INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURE –is the art and science of cultivating the

soil, growing crops and raising livestock. It includes the
preparation of plant and animal products for people to use
and their distribution to markets. Agriculture provides most
of the world's food and fabrics. It is the backbone of the
economic system of our country. It plays critical role with
achieving essential development goals like ensuring food
security and improving nutrition.
- ART because of the aesthetic importance of plants, usually for decorative
purposes
- SCIENCE because of the involvement of scientific knowledge for better
production
- Borrowed from Latin agricultura, from ager (“field”, “land”) + cultura
(“cultivation”).

IMPORTANCE
A. Food (Survival) – basic needs (clothing, shelter, medicine)
B. Raw Materials For Industries
C. Market
D. Source Of Livelihood and Employment
E. Source Of Foreign Exchange (Export And Import)
3 F’s
1. Farming – the process
2. Farm – the land
3. Farmer – the person involve

HISTORY
10,000 years ago, first appeared in the
Fertile crescent of Mesopotamia “Middle
East “
Cradle of Civilization – Middle East
a. Iran
b. Iraq
c. Syria
d. Lebanon
e. Israel
f. Jordan
g. Palestine

When people began growing crops, they also

began herding and breeding wild animals.
Adapting wild plants and animals for people to
use is called domestication.
The first domesticated plant was probably rice or corn. Chinese farmers were cultivating
rice as early as 7500 BCE.

The first domesticated animals were dogs, which were used for hunting. Sheep and goats
were probably domesticated next. People also domesticated cattle and pigs. Most of these
animals had once been hunted for hides and meat. Now many of them are also sources of
milk, cheese, and butter. Eventually, people used domesticated animals such as oxen for
plowing, pulling, and transportation.