Agriculture

Agriculture is the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture is an important development that led to the growth of human civilization, with the breeding of domestic animals and plants (i.e., culture) a surplus of food, that engendered more densely populated and stratified societies. The study of agriculture is known as the Agricultural Sciences.

Agriculture encompasses a wide range of specialties and technologies, including ways to expand the land suitable for growing the plant, pulling water channels and other forms of irrigation. Cultivation of crops on arable land and pastoral grazing on pastures are the foundation of agriculture. In the last century was marked by growing concern to identify and quantify different forms of agriculture. In developed countries typically range extends from sustainable agriculture (eg, permaculture and organic agriculture) and intensive agriculture (eg, industrial agriculture).

Modern agronomy, plant breeding, pesticides and fertilizers, and technological improvements, dramatically increased yields from cultivation, and at the same time, caused extensive environmental damage and negative impacts on human health. Breeding and modern practices in animal husbandry such as intensive pig farming (and similar practices applied to the chicken) similarly increased the production of meat, but expressed concern about cruelty to animals and health effects of antibiotics, growth hormones and other chemicals commonly used in industrial production meat.

The main agricultural products can be divided into food, fiber, fuel, raw materials, drugs and stimulants, and the range of decorative and exotic panget products. In the 2000's factories have been used to grow biofuels, biopharmaceuticals, bioplastics, and pharmaceuticals. Specific foods include cereals, vegetables, fruits and meat. The fibers of cotton, wool, hemp, silk and linen. Raw materials include wood and bamboo. Stimulants include tobacco, alcohol, opium, cocaine, and digitalis. Other useful materials are produced plants, such as resin. Biofuels include methane from biomass, ethanol and biodiesel. Cut flowers, nursery plants, tropical fish and birds for trade in animals is one of the decorative items.

In 2007, about one third of the world's workers were employed in agriculture. While in 2003 agricultural workers was lower, but because of agricultural knowledge, he quickly rose in 2008 - in the services sector overtook agriculture as the sector employs the majority of people around the world. Despite the fact that agriculture employs over one third of the world's population, agricultural production due to less than five percent of gross world product (an aggregate of all gross domestic product).