Intoduction

Agriculture is an essential part of any community, providing food and other resources. But it also has its drawbacks. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of agriculture in a community, as well as its various uses. From production of food to providing employment opportunities, understanding the benefits and drawbacks of agriculture can help a community make informed decisions when it comes to their agricultural strategies.

The history of agriculture

Agriculture has been part of human civilization since the dawn of time. It is believed that the first agricultural societies were established around 12,000 years ago in areas such as the Middle East and the Fertile Crescent. Early humans used simple tools such as sticks and stones to gather wild grains, which they then began to cultivate and store for future use. By 10,000 BC, the domestication of plants and animals had become commonplace and people had begun to form permanent settlements. This allowed them to form complex societies with distinct systems of government and economics.
Agriculture spread from the Fertile Crescent to other parts of the world, and by 3000 BC it was being practiced in China, India, Central America, and the Mediterranean. As humans continued to innovate and improve their farming techniques, agriculture became a major factor in human development and progress. In Europe, the introduction of crop rotation and animal husbandry helped to dramatically increase crop yields, which led to a population boom. The widespread use of modern technology such as irrigation systems, fertilizers, and pesticides also improved agricultural output and changed the way people grew food.
Today, agriculture is still an important part of many cultures around the world. With advancements in technology, farmers have been able to produce more food on less land while reducing the need for labor. This has made it possible for countries to feed large populations while providing jobs to people in rural areas. As a result, agriculture continues to be one of the most important industries in the world.

Research techniques

Agriculture developed independently in many regions of the world. It was the first profound change in the relationship between fully modern humans and the environment: people evolved into their current form some 200,000 years ago (see human evolution), yet they did not begin to engage in agriculture until about 15,000–10,000 years before the present (BP). Because humans began to alter wild habitats in productive ways long before they developed unambiguous writing systems—an event that occurred in Southwest Asia circa 5100 BP and in East Asia circa 3000 BP—archaeology provides most of the data with which to explore the development of agriculture.

Radiocarbon dating provides a chronometric framework for archaeological research. Before the early 1980s, radiocarbon analysis required fairly large quantities of material. The robust size and composition of animal bones have long made them a reliable source of samples for such analysis. Faunal remains have also been routinely subjected to morphological, genetic, and biochemical forms of analysis.

Although one might presume that plant remains are very rarely preserved in the archaeological record, ancient hearths and middens almost always include small quantities of charred remains of plants. Charring preserves this material, which in turn allows identification by genus and sometimes species, as well as other forms of qualitative and quantitative analysis. Archaeologists generally recover plant materials by placing sediments from pits and hearths in water; the plant remains float to the surface, where they may be retrieved. However, because plants generally have smaller, more friable remains than animals, archaeologists were long forced to date them indirectly, via the sediments in which plant remnants were found rather than via the remnants themselves. More-recent radiocarbon techniques have allowed the direct dating of small quantities of material, such as those found in a single seed. By the 21st century the direct dating of plant remains had become the normal practice in serious studies of the origins of agriculture, replacing the indirect methods used in the past.

Other important information regarding plant domestication can be obtained by means of palynology, the study of pollen, and phytolith analysis. Phytoliths are microscopic silica bodies produced by many plants; as a plant grows, an individual phytolith forms in a cell to aid in the physical support of the plant structure. Each phytolith retains the shape of the cell in which it was formed, and these forms may be quite specific to a given type of plant. Starch grains are similarly distinctive and also stay preserved for long periods. They can be recovered from the surfaces of pots and stone tools and are often the only way to identify certain food remains, such as potatoes. By identifying and quantifying the pollen, phytoliths, and starch grains found in archaeological sediments and on artifacts, an archaeologist can glean additional information on the plants growing on or near ancient sites.

How agriculture and domestication began

Agriculture has no single, simple origin. A wide variety of plants and animals have been independently domesticated at different times and in numerous places. The first agriculture appears to have developed at the closing of the last Pleistocene glacial period, or Ice Age (about 11,700 years ago). At that time temperatures warmed, glaciers melted, sea levels rose, and ecosystems throughout the world reorganized. The changes were more dramatic in temperate regions than in the tropics.

Although global climate change played a role in the development of agriculture, it does not account for the complex and diverse cultural responses that ensued, the specific timing of the appearance of agricultural communities in different regions, or the specific regional impact of climate change on local environments. By studying populations that did not develop intensive agriculture or certain cultigens, such as wheat and rice, archaeologists narrow the search for causes. For instance, Australian Aborigines and many of the Native American peoples of western North America developed complex methods to manage diverse sets of plants and animals, often including (but not limited to) cultivation. These practices may be representative of activities common in some parts of the world before 15,000 years ago.

Plant and animal management was and is a familiar concept within hunting and gathering cultures, but it took on new dimensions as natural selection and mutation produced phenotypes that were increasingly reliant upon people. Because some resource management practices, such as intensively tending nondomesticated nut-bearing trees, bridge the boundary between foraging and farming, archaeologists investigating agricultural origins generally frame their work in terms of a continuum of subsistence practices.

Notably, agriculture does not appear to have developed in particularly impoverished settings; domestication does not seem to have been a response to food scarcity or deprivation. In fact, quite the opposite appears to be the case. It was once thought that human population pressure was a significant factor in the process, but research indicated by the late 20th century that populations rose significantly only after people had established food production. Instead, it is thought that—at least initially—the new animals and plants that were developed through domestication may have helped to maintain ways of life that emphasized hunting and gathering by providing insurance in lean seasons. When considered in terms of food management, dogs may have been initially domesticated as hunting companions, while meat and milk could be obtained more reliably from herds of sheep, goats, reindeer, or cattle than from their wild counterparts or other game animals. Domestication made resource planning a more predictable exercise in regions that combined extreme seasonal variation and rich natural resource abundance.

The pros of agriculture

1. Food for Human beings: It provides food that can be consumed by human beings. These include vegetables, fruits and meat.

2. Food for Animals: Animals also feed on food grown through agriculture for instance hay, fodder, silage and more.

3. Source of Livelihood: Many people spend their lives engaging in agriculture.They include farmers, agronomists, transporters and many others.

4. Source of Income: People earn their living directly or indirectly though agriculture.

5. Raw Materials: Agriculture produces raw materials that are needed in manufacturing. Examples include, sisal, cotton, bamboo and more.

6. Food Security: Agriculture is practiced to improve food security in a country.

7. Trading Commodity: Products such as wheat, corn, or tea are used as trading commodities in the financial markets.

8. International Trade: International trade is dependent on agricultural products which are interchanged between countries.

9. Foreign Exchange: Agricultural countries earn foreign currency by exporting agricultural produce.

10. National Revenue: Many governments especially in developing countries earn most of their income from agriculture.

11. Employment Opportunities: The agricultural sector is a leading employer in many countries.

12. Economic Development: Most countries and regions have experienced economic growth and development because of agriculture.

13. Conserving the Environment: Good agricultural practices help in conserving the environment and reducing pollution.

14. Transport Sector: The transport sector is heavily dependent on the agricultural sector.

15. Conducive Environment: Agriculture has transformed arid and semi-arid areas into green and more conducive environments.

16. Forging International Cooperation: Many countries interact with each other because of exporting and importing agricultural produce.

17.Improving Standards of Living: Good agricultural techniques help farmers and other players improve their living standards.

18. Agro-Based Industries: Many industries crop-up to produce products that depend on cotton, sisal, jute and other agricultural products.

19. Greener Environment: Agriculture can help enhance the surrounding by creating natural vegetation instead of bare soil and rocks.

20. Support Scientific Research: Researchers and scientists normally rely on plants and animals that have been produced through agriculture.

21. Improved Health: Most of the drugs and medication comes from produce that is farmed.

22. Water Conservation: Modern agriculture which relies on drip irrigation helps to conserve water. Dams also stop water from wasting away.

23. Minimizing Pollution: Plants help purify the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. The also trap harmful toxins and pathogens in the air.

24. Improving Soil Structure: The roots of plants hold together the soil particles and stop soil erosion.

25. Absorb Heat: The vegetative cover helps cool the earth’s surface and reduces evaporation of water from the surface

The cons of agriculture

Following are disadvantages;

1. Lack of water resources – agriculture predominantly dependent on good monsoon. Scope of irrigation is limited to plains while desert, hilly regions still deprived of modern method of irrigation.
2. Paucity of Electricity: Lack of farm mechanisation.
3. Avg. operational land holdings are fragmented and also reducing over the years.
4. Low productivity of agri / horti crops coupled with lower per cent of A grade produces.
5. No timely availability of seed/ seedlings, agro-chemicals, fertilizers etc. Absence of field protocols or good agri practices on real time basis for famers.
6. Poor access to markets for higher price realisation. Lack of infrastructure facilities such as pre-post harvest measures, safe storage, refer network and transport of produce.
7. No value processors for surplus production.
8. No comprehensive policy on agriculture and national water policy.
9. Coverage of institutional mechanism for credit / insurance yet to show results at the field level.
10. No focused human resource training or skill development initiatives.

How to use agriculture in your community

Agriculture is a key factor in the health and vitality of many communities. There are a number of ways that a community can use agriculture to help improve the quality of life for its members.
One way that a community can use agriculture is to create urban farms. Urban farms allow communities to produce their own food, which can help to increase food security and reduce food costs. Urban farms can also provide jobs and educational opportunities.
Another way that a community can use agriculture is to create green spaces. Green spaces provide a place for community members to relax and spend time outdoors, while also providing a space to grow plants and flowers.
Finally, a community can use agriculture to promote local businesses. Farmers’ markets and other agricultural-related businesses can bring money into the local economy, while also allowing community members to purchase fresh, locally-grown produce.
By utilizing agriculture in all of these ways, a community can create a healthier and more vibrant environment for its members. It is important for communities to work together to ensure that their members have access to healthy food and can enjoy outdoor activities in a safe and welcoming environment.