Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A. What is Agriculture?
The word “agriculture” is derived from two Latin words “ager” or “agri”, meaning
soil and “cultura” meaning cultivation of the soil. In modern terms, agriculture is the art
and science of cultivating the soil, growing crops, and rearing livestock.
It is the science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and
raising livestock and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting
products
Organic Agriculture is a system that relies on ecosystem management rather
than external agricultural inputs. It is a system that begins to consider potential
environmental and social impacts by eliminating the use of synthetic inputs, such as
synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, veterinary drugs, genetically modified seeds and
breeds, preservatives, additives and irradiation. Combines traditions, innovation and
science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good
quality of life for all involved.
Organic refers to the particular farming and processing systems, described in the
standards and not in the classical chemical sense.
The term "organic" is synonymous in other languages to "biological" or
"ecological". It is also a labeling term that denotes products considered organic based
on the Philippine National Standards for organic agriculture.
Organic production system is a system designed to:
1. Enhance biological diversity within the whole system;
1. General Level
Improve and maintain the natural landscape and agro-ecosystem
Avoid over exploitation and pollution of natural resources
Minimize consumption of non-renewable energy and resources
Produce sufficient quantities of nutritious wholesome and quality food
Provide adequate returns, within safe, secure and healthy working environment
Acknowledge indigenous knowledge and traditional farming systems
2. Practical Level
Maintain and increase the long term fertility of the soil
Enhance biological cycles within the farm, especially nutrient cycles
Provide nitrogen supply by intensive use of nitrogen fixing plants
Biological plant protections based of prevention instead of curing
Diversity crop varieties and animal species, appropriate to the local conditions
Animal husbandry according to the needs of the animal
Ban on synthetic chemical fertilizers, plant protection, hormones and growth
regulators Prohibition of genetic engineering and its products
Ban on synthetic or harmful methods, processing aids and ingredients in food
processing
1. Principle of Health
Organic agriculture should sustain and enhance the health of
soil, plant, animal, human and planet as one and indivisible.
2. Principle of Fairness
Organic agriculture should build on relationships that ensure fairness with regard to
common environment and life opportunities.
3. Principle of Ecology
Organic agriculture should be based on living ecological systems and cycles, work with
them, emulate them and help sustain them.
Sustainability Aims:
1. Social aims
Good working conditions
Fair trade
Ensure food supply
Gender balance
Safe product
Good taste and quality
Respect the local culture
2. Economic aims
Economic security
Economically viable
Added value
Low investment
Good and constant yield
3. Ecological aims
Makes best use of local resources
Ecosystem balance
No chemical pollution
High soil fertility
Clean water
Biological diversity
Animal friendly husbandry
Conserve natural resources
B. Importance of Agriculture
C. History of Agriculture
Over centuries, the growth of agriculture contributed to the rise of civilizations.
Before agriculture became widespread, people spent most of their lives searching for
food—hunting wild animals and gathering wild plants. About 11,500 years ago, people
gradually learned how to grow cereal and root crops, and settled down to a life based on
farming.
By 2,000 years ago, much of the Earth’s population had become dependent
on agriculture. Scholars are not sure why this shift to farming took place, but it may have
occurred because of climate change. When people began growing crops, they also began
herding and breeding wild animals. Adapting wild plants and animals for people to use is
called domestication.
TIME EVENTS
The first domesticated plant was probably rice or corn.
7500 BCE.
Chinese farmers were cultivating rice
5500 BCE Farmers in Mesopotamia developed simple irrigation systems.
6000 BCE New variety of wheat arose in South Asia and Egypt
15th and
Explorers introduced new varieties of plants and agricultural products
16th
into Europe
centuries
early 1700s Period of important agricultural development
1794 Discovered the cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney
Cyrus McCormick’s mechanical reaper helped modernize the grain-
1830s
cutting process.
John Deere’s steel plow made it possible to work the tough prairie soil
1837
with much less horsepower
Gregor Mendel’s studies in heredity were published. His work paved the
1866
way for improving crops through genetics.
early 1900s Average farmer in the U.S. produced enough food to feed a family of five
1960 Most farms in the U.S. and other developed countries were electrified
Most of the world’s farmers live in developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin
America. Many of them cultivate land as their ancestors did hundreds or even thousands
of years ago. They do not use agricultural technology involving expensive chemicals or
production methods. These people are subsistence farmers. They use the bulk of the
food they produce for themselves and their families, unlike commercial farmers, who only
grow crops to sell.
Despite the diversity of people and perspectives, the following themes commonly
weave through definitions of sustainable agriculture:
Sustainability rests on the principle that we must meet the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs.
Therefore, stewardship of both natural and human resources is of prime
importance. Stewardship of human resources includes consideration of social
responsibilities such as working and living conditions of laborers, the needs of rural
communities, and consumer health and safety both in the present and the
future. Stewardship of land and natural resources involves maintaining or enhancing this
vital resource base for the long term.
Finally, it is important to point out that reaching toward the goal of sustainable
agriculture is the responsibility of all participants in the system, including farmers,
laborers, policymakers, researchers, retailers, and consumers. Each group has its own
part to play, its own unique contribution to make to strengthen the sustainable agriculture
community.
Organic Farming
Organic farming is a method of crop and livestock production that involves much
more than choosing not to use pesticides,
fertilizers, genetically modified organisms,
antibiotics and growth hormones.
Organic production is a holistic system
designed to optimize the productivity and fitness of
diverse communities within the agro-ecosystem,
including soil organisms, plants, livestock and
people. The principal goal of organic production is
to develop enterprises that are sustainable and
harmonious with the environment.
Organic farming promotes the use of crop rotations and cover crops, and
encourages balanced host/predator relationships. Organic residues and nutrients
produced on the farm are recycled back to the soil. Cover crops and composted manure
are used to maintain soil organic matter and fertility. Preventative insect and disease
1. Advantages
Consumer Benefits
Nutrition
Poison Free
Food Taste Better
Food keeps longer
Grower benefits
Lower input costs
Added value
2. Disadvantages
Productivity
Cultivation
GMO crops
Time
Skill
There are a variety of farm tools that are used in the process. You can use these common
farm tools for small plot farming in the backyard. Sometimes, even farmers can consider
having these farm tools as listed below as these are the most important tools for farming.
Tools Description
1. Hand cultivator
Soil cultivation equipment helps in gardening
and is used for gathering weeds and turning
the soil. And it is used for digging of rows. A
cultivator can pierce the soil through its disk.
2. Bolo
It is one of the common farm tools used for
cutting purposes and it clears the vegetation. It
also helps to clear out weeds or grasses.
3. Crowbar
This tool is used for digging holes and to dig
out stones. Many farmers consider this a
handy tool to deal with any gardening issue.
4. Grub Hoe
These are meant for digging trenches,
removing roots, weeds and removing rocks.
6. Spade
7. Rake
This tool is used in many industries apart from
the agriculture industry. It is used for gardening
purposes.
Some Agricultural Farm Implements
The machines used in agricultural practices to reduce human labour and enhance
field crop are called agriculture implements. Major agricultural implements include
harvesters, drag, disk harrows, cultivators, seed drill, harrows, spade, pickage, plough,
etc. These tools are in high demand in countries like India, where agriculture and farming
are primary occupations for most people. Hence, the use of agriculture implements in
India has given a new reputation to this occupation.
There are various types of agricultural implements used in farming at different steps of
crop production and management. Humans have developed specialised machines for
each purpose, from preparing the field to harvesting and storing the crop. Some of these
implements are as follows:
Irrigation machinery: It includes a pump that is
used for drawing water out of the ground.
Modern irrigation tools include a sprinkler
system having perpendicular pipes and rotating
nozzle and drip irrigation piping system. These
two modern systems are crucial in saving water
while providing the plants with ample water.
Harvesting: The process of cutting of crop when it is fully mature is called harvesting.
Earlier it was done using a sickle, a sharp and curved device made of metal and wood.
These days harvesters are used for this purpose. A combine is a machine that is a
combination of thresher and harvester; it can perform threshing after harvesting the
crops from the field.
2. Harvesters
3. Plows
Plows (or Plough) are the most critical implement in
this list of farm equipment. A plow is often attached
behind a tractor to lose and turn the first soil layer to
let soil receive fresh air and new nutrients.
The act of plowing also helps remove unwanted vegetation on the surface. When the soil
is well-plowed and free of weeds and dead vegetation, it will be ready for sow seedling or
plantation.
Moldboard plow - This plow type is applied on lands that haven’t been used for
plantation for a long time. It uses wing-shaped blades to cut and turn the hard soil
thoroughly.
4. Harrows
Harrows are crucial to properly maintaining healthy
fields among these farm tools and equipment. A harrow
is often attached behind an ATV or a tractor to blow up
and smooth out the soil surface, evenly distribute the
crop residue, and postpone the growth of weeds.
A disc harrow comprises a row of metal discs that
chop up weeds or crop residues. This harrow type is
more powerful than spring or tine harrows.