The Essential Role of Agriculture in Everyday Life

by Awaan Hamid, age 13

Agriculture is another word for farming. It requires an intricate process of growing and harvesting crops that includes raising livestock. Agriculture is vital for humans to live because of the necessities and materials it produces.

Across the world, many farmers produce enough crops and livestock to sustain themselves. This kind of farming is called subsistence farming. After they harvest, a few crops remain to sell or trade. These farms are typically very small and operate with very little technology.

Farms that provide food for a large number of people are called commercial farms. These farms are very large and produce a huge amount of crops and livestock. These farmers are well capable of trading and selling. Their technique includes advanced machines and equipment.

The products from agriculture are useful to make produce and items such as clothing, furniture, and more. Produce from farms include fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, dairy products, and eggs. Other products include cotton, wool, and hides. All of these items are vital to us, showing why agriculture is so important to society.

A majority of farmers follow the same steps to grow, harvest, and sell: plowing the field and then planting seeds. Watering the crops is essential and when fully done, the produce is processed. When everything is ready, farmers ship out their crops to markets.

Farmers protect crops with crop rotation, meaning they do not plant the same crop in the same spot for multiple years. Some plants can use up all the nutrients, however, some can replace those nutrients into the soil. For example, clover can add nitrogen into the soil, a material essential for plant growth. This protects the conditions of the soil and the crops.

The food humans and animals need comes from farms. When crops are ready to be eaten, they are harvested and processed. Crops make it to households mostly in the same way, and people rely on agriculture to live.

[Sources: Brittanica Kids]