3. Agriculture is derived from Latin words…
agros means field
Cultura means cultivation
The science and art of producing crops and livestock for
economic purposes.
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What is Agriculture??
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4. • Agriculture is defined in the Agriculture Act 1947, as including ‘horticulture, fruit
growing, seed growing, dairy farming and livestock breeding and keeping, the use of land
as grazing land, meadow land, osier land, market gardens and nursery grounds, and the
use of land for woodlands where that use ancillary to the farming of land for Agricultural
purposes”.
• It is also defined as ‘purposeful work through which elements in nature are harnessed to
produce plants and animals to meet the human needs.
• It is a biological production process, which depends on the growth and development of
selected plants and animals within the local environment.
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Definition of Agriculture
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5. • As an art : the way to perform the operations of the farm in
a skilful manner. The skill is categorized as;
1. Physical skill
2. Mental skill
• As a science: It utilizes all modern technologies developed
on scientific principles.
• As the business: At maximum net return through the
management of land, labour, water and capital, employing
the knowledge of various sciences for production of food,
feed, fibre and fuel.
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Agriculture as art, science and business
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6. • Total geographical area : 328.848 million ha.
• Total reporting area : 304.300 million ha.
• Area under cultivation : 143.000 million ha.
• Total cropped area : 179.750 million ha.
• Area sown more than once : 36.750 million ha.
• Area not available for cultivation : 161.300 million ha.
• Area under forest : 66.400 million ha.
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SCOPE OF AGRICULTURE IN INDIA
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7. • In India, food grain production increased almost four folds from about 50
million tones at independence to more than 220 million tones in 2005
through green revolution.
• Through white revolution,milk production increased from 17 million tones
at independence to 69 million tones (1997–98).
• Through blue revolution, fish production rose from 0.75 million tones to
nearly 5.0 million tones during the last five decades.
• Through yellow revolution, oil seed production increased 5 times (from 5
million tones to 25 million tones) since independence.
• Similarly, the egg production increased from 2 billion at independence to
28 billion, sugarcane production from 57 million tones to 276 million tones,
cotton production from 3 million bales to 14 million bales which shows our
sign of progress.
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www.cuchd.in Campus: Gharuan, Mohali
8. • Agriculture has 3 main spheres viz., Geoponic (Cultivation in earth-soil), Aeroponic
(cultivation in air) and Hydroponic (cultivation in water).
• Agriculture is the branch of science encompassing the applied aspects of basic sciences.
• Crop production - It includes agronomy, soil science, entomology, pathology,
microbiology, etc.
• Horticulture - Branch of agriculture deals with the production of flowers, fruits,
vegetables, ornamental plants, spices, condiments (includes narcotic crops-opium, etc.,
which has medicinal value) and beverages.
• Agricultural Engineering - It is an important component for crop production and
horticulture particularly to provide tools and implements. It is aiming to produce
modified tools to facilitate proper animal husbandry and crop production tools,
implements and machinery in animal production.
• Forestry - It deals with production of large scale cultivation of perennial trees for
supplying wood, timber, rubber, etc. and also raw materials for industries.
• Animal Husbandry - The animals being produced, maintained, etc.
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BRANCHES OF AGRICULTURE
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9. • Fishery Science - It is for marine fish and inland fishes including shrimps and prawns.
• Home Science - Application and utilization of agricultural products in a better manner.
Broadly in practice, agriculture is grouped in four major categories as,
• A. Crop Improvement (i) Plant breeding and genetics
• (ii) Bio-technology
• B. Crop Management (i) Agronomy
• (ii) Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry
• (iii) Seed technology
• (iv) Agricultural Microbiology
• (v) Crop-Physiology
• (vi) Agricultural Engineering
• (vii) Environmental Sciences
• (viii) Agricultural Meteorology
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BRANCHES OF AGRICULTURE
www.cuchd.in Campus: Gharuan, Mohali
10. • C. Crop Protection (i) Agricultural Entomology
• (ii) Plant Pathology
• (iii) Nematology
• D. Social Sciences (i) Agricultural Extension
• (ii) Agricultural Economics
• Allied disciplines (i) Agricultural Statistics
• (ii) English and Hindi
• (iii) Mathematics
• (iv) Bio-Chemistry etc.
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BRANCHES OF AGRICULTURE
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11. • Agriculture is directly or indirectly contributing in many sectors of our basic needs or livelihoods which are
described under following heads:
• 1. Food
• Food is required for normal growth and energy of the body. Agriculture is the source of the following food
elements-
• Carbohydrate— cereals (70-75%), potato & sweet potato (18-20%)
• Protein— meat and fish (18-20%), egg (12-13%), milk (3-3.5%), Pulses (27-28%).
• Fat— mustard and rapeseed (40-45%), soybean (20-25%), groundnut (44-46%), sunflower (42-44%), sesame (41-
43%).
• Vitamins & minerals— various fruits, vegetables, milk, butter etc.
•
• 2. Clothes
• Agriculture provides us fibre to make clothes. In the world, 70% of the fiber comes from cotton (Gossypium spp.).
Other sources are jute, wool, silk, natural fiber etc., which are also obtained from agriculture.
3. Houses
• People gradually felt the necessity of making houses to escape themselves from wild animals, rain, sunshine,
cyclone etc. Maximum housing materials are the products of agriculture. Such as, timber, bamboo, straw, rope etc.
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IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE
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12. 4. Industry : Agriculture provides raw materials in different industries. Some of the industries in which
agriculture supplies raw materials are mentioned below:
• a. Medicine industry: Maximum medicine industries utilize different medicinal plants like arjun, sesame etc.,
which are the contributions of agriculture.
• b. Paper industry: Bamboo, geoa, straw etc., are used in paper industries.
• c. Rubber industry: Rubber is prepared from the latex of rubber plant. It is used to prepare tier, tube and
room of different vehicles and also used in different industrial products.
• d. Soap, candle and paint industry: Different oils (mustard, sesame, linseed, groundnut) animal fats (goat,
cattle), wax of honeybee chamber, turmeric, safflower etc. are used in this industry.
• e. Perfume industry: Volatile oils extracted from different plant parts are used to prepare perfume. This
perfume is used directly or to prepare perfumery, medicine and food materials.
• f. Beverage industry: Tea, coffee, Coca-Cola, etc. are prepared from agricultural raw materials.
• g. Bakery: Flour, egg, sugar, oil etc. agricultural products are used in preparing different bakery products like
biscuits, cake etc.
• h. Sugar industry: Sugarcane, sugarbeet, date palm etc. are used to prepare sugar in the sugar industry.
• i. Narcotic and chewing industry: Different agricultural products are used in narcotic and chewing industry.
e.g., tobacco, cocoa etc.
• j. Leather industry: Hide and skin of different animals used in leather industry.
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IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE
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13. • 5. Fuel : Fuel of brick fields (timber, jute-stick, dry leaves etc.). Coal, petrol and
gasses are obtained from plant materials. Biodiesel is one of the new ideas where
diesel can be obtained from plant named Jatropha.
• 6. Earning source : People take agriculture directly or processing of agricultural
products as an occupation and thus earn money. Agricultural products may be
marketed in the local market or may be exported. Around 62% people are directly
engaged in agriculture where most of the people are related to crop enterprises.
Agriculture still employs about 47.5% of total employment of the country
(www.moa.gov.bd).
• 7. Foreign currency :Some agricultural products directly or in processed condition
are exported and thus earned foreign currency. Such as, rice, jute, wheat, tomato,
frozen fish, vegetables etc.
• 8. International relation :By exporting and importing of agricultural commodities
a country can establish a good relation with the foreign countries. For example,
Bangladesh exports tea, shrimp, jute & jute products and importing apple, grape
etc. and import oils, pulses and grains as well as many fruits from abroad.
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IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE
www.cuchd.in Campus: Gharuan, Mohali
14. • 9. Revenue income : From the rent and taxes of agricultural land,
agricultural products, government can earn revenue income.
Agriculture contributes around 19.29% of total GDP in Bangladesh
where crops plants alone contributes 13.44% (www.moa.gov.bd).
• 10. Natural beauty : Flower, ornamental grasses and plants bring
natural beauty, which is the contribution of agriculture. Such as,
roses, jasmine etc.
• 11. Environmental balance : Plants liberate O2 and animals liberate
CO2 to the atmosphere and thus the gaseous concentration of the
atmosphere is balanced. Agriculture helps in environmental balance
by producing plants and animals.
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IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE
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