The role of agriculture currently

The process of agricultural production has become increasingly complex and requires therefore scientific help in research and extension. The need for optimizing the allocation of inputs has given agricultural economics importance, especially in the field of farm management.

Today, agriculture is deeply connected with other sectors of the economy. It cannot produce or function effectively anymore without their inputs and services, and acts itself as a customer to these other sectors, thus providing work and income outside of agriculture.

Agriculture has changed from a way of life to a profession in which technical know-how plays an ever increasing role, while the structure and the farm organization also changed. New methods like part-time farming arose.

Agriculture provides the basis of subsistence for the growing populates by the production of food and raw materials for consumption and for industries. The people staying in each country or region depend on the agricultural produce by farmers, which means everybody rely on agriculture and interested in its continuing produce.

The more people inhabit in a town and have to buy food at the market, the more agricultural prices became a political issue. The interest of urban areas in agriculture is an interest in low prices, and the request of the primary sector for price increases is a regular constraint for the urban population.

Finally, the provision of food for the population with so many contributors and interest-groups can be achieved only with a functioning marketing and distribution system as well as a sound agricultural policy.

Agriculture