4. • Agriculture is the process of
producing food, feed, fiber and
many other desired products by
the cultivation of certain plants
and the raising of domesticated
animals (livestock).
Agriculture
5. Farming
The practice of
agriculture is also
known as
"farming",
Subsistence
farming
farms a small area with limited
resource inputs, and produces only
enough food to meet the needs of
his/her family.
Commercial
intensive
agriculture
/industrial
agriculture
Such farming involves large fields
and/or numbers of animals, large
resource inputs (pesticides,
fertilizers, etc.), and a high level
of mechanization.
6. Agricultural production goods include
• Timber
• Fertilizers
• Animal hides
• Leather
• Industrial chemicals (starch, sugar, alcohols and resins)
• Fibers (cotton, wool, hemp, silk and flax)
• Fuels (methane from biomass, ethanol, biodiesel)
• Cut flowers, ornamental and nursery plants
• Tropical fish and birds for the pet trade
7. Modern Practices in Agriculture
• Agricultural chemistry
• includes the application of chemical fertilizer, chemical insecticides,
and chemical fungicides, soil makeup, analysis of agricultural
products, and nutritional needs of farm animals.
• Hydroponics
• Plant breeding
• Hybridization
• Gene manipulation
• Better management of soil nutrients
• Improved weed control
• Genetic engineering
8. Potential Costs of Modern Agricultural Techniques
• Topsoil Depletion
• Groundwater Contamination
• Degradation of Rural Communities
• Lowered Conditions For Farmworkers
• Increased Production Costs
9. Sustainable agriculture
• In agriculture, sustainability is a complex idea with
many facets, including
• The economic (a sustainable farm should be a profitable
business that contributes to a robust economy),
• The social (it should deal fairly with its workers and
have a mutually beneficial relationship with the
surrounding community),
• The environmental
10. Environmental sustainability in agriculture
• means good stewardship of the natural systems and
resources that farms rely on.
• Among other things, this involves:
• Building and maintaining healthy soil
• Managing water wisely
• Minimizing air, water, and climate pollution
• Promoting biodiversity
12. Planting cover crops
• Cover crops, like clover or hairy vetch, are planted
during off-season times when soils might otherwise
be left bare.
• These crops protect and build soil health by
preventing erosion, replenishing soil nutrients, and
keeping weeds in check, reducing the need for
herbicides.
13. Reducing or eliminating tillage
• Traditional plowing (tillage) prepares fields for
planting and prevents weed problems, but can
cause a lot of soil loss.
• No-till or reduced till methods, which involve
inserting seeds directly into undisturbed soil, can
reduce erosion and improve soil health.
14. Applying integrated pest management (IPM)
• A range of methods, including mechanical and
biological controls, can be applied
systematically to keep pest populations under
control while minimizing use of chemical
pesticides.
15. Integrating livestock and crops
• Industrial agriculture tends to keep plant and
animal production separate, with animals living far
from the areas where their feed is produced, and
crops growing far away from abundant manure
fertilizers.
• A smart integration of crop and animal production
can be a recipe for more efficient, profitable farms.
16. • By mixing trees or shrubs into
their operations, farmers can
provide shade and shelter to
protect plants, animals, and water
resources, while also potentially
offering additional income.
Adopting
agroforestry
practices
17. • Sustainable farms treat uncultivated or
less intensively cultivated areas, such
as riparian buffers or prairie strips, as
integral to the farm—valued for their
role in controlling erosion, reducing
nutrient runoff, and supporting
pollinators and other biodiversity.
Managing
whole
systems
and
landscapes
18. References
• Gliessman, S.R. 1997. Agroecology: Ecological
Processes in Sustainable Agriculture. CRC Press, Boca
Raton, FL. Hansen, A.L. 2010. The Organic Farming
Manual: A Comprehensive Guide to Starting and
Running a Certified Organic Farm. Storey Publishing,
North Adams, MA.
• https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/what-sustainable-
agriculture