Agricultural science is the study of the practices involved in the field of agriculture. Agricultural science and agriculture, although related to each other, are essentially very different from one another. Agriculture is the art of growing plants, fruits and vegetables for human consumption. Agricultural science, on the other hand, deals with research, improvement and development in techniques of production like irrigation management, pest control etc. It includes the processes necessary for improving the quality and quantity of agricultural products.
Agricultural science deals with transforming the primary products to finished, consumption-ready products. It also involves the prevention and correction of adverse factors hampering productivity. It has been referred to as a local science because of its strong relation to the local areas. It is often considered to be a science dealing with eco-regions as it depends largely on climate and properties of soil in a particular area. These factors vary largely from one place to another. Many individuals are of the opinion that agricultural science depends on the local weather and local soil characteristics, so specific crops need to be studied locally.
History
The path breaking work of Gregor Mendel in the field of agriculture
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Students who graduate in the field of agricultural science have a fair understanding of the relationship between farmers, ecosystems and end-consumers through the intensive study of economics, animal husbandry, botany and everything else which is involved in the field of farming and food production. Since more than half the population of the world is indirectly or directly involved in agriculture and production of food, degrees in agricultural science provide a broad spectrum of career choices ranging from education to
Swidden agriculture also known as slash-and-burn is depicted in a negative light because of myths that has been created from people who are not familiar with its practice or do not understands its purpose. One of the narrative is that it creates a useless and unsustainable land. This could be easily misunderstood as the image of the land after being burned can be seen lifeless and barren. People tend to associate a fertile land with lush greens with the sun in the background and not the image of swidden agriculture. Furthermore, media portrayal of wildfire only puts the idea that wildfire are harmful and should be put out which only makes swidden agriculture seem destructive.
It is easy to understand the author’s dilemma through the data and information he provides chronologically. The issue addressed by Paarlberg is vast and cannot be tackled in a few paragraphs, therefore, he subcategorizes his topics in chronological order: “Original sins, Organic Myths and Seeding the future.” This would be one of the biggest strengths that Paarlberg uses to distinguish his ideas from one another. It is also easy for the readers to wrap their minds around the matter being discussed and helps them become aware of the subject that is going to be discussed. For example, in the subsection Original sins, Paarlberg discusses how the development and introduction of high yielding seeds and wheat, along with the Green revolution benefitted the rich farmers from countries such as America, but adversely affected the poor farmers from countries such as India, although they were great achievements at that time.
In The Worst Hard Time, the author explains how new technology led to overproduction of many crops. A tractor was able to do the work of ten horses and a combine was able to thresh grain in one swoop. A farmer’s harvest could even go up by the thousands. As the farmers made more money they bought nearby land and ripped the grass out to make more space for more crops (Doc. C). With the overproduction of land came bare fields.
The Civil War had already ended when agriculture began to develop, bringing about changes across the country, particularly in the West. American agriculture began in rural regions that were urbanized, resulting in a surge of people in the fields and cities where employment and hard labor were supplied manually. It has grown significantly as a result of advanced economic and social changes towards its industrialization for expansion. It increased production among the families of farmers, who served through hard and difficult situations. Throughout the period of 1865-1900, American agriculture changed rural inhabited areas, expanding prospects for migration and urbanization, industrialization growth with advanced machinery, and evolved farming
The first is the rise of farming eleven thousand years ago, the second is the discovery of crop rotation, moldboard plow, horse collar and other. The third is the shift toward agro-biotech practices. This has made it to where there is many different types of agriculture that are practiced all around the
In farming there are many different plants and supplies you need to make these plants grow. The ranges of plants can go from beans to tobacco and the supplies list could go on forever. In farming you will always be owing someone something and trying to pay them back. Farming is just all around a gamble and a job you must love completely to do
Ever since the emergence of mankind, humans have always prioritized their search for food and water. Even today the need for sustenance is still prominent; however, methods for producing it have evolved over time. The Paleolithic people went about scavenging, hunting, fishing, and gathering on their quest for food. The Neolithic Revolution marked a transition from such practices into the “cultivations of crops and the domestication of animals.” (Strayer, pg.12) Even after thousands of years, although techniques have changed, the basic concept of agricultural cultivation has still remained similar.
He used the average household income of local African farmers as an example of the ineffectiveness of organic agriculture; however, his views have created a number of opponents to his ideas. For example, Ann Lappe, author of “Diet for a Hot Planet” had this to say, “Paarlberg doesn’t get what it means to be organic. Organic farming isn’t just about not using chemicals. Organic farmers improve output by tapping a sophisticated understanding of biological systems to build soil fertility and manage pests and weeds through techniques that include double-dug beds, intercropping, composting, manures, cover crops, crop sequencing, and natural pest control. It could be aptly dubbed ‘knowledge-intensive’ farming.”
The turn of the century saw the institutions gaining credibility and introducing new names. The universities focused on local Agricultural research for each state. Reaching out to the communities and allowing them to benefit from their research and work. Agricultural extension taught pest control and fertilizer applications.
Not only were laws now being created for agriculture for the first time ever, but machines specifically made for agriculture were being popularized. One example of this is the mechanical tomato harvester. (Rasmussen, 1968). During World War 1, European countries struggled daily to
The Nutty Professor Why is agriculture so important? Agriculture is the process of farming animals and plants for human consumption. This process is important because it controls what we put into our body. Naturally, any change made in this field affects everyone. One man made significant contributions to this practice.
The Controversy on Agricultures Mankind has gone through numerous changes that have defined life today. Humans have developed technology and discovered resources that are essential to ones everyday life. Some of the changes weren’t for pleasure but vital to survive on Earth. These changes may not benefit humans but allow us to survive: agriculture. Jared Diamond explains in the article “The worst mistake in the history of the Human Race” stating that “…the adoption of agriculture, supposedly our most decisive step toward a better life, was in many ways a catastrophe from which we have never recovered.”
Agriculture is the modification of Earth’s surface through the cultivation of plants and animals through the cultivation of plants and animals to obtain economic gain. It was also a key development for the rise of the domestication of animals. Although, its origins cannot be documented for certainty because agriculture began before recorded history, scholars believe that it was started in Southwest Asia. Also, agriculture entails selective breeding of animals with combinations of inherited characteristics that benefits humans. Around the world, agriculture’s steps are the same, but the type of animals that were raised or cultivated differently.
The agricultural technology that was invented during the medieval ages resulted in social and economic developments which affected the lives of those living in that period. The new machinery allowed the townspeople to grow a surplus of food and in result learn new specialties and trades. “When these people could produce a surplus, they were freed to do other things, which provided the basis for towns, cities, and civilization”( flowofhistory.com). Civilian life was made more comfortable because of the advancements that were made through the ages.
Introduction: “Sustainable agriculture is the efficient production of safe high quality agricultural products, in a way that protects and improves the natural environment the social and economic conditions of farmers their employees and local communities and safe guard the health and welfare of all farmed species“ There are three main principles of sustainable agriculture, the three principles are: 1. Economic sustainability 2. Environmental sustainability 3. Social sustainability With the human population continuing to rise, it is vital that the agricultural industry becomes more sustainable to meet the needs of the growing population. One of the impacts of this growing population is an increase in land usage for settlement purposes.