Agriculture may be defined as farming, which involves working the soil and tilling it to grow crops and raise animals to produce food, fibers, medicinal plants, and other commodities used to maintain and embellish human life. It is one of the most ancient occupations of humankind and still plays a major role in sustaining and building civilizations. Agriculture is one of the most developing industries, which actively adopts new techniques, technologies, and approaches in order to meet food demand on a global scale or provide at least some solution for environmental challenges.

what is farming

It is the deliberate growing of crops and animals for their produce or products to meet food and other related needs. It can be broadly viewed or portrayed as being done under two broad heads, namely

• crop farming: is a form that involves the growth of plants-like grains, fruits, vegetables, and fibers.

• Animal Farming: It deals with the rearing of animals like cattle, poultry, sheep, and fish to make their meat, milk, eggs, and other by-products available

Modern farming involves almost all sciences and best practices to aim at better production, quality, and sustainability.

Scope of Farming

Basically, it encompasses a big scope as far as different activities, scales, and purposes are concerned. Some of the important aspects with regard to its scope are enlisted below:

1)Economic Contribution: It forms a very important part in the economies of a number of countries mainly in under-developed and developing ones. It gives a source of employment to millions of people, its contribution regarded as primary income in rural areas.

2)Food Safety: Farming is core to the supply of the needs of the world’s food. It supplies the human body with the needed nutrients for development and growth. The population of the world has risen and farming should complement this with increased food production in a sustainable manner.

3)Care for the environment: Agriculture methods have immense implications for the environment. Proper farming techniques would guard against the depletion of natural resources, preservation of health of the soil, conservation of water, and a reduction in carbon dioxide emission.

4)Technology Advancements: emerged as an expanding ambit since the induction of technology. Further inductions of precision farming, vertical farming, hydroponics, and genetic modification have made the influence of the farm industry on increased yields, reduced waste, and maximum resource utilization.

5)Diversification and Value Addition:The diversification is in the lines of value addition, meaning plantation is no longer in the production of the raw material but involves processing, packaging, and selling for a better return on investment.

Types of farming

Farming varies in type all over the world, depending on the climate, type of soil, topography, and socioeconomic features. The major types of farming are:

1. Subsistence Farming: This type of agriculture is based on the consumption of a farmer and his family. It consists of small plots of land combined with traditional methods and, generally speaking, very limited technology input. Additional surplus items are sold in local markets.
2. Commercial Farming: Sometimes referred to as industrial agriculture , this is a type of farming that is oriented toward large-scale production for sale in national or international markets. It entails the use of modern technologies, high inputs of fertilizers and pesticides, and machinery to ensure maximum yields for profit.
3. organic farming:does not use synthetic chemicals. Natural methods of crop cultivation and animal husbandry practices need to be adopted. It maintains soil fertility, biodiversity, and ecological balance and hence is non-exploitative in nature
4. Mixed farming: This practice involves the growing of crops with the raising of livestock on one farm.Through mixed plantation, farmers achieve maximum efficient use of resources, minimize risks, and diversify incomes because it enables farmers to depend on several sources of income.
5. Intensive farming: involves the production of maximum output in a relatively small area of land through the usage of high inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and labor. This normally occurs in the most densely populated areas, specializing in high-value crops and livestock
6. Extensive Farming: This type requires large areas of land with relatively low input and labor per unit area. This is usually practiced in those regions where the land is readily available while the population is at a minimum, such as ranching or large-scale grain production
7. Extensive Farming: This type requires large areas of land with relatively low input and labor per unit area. This is usually practiced in those regions where the land is readily available while the population is at a minimum, such as ranching or large-scale grain production
8. Hydroponic and Aquaponic Farming: These involve new kinds of methods where crops are grown in hydroponics-nutrient-rich water solutions or integrated with aquaponic fish. They require less land and water and hence can be practiced indoors; thus, they are ideal for urban areas.
9. Agroforestry: This integrates trees and shrubs into crop and livestock systems. Agroforestry enhances biodiversity and soil fertility and assures multiple products like fruits, nuts, timber, and fodder.
10. Vertical farming: a very new form of agriculture that grows crops in vertically stacked layers, sometimes in indoor-controlled environments. It offers maximum utilization of space, water economy, and urbanization of agriculture activities.
11. ConclusionPlantation Farming: This type of farming is mainly interested in the growth of one or two cash crops, such as tea, coffee, rubber, and sugarcane, on a large scale, mainly meant for export. It is capital-intensive; therefore, it is usually carried out by large companies or estates.

Conclusion

It is one of those dynamic fields that, right from its very formative years, has been continuously changing owing to changes in technology, consumer preferences, and challenges for humankind at large, such as climate change.It should be understood in its scope and types by anyone interested in agriculture, since it presents a myriad of opportunities related to innovation, growth, and sustainability. These range from subsistence farming to the highly advanced method of vertical farming, demonstrating human beings’ adaptability and ingenuity in taming nature for sustenance.