Jump to content

Student Projects/Agriculture and types of farming

From Wikiversity

Agricultura is a Latin word from which agriculture is derived. The first half word is agri of agricultura means field and the second half cultura means growing or cultivation. By combining these two words agri and cultura we get the word agricultura which is converted into word agriculture according to Late Middle English. Agriculture is not only just growing of crops it is also rearing of animals. Rearing of animals is often called livestock.

we can see as

Agri+culture – Cultivation of soil.

Seri+ culture- Cultivation of silkworm.

Pisi + culture – Which deals with fish growth.

Viti + culture – Which deals with grapes crop.

Horti + culture – This deals with fruits and gardening.

The prerequisite condition for agriculture to develop is first the climate and secondly the soil. If the climate is optimum it classifies as

1. Temperature.

2. Rainfall and for some crops.

3. Humidity and for some crops we might also see the frost conditions or the frost free days which is important for cotton cultivation.

And

Under the soil we have different kind of soils for different crops.

There are six main types of soils:

1. Clay

2. Sandy

3. Slity

4. Peaty

5. Chalky

6. Loamy

We will classify the types of farming mainly into 2 types one is subsistence farming and the other one is commercial farming. As the name implies, commercial farming is implied for commercial use that means we are not cultivating it for our self or our family but it is for commercial use it is meant for export purpose.

CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMERCIAL FARMING:

1. IT IS DONE ON LARGE SCALE FARMS.

2. IT CREATES EMPLOYMENT FOR MANY PEOPLE.

IT USES HIGH DOSES OF MODERN INPUTS LIKE HIGH YIELDING VARIETY SEEDS, CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS, INSECTICIDES AND PESTICIDES IN ORDER TO OBTAIN HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY.

However, the subsistence farming means it is for house hold purpose.

CAUSES FOR SUBSISTENCE FARMING ARE:

1. GROWING POPULATION AND

2. RIGHT TO INHERITANCE

Coming to what are the major crops:

1. Rice

2. Wheat

3. Millet's

4. Maize

5. Cotton

6. Jute

7. Coffee

8. Tea

1. RICE : Tropical & Sub-tropical– High temperature, humidity & rain; China, India, Sri Lanka, Japan & Egypt.

2. WHEAT : Moderate temperature & rain, USA<Canada, Argentina, Russia, Ukraine, Australia – in India in winters.

3. MILLET'S : Coarse, Sandy, Low rain & moderate temperature – Jo war, Bajra, Ragi; Nigeria, China, Niger.

4. MAIZE : Moderate temp. & lot of sunshine – N.America, Brazil, China, Russia, Canada, India, Mexico.

5. COTTON : High temp., Light rain, 210 frost free days, Black & Alluvial soil; China, India, USA, Pak., Brazil, Egypt.

6. JUTE : Golden Fibre, High temp., Heavy rain, Alluvial soil, Tropical; India & Bangladesh.

7. COFFEE : Warm & Wet, Loamy soil; Brazil, Columbia & India.

8. TEA : Heavy rainfall throughout year, Plantation, Loamy soil, Labor; Kenya, India, China & Sri Lanka.