Agriculture and its types

Agriculture:

The word agriculture is derived from two Latin words Ager and Culture.

Ager = Field, Land, Soil

Culture = Cultivation

So, agriculture means cultivating the soil, but, is agriculture limited to cultivating the soil only? The answer is no. It includes crop production, livestock farming, fisheries, agriculture economics, engineering, etc. 

Definition:

• Agriculture is the science, art, or process of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock, and producing and marketing productive products.
• The cultivation and production of crops and plants, and raising of livestock for economic purposes and human needs.

Types of agriculture:

Generally, agriculture is divided into five branches:

◼ Plant Sciences

◼ Animal Sciences

◼ Economic Sciences (Agronomics)

◼ Mechanical/Engineering Sciences (Agriculture Engineering)

◼ Soil Sciences

Plant Sciences:

The plant sciences include applied plant physiology, nutrition, ecology, breeding and genetics, pathology, and weed science, as well as crop management.

Plant sciences include

1. Agronomy
2. Horticulture
3. Forestry

Animal Sciences:

Animal sciences is basically the breeding and caring of animals for specific purposes, such as for their meat, milk, and/or fur. It includes poultry, livestock, fisheries, etc.

Economic Sciences:

Agriculture economics deals with the business end of farming. It is also known as agronomics.

Agriculture engineering:

Agriculture engineering involves the knowledge of farm machines and equipment. It also deals with the development of new systems and methods to address the challenges facing agriculture.

Soil Sciences:

Soil science is the study of soil as a natural resource on the surface of the Earth including soil formation, classification, and mapping; physical, chemical, biological, and fertility properties of soils; and these properties in relation to the use and management of soils.