Agriculture An
Overview
Agriculture refers to the production of goods through farming, and foresty,
agriculture was a key development that led to the rise in civilisation raising
of domesticated animals. The study of agriculture is known as agricultural science.
The related practice of gardening is studied in horticulture.
Agriculture encompasses a wide variety of specialties. Cultivation of crops on arable
land and the pastoral herding of livestock
on rangeland remain at the foundation of agriculture. In the past
century a distinction has been made between sustainable agriculture
and intensive farming. Modern agronomy, plant breeding, pesticides and fertilizers, and technological improvements
have sharply increased yields from cultivation. Selective breeding
and modern practices in animal husbandry such as intensive
pig farming (and similar practices applied to the chicken) have similarly increased the output of meat. The
more exotic varieties of agriculture include aquaculture and tree farming.
The major agricultural products
can be broadly grouped into foods, fibers, fuels, raw materials, pharmaceuticals and illegal
drugs, and an assortment of ornamental or exotic products. In the 2000s, plants have been used
to grow biofuels, biopharmaceuticals, bioplastics, and pharmaceuticals. Specific foods
include cereals, vegetables, fruits, and meat. Fibers include cotton, wool, hemp, silk and flax. Raw materials include lumber and bamboo. Drugs
include tobacco, marijuana, opium, cocaine,and digitalis. Other useful materials are produced
by plants, such as resins. Biofuels include methane from biomass, ethanol, and biodiesel. Cut
flowers, nursery plants, tropical fish
and birds for the pet trade are some of the ornamental products.
Agriculture has played a key role
in the development of human civilization. Until the Industrial Revolution, the vast majority of the human population labored
in agriculture. Development of agricultural techniques has steadily increased agricultural productivity, and the widespread
diffusion of these techniques during a time period is often called an agricultural revolution. A remarkable shift in agricultural
practices has occurred over the past century in response to new technologies. In particular, the Haber-Bosch method for synthesizing
ammonium nitrate made the traditional practice of recycling nutrients with crop rotation and animal manure less necessary.Synthetic nitrogen, along with mined rock phosphate, pesticides and mechanization,
have greatly increased crop yields in the early 20th century. Increased supply of grains has led to cheaper livestock as well.
Further, global yield increases were experienced later in the 20th century when high-yield varieties of common staple grains
such as rice, wheat, and corn (maize) were introduced as a part of the Green Revolution. The Green Revolution exported the
technologies (including pesticides and synthetic nitrogen) of the developed world out to the developing world. Thomas Malthus
famously predicted that the Earth would not be able to support its growing population, but technologies such as the Green
Revolution have allowed the world to produce a surplus of food.
Many
governments have subsidized agriculture to ensure an adequate food supply. These agricultural
subsidies are often linked to the production of certain commodities such as wheat, corn (maize), rice, soybeans, and milk. These subsidies, especially when done by developed countries
have been noted as protectionist, inefficient, and environmentally
damaging. In the past century agriculture has been characterized by enhanced productivity, the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides,
selective breeding, mechanization, water contamination, and farm
subsidies. Proponents of organic farming
such as Sir Albert Howard argued in the early 1900s that the overuse
of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers damages the long-term fertility of the soil. While this feeling lay dormant for decades,
as environmental awareness has increased in the 2000s there has
been a movement towards sustainable agriculture by some farmers,
consumers, and policymakers. In recent years there has been a backlash against perceived external environmental effects of mainstream agriculture, particularly regarding water pollution, resulting in the
organic movement. One of the major forces behind this movement has
been the European Union, which first certified organic
food in 1991 and began reform of its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2005 to phase out commodity-linked farm subsidies, also known as decoupling. The growth of organic farming has renewed research
in alternative technologies such as integrated pest management and
selective breeding. Recent mainstream technological developments
include genetically modified food.
Synthetic nitrogen, along with mined rock phosphate, pesticides and mechanization, have greatly
increased crop yields in the early 20th century. Increased supply of grains has led to cheaper livestock as well. Further,
global yield increases were experienced later in the 20th century when high-yield varieties of common staple grains such as
rice, wheat, and corn (maize) were introduced as a part of the Green Revolution. The Green Revolution exported the technologies
(including pesticides and synthetic nitrogen) of the developed world out to the developing world. Thomas Malthus famously
predicted that the Earth would not be able to support its growing population, but technologies such as the Green Revolution
have allowed the world to produce a surplus of food.
Many governments
have subsidized agriculture to ensure an adequate food supply. These agricultural subsidies are often linked to the production of certain commodities such as wheat, corn (maize), rice, soybeans, and milk. These subsidies, especially when done by developed countries
have been noted as protectionist, inefficient, and environmentally
damaging. In the past century agriculture has been characterized by enhanced productivity, the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides,
selective breeding, mechanization, water contamination, and farm
subsidies. Proponents of organic farming
such as Sir Albert Howard argued in the early 1900s that the overuse
of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers damages the long-term fertility of the soil. While this feeling lay dormant for decades,
as environmental awareness has increased in the 2000s there has
been a movement towards sustainable agriculture by some farmers,
consumers, and policymakers. In recent years there has been a backlash against perceived external environmental effects of mainstream agriculture, particularly regarding water pollution, resulting in the
organic movement. One of the major forces behind this movement has
been the European Union, which first certified organic
food in 1991 and began reform of its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2005 to phase out commodity-linked farm subsidies, also known as decoupling. The growth of organic farming has renewed research
in alternative technologies such as integrated pest management and
selective breeding. Recent mainstream technological developments
include genetically modified food.
