Agriculture is the cultivation/growing of crops, rearing of animals/livestock for human consumption and the provision of raw materials for industries.
Importance of Agriculture
- It provides food for man and feeds for animals.
- It offers employment opportunities.
- It is a good source of income.
- It provides raw materials for industries,
- It provides the country with foreign exchange.
- Agriculture has helped in rural development.
Types of Agriculture
Subsistence Agriculture
is the type of agriculture in which the farmer produces just enough food for himself and his family.
Features of Subsistence Agriculture
- It is characterized by small scale production.
- It requires little capital to start.
- It uses only family labour.
- It uses simple farm tools like hoes/cutlasses.
Commercial Agriculture
This is the type of agriculture in which the farmer produces crops and rears animals on a large scale mainly for sale and profit making. Farm operations here are mechanized.
Features of Commercial Agriculture
- Requires large area of land.
- Requires huge capital to operate.
- Requires mechanized implements like bulldozers, tractors etc.
- Involves large scale production.
- It is profit-oriented.
Other types of agriculture are pastoral farming and crop rotation.