Portal:Agriculture and Agronomy

Topics Culture Geography Health History Mathematics Nature People Philosophy Religion Society Technology Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the development of civilization. The study of agriculture is known as agricultural science. The history of agriculture dates back thousands of years, and its development has been driven and defined by greatly different climates, cultures, and technologies. However, all farming generally relies on techniques to expand and maintain the lands suitable for raising domesticated species. For plants, this usually requires some form of irrigation, although there are methods of dryland farming; pastoral herding on rangeland is still the most common means of raising livestock. In the developed world, industrial agriculture based on large-scale monoculture has become the dominant system of modern farming, although there is growing support for sustainable agriculture. The major agricultural products can be broadly grouped into foods, fibers, fuels, and raw materials. More about Agriculture... (Pictured left: Natural vegetation zones in India) Agriculture in India has a significant history. Today, India ranks second worldwide in farm output. Agriculture and allied sectors like forestry and logging accounted for 16.6% of the GDP in 2007, % of the total workforce and despite a steady decline of its share in the GDP, is still the largest economic sector and plays a significant role in the overall social-economic development of India. India is the largest producer in the world of fresh fruit, anise, fennel, badian, coriander, tropical fresh fruit, jute, pigeon peas, pulses, spices, millets, castor oil seed, sesame seeds, safflower seeds, lemons, limes, cow's milk, dry chillies and peppers, chick peas, cashew nuts, okra, ginger, turmeric guavas, mangoes, goat milk and buffalo milk and meat. India is also the largest producer of millets like Jowar Bajra and Ragi. It is second only to China in the production of rice. India is the 6th largest coffee producer in the world It also has the world's largest cattle population (281 million). It is the second largest producer of cashews, cabbages, cotton seed and lint, fresh vegetables, garlic, egg plant, goat meat, silk, nutmeg. mace, cardamom, onions, wheat, rice, sugarcane, lentil, dry beans, groundnut, tea, green peas, cauliflowers, potatoes, pumpkins, squashes, gourds and inland fish. It is the third largest producer of tobacco, sorghum, rapeseed, coconuts, hen's eggs and tomatoes. India accounts for 10% of the world fruit production with first rank in the production of mangoes, papaya, banana and sapota. India's population is growing faster than its ability to produce rice and wheat. Per the World Bank's "India Country Overview" in 2008: "Slow agricultural growth is a concern for policymakers as some two-thirds of India’s people depend on rural employment for a living. Current agricultural practices are neither economically nor environmentally sustainable and India's yields for many agricultural commodities are low. Poorly maintained irrigation systems and almost universal lack of good extension services are among the factors responsible. Farmers' access to markets is hampered by poor roads, rudimentary market infrastructure, and excessive regulation." — World Bank: "India Country Overview 2008" A cow milking machine in action. This photo was taken on March 7, 2003 at the Salon de l'agriculture (Salon of agriculture) in Paris, France. Template:/box-header Sustainable agriculture is the practice of farming using principles of ecology, the study of relationships between organisms and their environment. It has been defined as "an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will last over the long term: Satisfy human food and fiber needs Make the most efficient use of non-renewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls Sustain the economic viability of farm operations Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.” Sustainable agriculture in the United States was addressed by the 1990 farm bill. More recently, as consumer and retail demand for sustainable products has risen, organizations such as Food Alliance and Protected Harvest have started to provide measurement standards and certification programs for what constitutes a sustainably grown crop. Categories: Sustainable agriculture, Sustainability Template:/box-footer From the Wikinews Agriculture portal July 28: Scientists analyse effects of global warming, atmospheric ozone on crops September 25: 2012 Report on Gender Equality and Development looks at women's issues in India June 15: Gubernatorial candidate Tom Tancredo comments on North Colorado proposal June 11: Colorado counties consider forming new U.S. state Agronomy Journal - the American Society of Agronomy Agronomy for Sustainable Development Journal Crop Science Journal Journal of Organic Systems See also: FAO Documents Organic Eprints- Organic Agriculture WikiProject Agriculture WikiProject Horticulture and Gardening WikiProject Tree of life and its subprojects WikiProject Veterinary medicine WikiProject Food and drink WikiProject Forestry WikiProject Business and Economics WikiProject Companies Agricultural chemistry Agricultural economics Agricultural engineering Agricultural philosophy Agricultural policy Agricultural science Agricultural soil science Agroecology Animal husbandry Farm History of agriculture Outline of agriculture Here are some tasks awaiting attention: Article requests : Fish production principles Expand : Agricultural land, Agricultural cycle, Agricultural education, Agrobiology, Agronomist, Agroforestry, Food and Agriculture Organization, Agricultural organization, Fungiculture, Fodder, Fish emulsion, more... 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