AGRI 1 - INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURE

Brief Historical Development:

World Agriculture and Philippine Agriculture
Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
1. Defined Agriculture.
2. Enumerated and discussed each of the branches of agriculture.
3. Traced back the history of world and Philippine agriculture.
4. Explained Global Agriculture.

Introduction to Agriculture
A. Terminology C. Branches of Agriculture
Agriculture is derived from Latin words Ager and Cultura. Ager means land Agriculture has 3 main spheres viz., Geoponic (Cultivation in earth-soil),
or field and Cultura means cultivation. Therefore the term agriculture means Aeroponic (cultivation in air) and Hydroponic (cultivation in water).
cultivation of land. i.e., the science and art of producing crops and livestock
for economic purposes. It is also referred as the science of producing crops Agriculture is the branch of science encompassing the applied aspects of
and livestock from the natural resources of the earth. The primary aim of basic sciences. The applied aspects of agricultural science consist of study
agriculture is to cause the land to produce more abundantly, and at the same of field crops and their management (Arviculture) including soil management.
time, to protect it from deterioration and misuse. It is synonymous with
Crop production - It deals with the production of various crops, which
farming–the production of food, fodder and other industrial materials.
includes food crops, fodder crops, fibre crops, sugar, oil seeds, etc. It
B. Definitions includes agronomy, soil science, entomology, pathology, microbiology, etc.
Agriculture is defined in the Agriculture Act 1947, as including ‘horticulture, The aim is to have better food production and how to control the diseases.
fruit growing, seed growing, dairy farming and livestock breeding and Horticulture - Branch of agriculture deals with the production of flowers,
keeping, the use of land as grazing land, meadow land, osier land, market fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, spices, condiments (includes narcotic
gardens and nursery grounds, and the use of land for woodlands where that crops-opium, etc., which has medicinal value) and beverages.
use ancillary to the farming of land for Agricultural purposes”. It is also
defined as ‘purposeful work through which elements in nature are harnessed Agricultural Engineering - It is an important component for crop production
to produce plants and animals to meet the human needs. It is a biological and horticulture particularly to provide tools and implements. It is aiming to
production process, which depends on the growth and development of produce modified tools to facilitate proper animal husbandry and crop
selected plants and animals within the local environment. production tools, implements and machinery in animal production.
 AGRI 1 - INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURE
Forestry - It deals with production of large scale cultivation of perennial trees D. History of Agriculture
for supplying wood, timber, rubber, etc. and also raw materials for industries. Excavations, legends and remote sensing tests reveal that agriculture is
10,000 years old. Women by their intrinsic insight first observed that plants
Animal Husbandry - The animals being produced, maintained, etc.
come up from seeds. Men concentrated on hunting and gathering (Paleolithic
Maintenance of various types of livestock for direct energy (work energy).
and Neolithic periods) during that time. Women were the pioneers for
Husbandry is common for both crop and animals. The objective is to get
cultivating useful plants from the wild flora. They dug out edible roots and
maximum output by feeding, rearing, etc. The arrangement of crops is done
rhizomes and buried the small ones for subsequent harvests. They used
to minimum requirement of light or air. This arrangement is called geometry.
animal meat as main food and their skin for clothing.
Husbandry is for direct and indirect energy.

Fishery Science - It is for marine fish and inland fishes including shrimps
and prawns.

Home Science - Application and utilization of agricultural produces in a

better manner. When utilization is enhanced production is also enhanced.
e.g., a crop once in use in south was found that it had many uses now.

On integration, all the seven branches, first three is grouped as for crop
production group and next two for animal management and last two as allied
agriculture branches. Broadly in practice, agriculture is grouped in four major
categories as,

Shifting Cultivation

A primitive form of agriculture in which people working with the crudest of

tools, cut down a part of the forest, burnt the underneath growth and started
new garden sites. After few years, when these plots lost their fertility or
became heavily infested with weeds or soil-borne pests, they shifted to a new
site. This is also known as Assartage system (cultivating crops till the land is
completely worn-out) contrary to the fallow system. Fallow system means
land is allowed for a resting period without any crop.

Subsidiary Farming

Rudimentary system of settled farming, which includes cultivation, gathering

and hunting. People in groups started settling down near a stream or river as
permanent village sites and started cultivating in the same land more
continuously, however the tools, crops and cropping methods were primitive.

Subsistence Farming

Advanced form of primitive agriculture i.e., agriculture is considered as a way

of life based on the principle of “Grow it and eat it” instead of growing crops
 AGRI 1 - INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURE
on a commercial basis. Hence, it is referred as raising the crops only for E. Global Agriculture
family needs. Advancement of civilization is closely related to agriculture, which
produces food to satisfy hunger. The present food production must
Mixed Farming
double to maintain the status quo. However, nearly one billion people are
It is the farming comprising of crop and animal components. Field crop-grass living below poverty line and civilized society should ensure food for
husbandry (same field was used both for cropping and later grazing) was these people. Some allowance should be made for increased
common. It is a stage changing from food gathering to food growing. consumption as a consequence of raising incomes in third would
countries. Therefore, the increased food production should aim at
Advanced Farming trebling food production in the next century.
Advanced farming practices includes selection of crops and varieties, seed
selection, green manuring with legumes, crop rotation, use of animal and
crop refuse as manures, irrigation, pasture management, rearing of milch
animals, bullocks, sheep and goat for wool and meat, rearing of birds by stall
feeding etc.

Scientific Agriculture (19th Century)

During 18th century, modern agriculture was started with crop sequence,
organic recycling, introduction of exotic crops and animals, use of farm
implements in agriculture etc. During 19th century, research and
development (R&D) in fundamental and basic sciences were brought under
applied aspects of agriculture. Agriculture took the shape of a teaching
science. Laboratories, farms, research stations, research centres, institutes
for research, teaching and extension (training and demonstration) were
developed. Books, journals, popular and scientific articles, literatures were
introduced. New media, and audio-visual aids were developed to
disseminate new research findings and information to the rural masses.

Present Day Agriculture (21st Century)

Today agriculture is not merely production oriented but is becoming a

business consisting of various enterprises like livestock (dairy), poultry,
fishery, piggery, sericulture, apiary, plantation cropping etc. Now, a lot of
developments on hydrological, mechanical, chemical, genetically and
technological aspects of agriculture are in progress. Governments are
apportioning a greater share of national budget for agricultural development.
Small and marginal farmers are being supplied with agricultural inputs on
subsidy. Policies for preserving, processing, pricing, marketing, distributing,
consuming, exporting and importing are strengthening. Agro-based small
scale industries and crafts are fast developing. Need based agricultural
planning; programming and execution are in progress.
 AGRI 1 - INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURE
Review Questions
1. Define Agriculture.
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2. Enumerate the branches of agriculture and provide brief description each.

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3. When where crops first domesticated, and what are the reasons for
domestication?
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4. Describe the changes that occurred from 19 th Century farming to present

day agriculture.
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5. Explain the aim/s of Global Agriculture.

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References
Chandrasekaran, B., Annadurai, K., and Somasundaram, E. 2010. A
Textbook in Agronomy.pdf

Sheaffer, C. and Moncada, K. 2012. Introduction to Agronomy: Food, Crops,

and Environment, Second Edition.pdf
 AGRI 1 - INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURE

NOTES

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