The word agriculture comes from the Latin word “ager cultura’” which means cultivation of the fields. Agriculture is a special type of production that generally involves cultivating plants and raising animals. Its scope has since been expanded to include fishery and forestry.
The discovery of agriculture in 6000 B.C. had made a major impact on the development of civilization.
Before the discovery of agriculture, people subsisted by foraging for food. They hunted, fished, and gathered for food wherever they could come across for these. They moved from place to place where they could easily find food.
As population increased, hunting, gathering, and simple fishing became more difficult. To ensure food supply for the family, the nomads had discovered that they could cultivate crops and domesticate animals. They needed not to move from place to place but to set up a permanent community to cultivate a permanent area. They no longer had to worry what to eat and where to find food. This ended their nomadic life and signaled the beginning of civilization.
The development of agriculture resulted in significant advancements in the people’s knowledge and understanding of their environment. People were able to develop other capabilities to further improve their lives. This eventually resulted to the invention of different farming tools and methods such as plow and systematic irrigation systems. This is why it is often said that agriculture is the basis for the development of societies.
Agricultural sector plays an important role in the economic progress of a nation. The materials needed and economic activities come from this.
1. Agricultural sector provides food. The Philippine soil is best suited for root crops such as rice, corn, sugar cane, potatoes and many others. Mangoes, pineapples, coconuts, and bananas also abound. Agricultural sector also provides seafood for mineral and protein needs.
2. Agricultural sector provides raw materials needed to create another products. Natural materials from forests, fields, and seas can be made into different variety of handicraft products.
3. Agricultural sector contributes to the economic progress through export. Agricultural products that are exported to other countries include sugar, flowers, fruits, seafood and many others. An important source of income for the government is the exportation of agricultural products. This is why the government has primarily focused on developing the country’s capacity to export more of agricultural products.
4. Agricultural sector provides employment to a large number of Filipinos. Those on the countryside depend on agriculture for their livelihood such as farming, fishing, mining and raising livestock.
5. A progressive agricultural sector can support other sectors of the economy like manufacturing, trade and services by supplying the needed raw materials. This is why when a country dream of industrialization, it needs to expand and improve its agricultural production. But expanding production alone is not enough to develop the agricultural sector. We have to remember that it makes up the substantial part of the country’s population – people who are potential customers of other products and services. Alongside efforts to expand production, it is necessary to improve people’s condition in order to strengthen their capacity as consumers. Through this a more vibrant exchange between productive sectors will take place and progress in both urban and rural areas is expected to follow.
Agriculture really plays a crucial role in the overall objective and effort to achieve economic progress. Many of today’s developed economies first strove to strengthen their agricultural sectors. They still provide financial support to their farmers, even scientists and researchers who aim to enhance further their agricultural production.
Reference: http://pulse101.hubpages.com
By: Rodel C. Dumalag | Teacher I | Bataan National High School | Balanga City
