Agricultural Practices

Agriculture has been practiced by men since time immemorial.  Practically speaking it refers to the process of producing crops that will feed the people and make them survive. Agriculture does not pertain to a single method alone, but over the years, there are evolutionsand innovations that this method of food production has undergone.

Organic farming makes use of the natural processes of food production – from planting to harvest stage. Organic farmers make do with natural fertilizers like manure, compost, and residues instead of purchasing commercial fertilizers.

Some benefits of organic farming include the prevention of soil erosion which is usually caused by the lack of nutrients in the soils, and empowering farmers to come up with their own natural production methods. On the other hand, some drawbacks raised by critics involve food and water contamination, poor quality of food, and even depletion of natural resources.

Another farming or agricultural practice deals with food production which primarily intends to feed the family working on that land. This is subsistence farming. The farmer’s capacity is to provide only enough food for him and his family’s regular activities, but in worse cases, they still experience famine.

Some strategies are being evaluated and conducted to determine if this farming practice can offer the farmers to produce more than what they need for economic purposes.

With the advent of technology through continuous research, there now exists the modern agriculture practice. This type of agriculture greatly relies on engineering and technology. This also gave birth to the popular and controversial genetically modified foods (GMF) like rice, corn, vegetables, and fruits to name some.

Issues and debates have been raised in support and in opposition to this breakthrough. Proponents maintains the belief that genetic engineering is the answer to the increasing population by producing in greater volume without risking the quality of food, while critics argue that the negative effects of these GMF, though not yet observable, will be noticeable on a long-term basis.

Agriculturist and scientists must exert their collaborative effort in improving the agricultural systems along with protecting the health and safety of the natural resources and the consumers.

Reference:

Open-Encyclopedia. Retrieved, April 30, 2007, from http://open-encyclopedia.com/