- What is the agricultural sector?
- Characteristics of the agricultural sector
- Agricultural sector activities
- Importance of the agricultural sector
We explain what the agricultural sector is, its characteristics and activities. Also, why is it important?
What is the agricultural sector?
The agricultural sector or agrarian sector is the set of productive initiatives of society that are dedicated to obtaining agricultural products, that is, raw material of plant origin, such as food, vegetable fibers, seeds, etc. These initiatives are part of the primary sector -that is, the sector in charge of generating the raw material- and it also constitutes, together with the rancher, the agricultural sector.
The agricultural products generated by this sector are obtained through cultivation, that is, sowing and harvesting are used. harvest. For this reason, the raw materials from forest exploitation are not considered agricultural, and in some cases neither are those from harvesting.
These products can be of two types:
- Food agricultural products, destined for the consumption of foods.
- Industrial agricultural products, destined to feed industries secondary and subsequently converted into processed products.
The farming it is an ancient productive activity, which played a fundamental role in the destiny of civilization. In fact, the Neolithic Revolution was called the drastic change that the appearance of agriculture brought about in the way of life of humanity, allowing the appearance of communities sedentary. Since then, the agricultural sector has been a fundamental part of the economy.
Characteristics of the agricultural sector
The agricultural sector is characterized by the following:
- In basic terms, their activity consists of the use of tools to prepare the land and water to irrigate the seeds. Subsequently, the plantation is cared for until the moment of harvest, in which the seeds are collected and processed. products.
- It carries out an ancient activity, which has accompanied the human being since the beginning of civilization, and which throughout history has been modernized through the use of more sophisticated tools and newer technologies. Currently, the agricultural model is highly technical.
- The total of the planetary surface dedicated to the agricultural sector since the middle of the 20th century varies between 50% and 35%.
Agriculture is classified, depending on its management of water, in:
- Rainfed agriculture, which does not require additional irrigation from the farmer, but rather depends on the rains.
- Irrigated agriculture, which implies an effort on the part of the farmer to irrigate the crops.
Depending on its production schemes and its relationship with the market, agriculture can be of two types:
- Subsistence agriculture, which produces just enough for the farmer to survive.
- Industrial or market agriculture, which produces enough to meet the demand of a consumer market.
Finally, depending on the yield that agricultural production obtains and its ecological impact, agriculture is classified into two types:
- Intensive agriculture, which requires little space for large production, depleting soil resources.
- Extensive agriculture, which uses large extensions of land and obtains lower yields, but has a lower ecological impact.
Agricultural sector activities
Among the activities of the agricultural sector are, fundamentally:
- Planting. This activity consists of preparing the I usually to receive the seeds scattered in it, in such a way that they germinate and produce new plants in the desired places. To do this, the seeds are usually also prepared (by washing, moistening, scarifying, etc.), to guarantee greater chances of success and reduce the possible presence of pests. In some cases, instead of seeds, saplings of whole plants are planted.
- The cultivation. During the cultivation stage, the plants are watered and fed, providing them with the necessary materials for rapid and healthy growth, and they are protected from natural threats such as droughts, hailstorms or pests (mushrooms, insects, microorganisms, rodents, etc).
- Harvest. The final stage of the agrarian process culminates with the appearance of the fruit or the useful part of the crop. plant, which is then massively collected and processed for subsequent distribution and marketing. The moment of cultivation can vary enormously depending on what product is desired: fruits, seeds, flowers, fibers, etc.
Importance of the agricultural sector
Agriculture is a fundamental activity in the human way of life, which allows our species to grow its own food and also obtain useful materials for the manufacture of more elaborate objects, such as vegetable fibers, cotton, bark, seeds, etc.
Therefore, it constitutes a economic activity key in the development of nations, although once they enter the industrialization, their relative dependence on the agricultural sector decreases markedly.
Even so, in the face of a world in constant growth and in continuous demand for food, the agricultural sector retains its vital importance as a producer of food or raw materials for the food manufacturing sector. Along with mining, cattle raising, fishing and harvesting, is one of the main ways of obtaining useful matter destined for very varied purposes in the society human.