Agricultural Sector Information: We explain what the agricultural sector is, its characteristics, and activities. We also explain why it is important.
What is the agricultural sector?
The agricultural sector, or agrarian sector, is the set of productive initiatives in society dedicated to obtaining agricultural products, that is, raw materials of plant origin, such as food, plant fibers, seeds, etc. These initiatives are part of the primary sector—that is, the sector responsible for generating raw materials—and also constitute, along with the livestock sector, the agricultural sector.
The agricultural products generated by this sector are obtained through cultivation, that is, sowing and harvesting. For this reason, raw materials from forestry exploitation are not considered agricultural, and in some cases, neither are those from harvesting. Must Read About Social Equality Once.
These products can be of two types:
- Food agricultural products, intended for food consumption.
- Industrial agricultural products, intended to fuel secondary industries and later converted into processed products.
Agriculture is an ancient productive activity that played a fundamental role in the destiny of civilization. In fact, the Neolithic Revolution was the name given to the drastic change that the emergence of agriculture brought to humanity’s way of life, allowing for the emergence of sedentary communities. Since then, the agricultural sector has been a fundamental part of the economy. Must Read About Public Law Once.
Characteristics of the Agricultural Sector
The agricultural sector is characterized by the following:
- In basic terms, its activity consists of the use of tools to prepare the land and water to irrigate the seeds. The plantation is then cared for until harvest time, when the products are collected and processed. It is an ancient activity that has accompanied humankind since the beginning of civilization and has been modernized throughout history through the use of more sophisticated tools and innovative technologies. Currently, the agricultural model is highly technological.
- The total global surface area dedicated to the agricultural sector since the mid-20th century varies between 50% and 35%.
Agriculture is classified, depending on its water management, as:
- Dryland agriculture, which does not require additional irrigation from the farmer but depends on rainfall.
- Irrigated agriculture, which requires an effort on the part of the farmer to irrigate the crops.
Depending on its production patterns 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 satisfy the demand of a consumer market.
Finally, depending on the yield and ecological impact of agricultural production, agriculture is classified into two types:
- Intensive agriculture, which requires little space for large-scale production, depleting soil resources.
- Extensive agriculture, which uses large areas of land and produces lower yields but has a lower ecological impact.
Agricultural Sector Activities
The activities of the agricultural sector include, fundamentally:
- Sowing: This activity consists of preparing the soil to receive the seeds scattered on it, so that they germinate and produce new plants in the desired locations. To achieve this, the seeds are often also prepared (by washing, moistening, scarifying, etc.) to ensure a greater chance of success and reduce the potential presence of pests. In some cases, instead of seeds, whole plant shoots are planted.
- 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 drought, hail, or pests (fungi, insects, microorganisms, rodents, etc.).
- Harvest: The final stage of the agricultural process culminates with the appearance of the fruit or the useful part of the plant, which is then harvested en masse and processed for subsequent distribution and marketing. The cultivation period can vary greatly depending on the desired product: fruits, seeds, flowers, fibers, etc.
Importance of the Agricultural Sector
Agriculture is a fundamental activity in the human way of life, allowing our species to grow its own food and also obtain useful materials for the manufacture of more elaborate objects, such as plant fibers, cotton, bark, seeds, etc.
Therefore, it constitutes a key economic activity in the development of nations, although once they enter into industrialization, their relative dependence on the agricultural sector decreases significantly.
Even so, in the face of a constantly growing world with a 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, livestock farming, fishing, and harvesting, it is one of the main ways of obtaining useful materials for a wide variety of purposes in human society.
References
All the information we offer is supported by authoritative and up-to-date bibliographic sources, ensuring reliable content in line with our editorial principles.
- “Agriculture” on Wikipedia.
- “What activities are included in the agricultural sector?” on the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy of Spain.
- “Importance of agriculture in socioeconomic development” on the Social Economic Observatory of the National University of Rosario (Argentina).
- “Agriculture and food” on the World Bank.
