculture has led to deforestation. Many forests cut to turn them into fields to cultivate crops. The negative impacts of deforestation and the need to control hidden from none.
• Not many of you may be aware that the building of watersheds and draining of water from the rivers for irrigation of fields leads to drier natural habitats.
• The runoff from the fields into the rivers and other water bodies results in that water getting poisoned owing to the use of excessive nutrients and insecticides.
• Topsoil depletion and groundwater contamination are some of the other issues that the agricultural activities have given way to.

Agriculture has thus impacted the soil and water resources negatively and this has had a major impact on the environment.

Agriculture also considered to be a hazardous occupation. Those involved in farming constantly exposed to different chemical based fertilizers and pesticides and the continual use of these can lead to several health hazards such as skin diseases, lung infections and certain other serious illnesses.

While agriculture given so much to our society, it comes with its own set of cons that cannot overlooked. While the government is doing so much to bring about growth and development in this field, it should also take measures to tackle the negative impact it is creating on the environment and those involved in the field.

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Essay on Farmer | Importance | The Backbone of Our Nation | 100, 150, 200, 300 & 400+ words

Agriculture has been the backbone of human civilization for centuries, and farmers have played an important role in feeding the world population. While many of us may take food for granted, it’s important to remember that without farmers, we wouldn’t have access to fresh produce or livestock. In this essay, we’ll explore why farmers are so important and how they contribute to our daily lives in ways that often go unnoticed.

Essay on Farmer- 100 Words

Farmers are the backbone of any nation. They wake up early in the morning and work very hard. The life of a farmer is not easy. They lead a very simple life. They sow seeds and grow crops. They supply food for humans and animals also. They play a very important role in the society. The hard work of farmers often goes unnoticed. Farmers often face many challenges in their lives. Climate change, droughts, floods and extreme weather patterns harm farmers. Despite these problems farmers grow crops for us. We should respect farmers for their hard work. let us not forget the importance of farmers

Essay about a Farmer- 150 Words

The life of a farmer can be both rewarding and challenging. From the early morning wake-ups to the late-night harvests, farmers work tirelessly. They provide us with all types of food. They face harsh weather conditions, pests, financial struggles, and physical labour. The life of a farmer is not an easy one. It requires hard work, dedication, and patience. They spend long hours working under the sun bearing harsh weather conditions in order to ensure that everyone gets food. Farmers often have a very busy daily schedule. Their lives are closely tied to nature as they depend on it for their livelihood. But despite many challenges, many farmers find great joy in their work. They take pride in seeing their crops grow. They find satisfaction in feeding their nation. Farmers need to be knowledgeable about soil management techniques, irrigation methods, pest control measures and animal care practices. It is important we recognize the importance of farmers. They feed us every day. We can help farmers by supporting local agriculture initiatives.

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Essay on Why are Farmers Important for School and College Students- 200 words

Farming has been an integral part of human society since the dawn of time. It provides us with food, clothing, and a variety of other products. Farmers provide us with materials necessary for our everyday life. Farmers are also responsible for maintaining the health and sustainability of our environment. Without them, we would be unable to survive. Farmers play an integral role in our world. Without them, the world would be a much different place indeed. From planting and harvesting crops to caring for livestock, farmers play a crucial role in ensuring that we have access to fresh and nutritious food. One of the most important works farmers do for us is cultivating sustainable agriculture practices. Farmers use innovative techniques like crop rotation, cover cropping, and integrated pest management to minimize the environmental impact of their farming activities. In addition to providing us with food, farmers also support rural economies by creating jobs and supporting local businesses. They contribute significantly to our national economy by producing goods that are exported all over the world. Overall, it’s evident that farmers make significant contributions not just in terms of feeding us but also in preserving our environment and sustaining our economy. Let’s appreciate them more!

Why Farmers are so Important Essay- 300 Words

From the moment we wake up and enjoy our breakfast to the time we tuck ourselves into bed at night, farmers have an impact on every aspect of our lives. From growing the food we eat to providing materials for clothing and shelter, their hard work and dedication nourishes and sustains us in countless ways. The life of a farmer is made up of hard work and dedication. Their efforts are essential for the functioning of the society. Without farmers, many people would lack access to nutritious food and the ability to produce their own goods. All types of food industries run because of Farmers. They also provide necessary sustenance for animals and help maintain the environment by growing crops sustainably. In short, they are an integral part of our lives and communities.

The Importance of farmers can be better understood with the following points-

• Food Production: Farmers are responsible for growing and cultivating crops, fruits, vegetables, and livestock. They play a crucial role in ensuring an adequate and sustainable food supply for the population.
• Food Security: Farmers contribute to national and global food security by producing staple crops and essential food items. Their efforts help to reduce dependence on imported food and stabilize prices in the market.
• Economic Contribution: Agriculture forms a significant portion of the economy in many countries. Farmers generate income through the sale of agricultural products, contributing to economic growth and employment opportunities.
• Rural Development: Farmers are key contributors to rural development, as agricultural activities are often centered in rural areas. Their work helps create employment opportunities, supports local businesses, and strengthens rural communities.
• Environmental Stewardship : Farmers play a vital role in sustainable land management and conservation practices. Through responsible farming techniques, they can protect soil health, preserve biodiversity, and mitigate the impact of climate change.
• Cultural Heritage: Farming practices and traditions are deeply rooted in many cultures and communities. Farmers help preserve and pass on traditional knowledge, farming techniques, and cultural heritage from generation to generation.
• National and Global Trade: Agricultural exports contribute to a country’s trade balance and foster international relations. Farmers participate in global trade by exporting agricultural products, strengthening economic ties between nations.
• Innovators and Adaptability: Farmers constantly adapt to new technologies, techniques, and market demands. They serve as innovators, embracing advancements in agricultural practices to improve productivity and sustainability.
• Social Impact: Farmers provide a valuable service to society by ensuring food availability and contributing to the overall well-being of communities. Their work fosters a sense of connection to the land and promotes healthy lifestyles through access to fresh, nutritious food.
• Sustainable Development: Farmers have a significant role in achieving sustainable development goals by promoting responsible and environmentally friendly farming practices.

They contribute to a more sustainable future by balancing economic viability, environmental stewardship, and social well-being. So we should respect fermers

Essay on Why are Farmers Important for School and College Students- 400+ Words

As we sit down to eat our favorite meal, let’s take a moment to thank the farmers who made it possible. Farmers are the backbone of our food system and play a crucial role in providing us with fresh produce, meats, and dairy products. They work tirelessly under unpredictable weather conditions and struggle to keep up with ever-evolving market demands. In this blog post, we’ll explore why farmers are important for school and college students to understand. From the different types of farming to its benefits and drawbacks, we’ll dive deep into what makes farming such a vital profession in today’s society. So grab your fork and let’s dig in!

Why are farmers important?

Farmers are essential to our economy, society, and environment. They provide us with the food we eat, but their role goes much deeper than that. Farmers also help create jobs in rural areas and contribute significantly to a country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Without farmers, food scarcity would be an inevitable consequence. Farming is not just about producing food; it also has significant environmental benefits. Farmers play an important role in preserving natural resources like water and soil by implementing sustainable farming practices. By using crop rotation methods or adopting precision agriculture techniques, they can reduce the use of fertilizers and chemicals that harm the environment. Moreover, farmers are responsible for maintaining biodiversity on their lands by protecting wildlife habitats such as wetlands or forests. This helps prevent species from going extinct while providing opportunities for ecotourism. In summary, farmers are critical to our well-being as a society since they provide us with sustenance while protecting the environment at large. Students should understand how vital this profession is and strive to learn more about its intricacies so that we can appreciate the hard work of those who grow our food every day!

The different types of farming

Farming is a diverse industry with various types of farming practices. Each type has its unique characteristics, methods, and benefits. Here are some different types of farming: 1) Subsistence Farming: This type involves producing enough food for personal or family consumption. It’s common in developing countries where people rely on their farms to survive. 2) Commercial Farming: In this type, farmers grow crops or raise livestock to sell for profit. Commercial farming is more prevalent in developed economies. 3) Organic Farming: Organic farming focuses on using natural fertilizers and pesticides instead of synthetic ones to reduce environmental pollution. 4) Aquaculture Farming: This practice involves raising fish and other aquatic animals in tanks/ponds for commercial purposes. 5) Hydroponic Farming: Hydroponics is the art of growing plants without soil but by suspending them in nutrient-rich water solutions. Understanding the different types of farming helps us appreciate how farmers contribute to our economy and society at large. They provide us with essential products we need for survival while also preserving our environment through sustainable agricultural practices.

The Benefits of Farming

Farming has numerous benefits that can positively impact both the farmers and society as a whole. One of the primary benefits is that farming provides food security for people around the world. Farmers cultivate crops and livestock, which are essential to our daily diets. Moreover, farming also helps to preserve natural resources such as soil, water, and biodiversity. Crop rotation techniques prevent soil depletion while integrated pest management practices reduce chemical use in agriculture. In addition to this, farming creates job opportunities for rural communities leading to economic growth in these areas. It promotes social cohesion by bringing together community members through shared interests in agriculture and cultural traditions. Farming also plays an important role in mitigating climate change by reducing carbon emissions through sustainable land-use practices such as conservation tillage, agroforestry systems or cover cropping. Farms serve as habitats for wildlife which contributes towards maintaining healthy ecosystems. This helps ensure a balanced environment with diverse plant and animal species coexisting peacefully. There are many benefits of farming that are vital to human welfare along with environmental sustainability making it a crucial component of economies worldwide.

The drawbacks of farming The Impact on the Environment

Farming has an impact on the environment, which can be a concern. The use of pesticides and fertilizers can harm the soil, water, and wildlife. This can lead to soil degradation, water pollution, and negative effects on biodiversity. Resource Intensive- Traditional farming methods often require a lot of land and resources. This can result in deforestation and further harm to biodiversity. Physical Demands and Limited Access – Farming can be physically demanding, with long hours in tough conditions. Farmers in remote areas or with limited resources may have difficulty accessing healthcare and basic necessities. Furthermore, farmers are often at the mercy of market forces beyond their control such as weather patterns or fluctuating prices for crops. This uncertainty can make it difficult for them to plan for the future and make investments in their businesses. Despite these challenges, farmers continue to play a vital role in our society by providing us with food security and contributing significantly to local economies. It is important that we support sustainable practices that minimize environmental harm while also ensuring fair compensation for farmers who dedicate themselves tirelessly every day towards feeding us all.

Farmers play a crucial role in our society and are essential to our survival. They provide us with the food we need to survive and ensure that we have access to healthy, nutritious meals. Moreover, they contribute significantly to the economy by creating jobs and driving growth. Despite facing numerous challenges such as climate change, rising costs of inputs, low market prices for their produce, among others; farmers remain committed to providing us with quality food products. As students at school or college level studying agriculture or related subjects such as environmental science or biology it is important that you recognize the vital role that farmers play in our world today. You can consider volunteering on a farm during your free time or even pursuing a career in farming after graduation. In summary, always remember: “No Farmers No Food”- so let’s appreciate all those who work tirelessly every day on farms across the globe.

1) Why are farmers important? Farmers are crucial for several reasons: 1.Food Production: Farmers are the backbone of our food system. They grow and raise the crops and livestock that provide the essential food we consume daily. Without farmers, there would be a significant shortage of food, leading to widespread hunger and malnutrition. 2.Food Security: Farmers play a vital role in ensuring food security. By producing a diverse range of crops and livestock, they help maintain a stable and abundant food supply. Their work helps prevent food shortages and reduces dependence on imported food, promoting self-sufficiency in a country’s food production. 3.Economic Impact: Agriculture is a significant contributor to the economy, and farmers are key drivers of this sector. They generate employment opportunities, both directly and indirectly, in rural areas. Additionally, the agricultural industry supports related industries such as food processing, transportation, and retail, contributing to economic growth and stability. 4.Environmental Stewardship: Farmers play a critical role in environmental conservation. They implement sustainable farming practices to protect soil health, reduce water usage, minimize chemical inputs, and preserve biodiversity. By adopting sustainable agriculture techniques, farmers contribute to mitigating climate change and preserving natural resources for future generations. 5.Rural Development: Farmers are essential for the development and prosperity of rural communities. Their presence contributes to the social and economic fabric of rural areas, providing livelihoods, infrastructure development, and supporting local businesses. They help maintain the vitality of rural communities and preserve the cultural heritage associated with farming. 6.Knowledge and Innovation: Farmers possess a wealth of knowledge and expertise accumulated over generations. They continually innovate and adapt to changing conditions, incorporating new technologies and scientific advancements into their farming practices. Farmers’ knowledge and innovation contribute to the advancement of agricultural techniques, leading to increased productivity and sustainability. In summary, farmers are important because they ensure food production and security, contribute to the economy, practice environmental stewardship, drive rural development, and bring knowledge and innovation to the agricultural sector. Their role is vital for sustaining communities, promoting food accessibility, and building a more sustainable and resilient future

2) Why are seasons important to farmers? Seasons are crucial to farmers for the following reasons: 1.Crop Growth and Yield: Different crops have specific seasonal requirements for optimal growth and development. Seasons provide farmers with a predictable pattern of weather and temperature changes, which are essential for determining the appropriate time to plant, nurture, and harvest their crops. The timing of planting and harvesting directly impacts crop yields and overall agricultural productivity. 2.Water Availability: Seasons play a significant role in determining water availability for irrigation and crop needs. In many regions, rainfall patterns vary across seasons, with wet and dry periods. Farmers rely on the rainy season to replenish water sources, ensuring sufficient irrigation for their crops. Proper water management during different seasons is vital to prevent droughts, water scarcity, and crop failure. 3.Pest and Disease Management: Seasons influence the prevalence of pests and diseases in agricultural systems. Different pests and diseases thrive under specific climatic conditions. Understanding seasonal patterns helps farmers anticipate and manage pest outbreaks and diseases effectively. They can implement appropriate pest control measures, disease-resistant crop varieties, and timely crop protection practices. 4.Nutrient Cycling: Seasons impact soil fertility and nutrient cycling processes. For example, during fall and winter seasons, organic matter from crop residues and leaves decomposes, enriching the soil with essential nutrients. This natural process enhances soil health and provides a nutrient-rich environment for future crops. Farmers utilize these seasonal cycles to plan soil management practices, such as cover cropping and nutrient application, to maintain soil fertility. 5.Crop Rotation and Diversity: Seasons influence farmers’ decisions regarding crop rotation and diversification. By rotating crops seasonally, farmers can break pest and disease cycles, improve soil health, and optimize resource utilization. Different crops have varying seasonal requirements, and farmers leverage this knowledge to create a balanced and sustainable cropping system. 6.Market Demand and Seasonal Cycles: Consumer preferences and market demand often vary with the seasons. Certain crops are more in demand during specific seasons, such as fresh fruits and vegetables during the summer. Farmers need to align their planting schedules and crop choices with market demand to maximize profitability and meet consumer needs. In summary, seasons are vital to farmers as they dictate optimal planting and harvesting times, influence water availability, guide pest and disease management strategies, affect soil fertility and nutrient cycling, facilitate crop rotation and diversification, and align with market demand. Understanding and working in harmony with the seasonal cycles are key to successful and sustainable farming practices.

3)How important are agronomists for farmers? Agronomists play a crucial role in supporting farmers in various aspects of agricultural production and management. Their importance can be summarized as follows: 1.Crop Selection and Management: Agronomists provide expertise in crop selection based on factors such as soil conditions, climate, and market demand. They help farmers choose the most suitable crop varieties and guide them in implementing appropriate crop management practices, including planting techniques, nutrient management, pest and disease control, and irrigation strategies. This ensures optimal crop growth, productivity, and quality. 2.Soil Health and Fertility: Agronomists assist farmers in assessing soil health and fertility. Through soil testing and analysis, they provide recommendations on soil amendments, nutrient application, and soil conservation practices. By optimizing soil conditions, agronomists help farmers maintain soil fertility, prevent nutrient deficiencies or imbalances, and minimize soil erosion. 3.Pest and Disease Management: Agronomists play a vital role in helping farmers identify and manage pests and diseases that can significantly impact crop yields. They provide advice on integrated pest management (IPM) practices, which emphasize a combination of cultural, biological, and chemical control methods to minimize the use of pesticides and promote environmentally friendly approaches. 4.Technology and Innovation: Agronomists stay updated with the latest advancements in agricultural technologies and innovations. They introduce farmers to new tools, equipment, and precision farming techniques that can enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. This includes the adoption of precision agriculture technologies, remote sensing, data analysis, and other digital tools that assist in decision-making and resource optimization. 5.Climate Change Adaptation: With the increasing challenges posed by climate change, agronomists help farmers adapt their practices to mitigate its impacts. They provide guidance on climate-resilient crop varieties, water management strategies, and conservation practices to cope with changing weather patterns, extreme events, and water scarcity. 6.Education and Training: Agronomists contribute to farmer education and capacity building by conducting training programs, workshops, and demonstrations. They disseminate knowledge on best agricultural practices, new technologies, and sustainable farming methods. Through extension services, agronomists bridge the gap between research and practical implementation, helping farmers stay informed and empowered. In summary, agronomists are vital for farmers as they provide valuable expertise in crop selection and management, soil health and fertility, pest and disease management, technology adoption, climate change adaptation, and education and training. Their support enhances agricultural productivity, sustainability, and resilience, ultimately contributing to the success and profitability of farmers.

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Essay on the Importance of Agriculture

Plants and animals, the backbone of agriculture have been a part of the human experience since the beginning of our time on earth, it is held that our earliest ancestors lived as nomads, but as their population grew, providing everyone with food became increasingly difficult and their movement slowed by the growing group, they chose to settle and the earliest societies were formed. Agriculture was created by these our early ancestors as the means of providing for themselves, the main thing they could not do as nomads.

Agriculture represents a very important development in human history, considering the benefits agriculture and its products have brought us since then, it is arguable that we would have developed to this stage without our involvement in and development of agriculture.

The most important aspect of agriculture for us today carries on as it did with our ancient ancestors who began this practice, to provide food for the people. Food is a very important part of our societies, it is a basic need of every living thing, agriculture is particularly important because it is our main source of food supply. We see on the news violent protests by people whose nations are suffering food shortages and wonder……. how would we live if agriculture was not. Would it be possible to maintain law and order? Would our ‘mighty’ societies exist at all?

The agricultural industry is a key one in the development of any nation, it is the central industry of every developing nation as history shows, and almost all the developed nations today grew on the back of a solid agricultural industry. When enough is produced for the people it provides a strong and healthy human resource needed to work farms and create more products, eventually the supply becomes more than the demand and trade was created. Agriculture was an important influence in the creation of trade and money …….the backbone of civilization today.

Exporting/trading excess agricultural produce has been a crucial part of almost very economy in the world; today some developing nations depend on agriculture for over 50% of their annual revenue.

A developed agricultural sector can directly employ a large number of people, the art of agriculture has tremendously developed today, indirectly it creates more jobs for more people by supplying industries with the necessary raw materials they need for production.

Agriculture itself is a science, but science has influenced agriculture as much as agriculture has influenced science. Agriculture has provided materials and direction for many researchers, in turn researchers have discovered vital information about agriculture that have changed the scale and output of agriculture such as the invention of farming technology for mass production, the invention of pesticides and enriched fertilizers and more. Through agriculture we have learnt so much about our environment…. plants, animals, soil, climate, seasons and more. We are able to control and care for the food we eat and ensure it is properly cultivated and non lethal.

For many nations agriculture has been the basis of development , it is the same today, every nation wishing to develop must develop a chain of interdependent and sustainable industries, the agricultural industry is the back bone of them all.

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MSU leads national discussion on agriculture as an instrument of diplomacy

Contact: Mary Kathryn Kight

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Food and water. These basic human necessities were at the forefront of conversation led by Mississippi State University and Arizona State University in Washington, D.C. this month at the conference “The Intersection of Agriculture and Competitive Statecraft.” 

Home to the Competitive Statecraft Initiative, ASU invited MSU to co-host the conference, the third in a series of discussions held on the topic. Competitive statecraft is the integration and synchronization of all instruments of national power.

“We found a willing partner in Mississippi State—obviously a school that has a lot of interest and expertise in agriculture and agriculture policy,” said Ryan Shaw, managing director of strategic initiatives and senior advisor to the president at ASU. “Geopolitics and national security strategy can get very abstract, but people have to eat and need water to drink, and that is a fundamental driver of all of our national security and competitive statecraft efforts.”

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker kicked off the event and commended Mississippi State for working with multiple groups to discuss ways to use agriculture as an instrument of peace.

“To the extent that the people, countries and governments in this world prefer to stay away from conflict, are involved in efforts to make sure there’s not worldwide hunger, then we’re more likely to have a peaceful world. And, in the end, mankind will be better, but we’ll save tremendous sums of money that right now are being used in armed conflict,” said Wicker.

The conference united private industries, academia and government agencies to discuss how agriculture impacts national security.

Panelist and keynote speaker Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Russell Howard, who currently serves as a senior fellow at the Joint Special Operations University in Tampa, Florida, discussed the China Belt and Road Initiative.

“The Belt and Road Initiative may be good for Chinese national security policy and foreign policy, but it’s not necessarily good for the countries that it’s building assets in, and it’s certainly not good for U.S. national security interests in many respects,” Howard said.

Dan Gustafson, special representative of the Director-General at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, discussed why agriculture is part of the competitive statecraft discussion. Robert D. Kaplan, bestselling author of 22 books on foreign affairs and travel, delivered the keynote address on geopolitics and the natural environment. Other topics included “The Role of Technology to Further Agricultural Competitive Statecraft” and “Water: Threat to Stability.”

USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer, who served as a panelist on “Forging Agricultural and Food Linkages between Countries,” noted the importance of MSU being involved in the discussion. 

“I think it is great to have really strong agricultural schools that understand agriculture in these conversations with folks in state departments and defense departments and really bring home that message that I’ve said 10 times already—food is different,” Meyers said.

It may not look like a weapon, but the ripple effect of food insecurity can cripple communities and devastate economies, he explained. 

“As the U.S. tries to engage with other countries, we find agriculture is almost always a very important issue to that country, whether it’s feeding their people or trying to expand their agricultural footprint,” said Keith Coble, MSU vice president of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine. “At the end of the day, the ability to eat healthy, sanitary food and to be able to afford food are fundamental issues in the United States and the rest of the world.”

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu .

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Opinion: Will we have to pump the Great Lakes to California to feed the nation?

The united states has no plan for the disruptions that will befall our food systems as critical water supplies dwindle..

This essay is part of What to Eat on a Burning Planet, a series exploring bold ideas to secure our food supply. Read more about this project in a note from Eliza Barclay, Opinion’s climate editor.

Driving north through California’s Tejon Pass on Interstate 5, you spill down out of the mountains onto a breathtaking expanse of farm fields like few others in the world. Rows of almond, pistachio and citrus trees stretch as far as the eye can see, dotted by fields of grapes. Truckloads of produce zoom by, heading for markets around the country.

The Central Valley of California supplies a quarter of the food on the nation’s dinner tables. But beneath this image of plenty and abundance, a crisis is brewing — an invisible one, under our feet — and it is not limited to California.

Coast to coast, our food producing regions, especially those stretching from the southern Great Plains across the sunny, dry Southwest, rely heavily and sometimes exclusively on groundwater for irrigation. And it’s disappearing — fast.

What happens to the nation’s food production if the groundwater runs out altogether? Unless we act now, we could soon reach a point where water must be piped from the wetter parts of the country, such as the Great Lakes, to drier, sunnier regions where the bulk of the nation’s food is produced. No one wants unsightly pipelines snaking across the country, draining Lake Michigan to feed the citrus groves of the Central Valley. But that future is drawing closer by the day, and at some point, we may look back on this moment and wish we’d acted differently.

For over a century, America’s farmers have overpumped groundwater, and now, as the world warms and the Southwest becomes drier, the situation is only growing more dire. Rivers are slowing to a trickle, water tables are falling, land is sinking, and wells are drying up. Each year, roughly 25,000 more farmers fallow their fields, putting both food and water security in the United States at risk.

States are aware there is a problem — many are trying to sustainably manage their groundwater. But it’s not clear how successful these efforts have been. My research team has found that groundwater depletion is accelerating in the Central Valley, in spite of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. In Arizona, groundwater is only managed in less than 20 percent of the state, leaving a free-for-all in the state’s unmanaged areas.

The United States has no plan for the disruptions that will befall our food systems as critical water supplies dwindle, causing the price of some foods to skyrocket and bringing us closer to the time when we may have to consider pipelines to replenish or replace depleted groundwater.

Some of the world’s largest countries are already forging ahead with these kinds of projects. China’s South-to-North Water Transfer Project and India’s National River Linking Project redirect volumes of water the size of Lake Mead to dry regions from wet ones each year. The United States could do the same.

But it’s not something we should be rushing toward. Americans, particularly those living in places like the Great Lakes region, have already shown that they have little stomach for infrastructure projects that would move their local water to remote locations, even if it is to produce the food they eat every day.

It’s not just the political climate that makes tapping water resources in the East such an undesirable prospect. We’ve built systems of canals to move water around California and the Colorado River basin, but constructing a transcontinental pipeline or river diversion, at the scale required to sustain U.S. agriculture, would be staggeringly more complex, expensive and environmentally disruptive.

They would require significant landscape changes and human displacement. And because water is so heavy, it is extremely expensive to transport. Building the necessary conveyances would require decades of planning, have major environmental consequences and cost taxpayers astronomical sums — easily tens to hundreds of billions of dollars, and far more when you take the human and environmental costs into account.

The United States can still avoid this outcome. If we want to sustain groundwater supplies for future generations, we will need reliable estimates of what’s available in key aquifers, how its quality changes with depth and how much can be safely pumped without risk of running dry. That means we must prioritize the systematic exploration and evaluation of what’s in the ground and make a plan to end or dramatically reduce groundwater depletion.

But we won’t be able to do that without a national water policy. The current patchwork of groundwater policies across the country isn’t enough. This is a national problem that only national coordination can solve.

Last December, President Biden’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology called for testimony on the future of groundwater resources in this country, including the implications for its disappearance and possible strategies for mitigating depletion. (I was among the experts who testified before the panel.) More recently, the council requested public input on America’s groundwater challenges. This recent groundswell of awareness affords a rare opportunity to transform the way that groundwater is measured, monitored and managed.

The United States has kicked the can down the road for decades, but that road has finally reached a dead end. It is time for this nation to act to sustain both its food and water security for centuries to come.

Otherwise, we will be faced with the unpleasant prospect of the Great Lakes partially drained of their freshwater, which will be piped across country in a wasteful, expensive and unpopular project that could have been prevented, had we only acted quickly when we still could.

Jay Famiglietti is a Global Futures Professor at Arizona State University and the director of science for the Arizona Water Innovation Initiative. This article originally appeared in The New York Times .

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Buca di Beppo files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after closing several locations

On the heels of closing scores of locations in recent weeks, Buca Di Beppo has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, court documents filed Monday show.

The company blamed its financial woes on things including rising costs and hiring difficulty, according to information from the restaurant and court papers filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas.

In its 21-page petition obtained by USA TODAY, the Orlando-based casual restaurant chain named 30 creditors it owes close to $50 million.

The chain of Italian-American restaurants has been slowly shuttering its doors since COVID hit in 2020 and last month closed nearly 20% of its locations, according to  Restaurant Business Magazine.

On July 30,  the magazine reported Buca's parent company Earl Enterprises said several of its locations "had been unable to recover from the pandemic and other market pressures ."

In a statement released by the eatery Monday, leaders wrote Buca is restructuring 44 core locations and is in the process of opening one new location.

"The company is committed to ensuring that the restaurants operate as usual, and all gift cards, reservations, and promotional services currently remain active and redeemable," the statement reads.

"While the restaurant industry has faced significant challenges, this move is the best next step for our brand," said the company's President Rich Saultz. "By restructuring with the continued support of our lenders, we are paving the way toward a reinvigorated future. Buca di Beppo has been a beloved gathering place for celebrations and memorable meals for many years, and we are enthusiastic about entering this next phase of our brand's story."

What Buca di Beppo stores closed most recently?

Known for their family-style serving portions of Italian food, the company most recently shuttered other locations in Arizona , California, Pennsylvania, Utah and Michigan.

Founded in 1993 in a Minneapolis apartment basement, Planet Hollywood International purchased the casual chain in 2008.

How many Buca di Beppos remain open?

According to the company, 44 locations in 14 states will remain open.

The Buca di Beppo website appears to list active restaurants on it's location finder . 

"We believe this path will best allow us to continue to serve Buca's patrons and communities for many years to come," William Snyder, Chief Restructuring Officer of Buca C, LLC, released in a statement Monday after signing the bankruptcy petition.

"We are open for business in 44 locations, and we expect day-to-day operations to continue uninterrupted.," Snyder said. "We anticipate moving through this process as quickly and efficiently as possible to emerge as a stronger organization built for the future."

The petition named the company's attorney, Amber Carson who could not immediately be reached.

USA TODAY has reached out to Buca for more information.

Contributing: Maria Frances and Bahar Anooshahr

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.

What Kamala Harris has said so far on key issues in her campaign

As she ramps up her nascent presidential campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris is revealing how she will address the key issues facing the nation.

In speeches and rallies, she has voiced support for continuing many of President Joe Biden’s measures, such as lowering drug costs , forgiving student loan debt and eliminating so-called junk fees. But Harris has made it clear that she has her own views on some key matters, particularly Israel’s treatment of Gazans in its war with Hamas.

In a departure from her presidential run in 2020, the Harris campaign has confirmed that she’s moved away from many of her more progressive stances, such as her interest in a single-payer health insurance system and a ban on fracking.

Harris is also expected to put her own stamp and style on matters ranging from abortion to the economy to immigration, as she aims to walk a fine line of taking credit for the administration’s accomplishments while not being jointly blamed by voters for its shortcomings.

Her early presidential campaign speeches have offered insights into her priorities, though she’s mainly voiced general talking points and has yet to release more nuanced plans. Like Biden, she intends to contrast her vision for America with that of former President Donald Trump. ( See Trump’s campaign promises here .)

“In this moment, I believe we face a choice between two different visions for our nation: one focused on the future, the other focused on the past,” she told members of the historically Black sorority Zeta Phi Beta at an event in Indianapolis in late July. “And with your support, I am fighting for our nation’s future.”

Here’s what we know about Harris’ views:

Harris took on the lead role of championing abortion rights for the administration after Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022. This past January, she started a “ reproductive freedoms tour ” to multiple states, including a stop in Minnesota thought to be the first by a sitting US president or vice president at an abortion clinic .

On abortion access, Harris embraced more progressive policies than Biden in the 2020 campaign, as a candidate criticizing his previous support for the Hyde Amendment , a measure that blocks federal funds from being used for most abortions.

Policy experts suggested that although Harris’ current policies on abortion and reproductive rights may not differ significantly from Biden’s, as a result of her national tour and her own focus on maternal health , she may be a stronger messenger.

High prices are a top concern for many Americans who are struggling to afford the cost of living after a spell of steep inflation. Many voters give Biden poor marks for his handling of the economy, and Harris may also face their wrath.

In her early campaign speeches, Harris has echoed many of the same themes as Biden, saying she wants to give Americans more opportunities to get ahead. She’s particularly concerned about making care – health care, child care, elder care and family leave – more affordable and available.

Harris promised at a late July rally to continue the Biden administration’s drive to eliminate so-called “junk fees” and to fully disclose all charges, such as for events, lodging and car rentals. In early August, the administration proposed a rule that would ban airlines from charging parents extra fees to have their kids sit next to them.

On day one, I will take on price gouging and bring down costs. We will ban more of those hidden fees and surprise late charges that banks and other companies use to pad their profits.”

Since becoming vice president, Harris has taken more moderate positions, but a look at her 2020 campaign promises reveals a more progressive bent than Biden.

As a senator and 2020 presidential candidate, Harris proposed providing middle-class and working families with a refundable tax credit of up to $6,000 a year (per couple) to help keep up with living expenses. Titled the LIFT the Middle Class Act, or Livable Incomes for Families Today, the measure would have cost at the time an estimated $3 trillion over 10 years.

Unlike a typical tax credit, the bill would allow taxpayers to receive the benefit – up to $500 – on a monthly basis so families don’t have to turn to payday loans with very high interest rates.

As a presidential candidate, Harris also advocated for raising the corporate income tax rate to 35%, where it was before the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that Trump and congressional Republicans pushed through Congress reduced the rate to 21%. That’s higher than the 28% Biden has proposed.

Affordable housing was also on Harris’ radar. As a senator, she introduced the Rent Relief Act, which would establish a refundable tax credit for renters who annually spend more than 30% of their gross income on rent and utilities. The amount of the credit would range from 25% to 100% of the excess rent, depending on the renter’s income.

Harris called housing a human right and said in a 2019 news release on the bill that every American deserves to have basic security and dignity in their own home.

Consumer debt

Hefty debt loads, which weigh on people’s finances and hurt their ability to buy homes, get car loans or start small businesses, are also an area of interest to Harris.

As vice president, she has promoted the Biden administration’s initiatives on student debt, which have so far forgiven more than $168 billion for nearly 4.8 million borrowers . In mid-July, Harris said in a post on X that “nearly 950,000 public servants have benefitted” from student debt forgiveness, compared with only 7,000 when Biden was inaugurated.

A potential Harris administration could keep that momentum going – though some of Biden’s efforts have gotten tangled up in litigation, such as a program aimed at cutting monthly student loan payments for roughly 3 million borrowers enrolled in a repayment plan the administration implemented last year.

The vice president has also been a leader in the White House efforts to ban medical debt from credit reports, noting that those with medical debt are no less likely to repay a loan than those who don’t have unpaid medical bills.

In a late July statement praising North Carolina’s move to relieve the medical debt of about 2 million residents, Harris said that she is “committed to continuing to relieve the burden of medical debt and creating a future where every person has the opportunity to build wealth and thrive.”

Health care

Harris, who has had shifting stances on health care in the past, confirmed in late July through her campaign that she no longer supports a single-payer health care system .

During her 2020 campaign, Harris advocated for shifting the US to a government-backed health insurance system but stopped short of wanting to completely eliminate private insurance.

The measure called for transitioning to a Medicare-for-All-type system over 10 years but continuing to allow private insurance companies to offer Medicare plans.

The proposal would not have raised taxes on the middle class to pay for the coverage expansion. Instead, it would raise the needed funds by taxing Wall Street trades and transactions and changing the taxation of offshore corporate income.

When it comes to reducing drug costs, Harris previously proposed allowing the federal government to set “a fair price” for any drug sold at a cheaper price in any economically comparable country, including Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Japan or Australia. If manufacturers were found to be price gouging, the government could import their drugs from abroad or, in egregious cases, use its existing but never-used “march-in” authority to license a drug company’s patent to a rival that would produce the medication at a lower cost.

Harris has been a champion on climate and environmental justice for decades. As California’s attorney general, Harris sued big oil companies like BP and ConocoPhillips, and investigated Exxon Mobil for its role in climate change disinformation. While in the Senate, she sponsored the Green New Deal resolution.

During her 2020 campaign, she enthusiastically supported a ban on fracking — but a Harris campaign official said in late July that she no longer supports such a ban.

Fracking is the process of using liquid to free natural gas from rock formations – and the primary mode for extracting gas for energy in battleground Pennsylvania. During a September 2019 climate crisis town hall hosted by CNN, she said she would start “with what we can do on Day 1 around public lands.” She walked that back later when she became Biden’s running mate.

Biden has been the most pro-climate president in history, and climate advocates find Harris to be an exciting candidate in her own right. Democrats and climate activists are planning to campaign on the stark contrasts between Harris and Trump , who vowed to push America decisively back to fossil fuels, promising to unwind Biden’s climate and clean energy legacy and pull America out of its global climate commitments.

If elected, one of the biggest climate goals Harris would have to craft early in her administration is how much the US would reduce its climate pollution by 2035 – a requirement of the Paris climate agreement .

Immigration

Harris has quickly started trying to counter Trump’s attacks on her immigration record.

Her campaign released a video in late July citing Harris’ support for increasing the number of Border Patrol agents and Trump’s successful push to scuttle a bipartisan immigration deal that included some of the toughest border security measures in recent memory.

The vice president has changed her position on border control since her 2020 campaign, when she suggested that Democrats needed to “critically examine” the role of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, after being asked whether she sided with those in the party arguing to abolish the department.

In June of this year, the White House announced a crackdown on asylum claims meant to continue reducing crossings at the US-Mexico border – a policy that Harris’ campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, indicated in late July to CBS News would continue under a Harris administration.

Trump’s attacks stem from Biden having tasked Harris with overseeing diplomatic efforts in Central America in March 2021. While Harris focused on long-term fixes, the Department of Homeland Security remained responsible for overseeing border security.

She has only occasionally talked about her efforts as the situation along the US-Mexico border became a political vulnerability for Biden. But she put her own stamp on the administration’s efforts, engaging the private sector.

Harris pulled together the Partnership for Central America, which has acted as a liaison between companies and the US government. Her team and the partnership are closely coordinating on initiatives that have led to job creation in the region. Harris has also engaged directly with foreign leaders in the region.

Experts credit Harris’ ability to secure private-sector investments as her most visible action in the region to date but have cautioned about the long-term durability of those investments.

Israel-Hamas

The Israel-Hamas war is the most fraught foreign policy issue facing the country and has spurred a multitude of protests around the US since it began in October.

After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in late July, Harris gave a forceful and notable speech about the situation in Gaza.

We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering. And I will not be silent.”

Harris echoed Biden’s repeated comments about the “ironclad support” and “unwavering commitment” to Israel. The country has a right to defend itself, she said, while noting, “how it does so, matters.”

However, the empathy she expressed regarding the Palestinian plight and suffering was far more forceful than what Biden has said on the matter in recent months. Harris mentioned twice the “serious concern” she expressed to Netanyahu about the civilian deaths in Gaza, the humanitarian situation and destruction she called “catastrophic” and “devastating.”

She went on to describe “the images of dead children and desperate hungry people fleeing for safety, sometimes displaced for the second, third or fourth time.”

Harris emphasized the need to get the Israeli hostages back from Hamas captivity, naming the eight Israeli-American hostages – three of whom have been killed.

But when describing the ceasefire deal in the works, she didn’t highlight the hostage for prisoner exchange or aid to be let into Gaza. Instead, she singled out the fact that the deal stipulates the withdrawal by the Israeli military from populated areas in the first phase before withdrawing “entirely” from Gaza before “a permanent end to the hostilities.”

Harris didn’t preside over Netanyahu’s speech to Congress in late July, instead choosing to stick with a prescheduled trip to a sorority event in Indiana.

Harris is committed to supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, having met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at least six times and announcing last month $1.5 billion for energy assistance, humanitarian needs and other aid for the war-torn country.

At the Munich Security Conference earlier this year, Harris said: “I will make clear President Joe Biden and I stand with Ukraine. In partnership with supportive, bipartisan majorities in both houses of the United States Congress, we will work to secure critical weapons and resources that Ukraine so badly needs. And let me be clear: The failure to do so would be a gift to Vladimir Putin.”

More broadly, NATO is central to our approach to global security. For President Biden and me, our sacred commitment to NATO remains ironclad. And I do believe, as I have said before, NATO is the greatest military alliance the world has ever known.”

Police funding

The Harris campaign has also walked back the “defund the police” sentiment that Harris voiced in 2020. What she meant is she supports being “tough and smart on crime,” Mitch Landrieu, national co-chair for the Harris campaign and former mayor of New Orleans, told CNN’s Pamela Brown in late July.

In the midst of nationwide 2020 protests sparked by George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer, Harris voiced support for the “defund the police” movement, which argues for redirecting funds from law enforcement to social services. Throughout that summer, Harris supported the movement and called for demilitarizing police departments.

Democrats largely backed away from calls to defund the police after Republicans attempted to tie the movement to increases in crime during the 2022 midterm elections.

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Britain’s Violent Riots: What We Know

Officials had braced for more unrest on Wednesday, but the night’s anti-immigration protests were smaller, with counterprotesters dominating the streets instead.

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By Lynsey Chutel

After days of violent rioting set off by disinformation around a deadly stabbing rampage, the authorities in Britain had been bracing for more unrest on Wednesday. But by nightfall, large-scale anti-immigration demonstrations had not materialized, and only a few arrests had been made nationwide.

Instead, streets in cities across the country were filled with thousands of antiracism protesters, including in Liverpool, where by late evening, the counterdemonstration had taken on an almost celebratory tone.

Over the weekend, the anti-immigration protests, organized by far-right groups, had devolved into violence in more than a dozen towns and cities. And with messages on social media calling for wider protests and counterprotests on Wednesday, the British authorities were on high alert.

With tensions running high, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s cabinet held emergency meetings to discuss what has become the first crisis of his recently elected government. Some 6,000 specialist public-order police officers were mobilized nationwide to respond to any disorder, and the authorities in several cities and towns stepped up patrols.

Wednesday was not trouble-free, however.

In Bristol, the police said there was one arrest after a brick was thrown at a police vehicle and a bottle was thrown. In the southern city of Portsmouth, police officers dispersed a small group of anti-immigration protesters who had blocked a roadway. And in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where there have been at least four nights of unrest, disorder continued, and the police service said it would bring in additional officers.

But overall, many expressed relief that the fears of wide-scale violence had not been realized.

Here’s what we know about the turmoil in Britain.

Where arrests have been reported

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