Introduction to the Importance of Agriculture
The importance of Agriculture for the survival of both individuals and the development of the economy cannot be overstated. It plays a vital role in the provision of food for man and in the development of rural areas. Thus, Agriculture remains one of the most crucial occupations in the world.
Agriculture accounts for the only source of food for people across the globe, without food, there is bound to be starvation, and humans will be susceptible to disease attacks.
The Agricultural sector provides the largest percentage of jobs for Men. Particularly, Women, making it the highest employer of Women in the world. Children are not left out as part of individuals gainfully engaged in agriculture.
The following are some of the major importance of Agriculture to Man, society, and the economy, as highlighted by the West Africa Examination Council. They are:
- Provision of food for man’s use
- Provision of feed for animals
- Employment of labour
- Provision of raw materials for industries
- Foreign exchange earner
- Contribution to national income or revenue
- Rural development
- Provision of shelter and clothing
- Provision of Tourism.
- Creation of a market for agricultural input
Provision of Food for Man’s Use
Food is one of the most crucial substances required by humans daily for survival. Humans need food for growth, repair of worn-out tissue, and energy production. Thus, Agriculture remains the primary source of food for man.
Without agriculture, there is bound to be hunger and food importation. A nation that cannot feed itself will depend on food importation for its citizens which may lead to bankruptcy.
The food required by man can be crops and animal products. Crops such as yam, rice, wheat, cowpea, soybeans, wheat, oath, and their products as well as animal products such as meat, eggs, fish, meat meal, and blood meal, and their products can satisfy man’s dietary requirements.
These foods provide vital nutrients such as carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins, minerals, water, fat, and oil which man requires for growth, energy, development, and resistance to various diseases.
Inadequate food can lead to starvation, decrease the immune system, make man susceptible to various diseases, and eventually reduce the average life span. The world requires an abundance of food to prevent food insecurity.
Numerous innovations and technologies have been developed for the agricultural industries in a bid to produce high-quality and quantity of food. Researchers are to develop the best method/system of farming, and improved farming techniques that will ensure food productivity.
Provision of Feed for Animals
Farm animals require adequate quality and quantity of food for growth, reproduction, and productivity. Farm animals such as goats, sheep, cattle poultry, pigs, fish, and horses require a balanced ration of meat, egg, and fish production.
Farm animals’ feed can be forage crops or processed food products. Irrespective of the type of feed consumed by the animal, Agriculture remains the source of production, processing, and marketing of these feed.
Agriculture established pastures or ranches for the cultivation of forage grass such as Elephant grass, Carpet grass, Guinea grass, and Bamda grass, and Folders such as Tropical kudzu, Centro, and Alfalfa for feeding ruminant animals instead of rearing farm animals in extensive methods.
Agriculture is also involved in the production of crops and animal products which are processed into simple feed that is used to nourish farm animals such as fish, poultry, and pigs.
These animals possess simple stomachs that cannot digest forages and folders, so depend on processed feed to produce, meat, eggs, and fish.
More so, livestock products and by-products like fish meal, bone meal, oyster shell, blood meal, and eggshell are processed for feeding livestock.
Employment of Labour
Agriculture remains one of the most important occupations through which individuals can earn a living. It provides a direct source of employment opportunity for millions of people across the globe.
Agriculture provides both on-farm and off-farm opportunities for practitioners. The on-farm opportunity involves direct opportunity earned from the cultivation and rearing of livestock to earn a living while the off-farm opportunities in agriculture include the processing and marketing of agricultural produce and implements.
Agriculture, whether on a small, medium, or large scale provides employment opportunities for People. Labourers who work on the farm, such as land clearing, weeding applying fertilizers, spraying insecticides, and processing agro products, earn wages daily. Skilled labourers like commercial farm managers, supervisors, accountants, and so on earn salaries that become a means of livelihood for people.
Arguably, Agriculture remains one of the highest employment of people across the world. In developing countries, despite the rapid economic growth of the other sectors, agriculture remains the leading provider of employment for the working population.
Additionally, it has been estimated that the agriculture sector provides about 70-75 percent of employment opportunities while about 90 percent of the rural people rely solely on agriculture. In West Africa and Nigeria particularly 70 percent of the Agricultural value chain is produced by Women, making it the largest employer of women in the subregion.
Provision of Raw Materials for Industries
Agriculture contributes immensely to the provision of raw materials for manufacturing industries. It remains one of the most crucial occupations through which raw materials can be produced for agro-based industries.
Plant and animal products and by-products are largely required by manufacturing industries for processing and packaging. In the present time, as the population continues to surge in the face of climate change and food insecurity, concise efforts have been made in the establishment and expansion of manufacturing industries.
Animal products such as meat, eggs, wool, hoof, feathers, and skin are required by processing industries for the production of various products that are needed by man.
Crops like timber, palm oil, soybeans, cotton, rubber, sugarcane, cocoa, oath, and so on are required both in domestic and international agro-based industries. The production of these valuable agricultural products is geared towards meeting the needs of the industries.
For example, wood and wood pulp are needed by the wood and paper industries for manufacturing paper and furniture, and Animal skin, meat, and wool are required by the caning and tinning industries for the manufacturing of leather, beef, and fish.
Foreign Exchange Earning
Agricultural produce such as timber, palm oil, rice, oats, wheat, soybeans, cotton, rubber, sugarcane, cocoa, oath, and animals such as cattle, and sheep produced in many countries serve largely as an agricultural export for foreign exchange earnings which they use to finance their imports.
These countries utilize these export earnings in the finance of economic development. Other countries utilize agriculture export earnings in combination with non-agricultural earnings for the importation of farm inputs such as farm machinery and their implements, fertilizers, improved seeds, and breeds of animals which are used for further production.
In Nigeria for instance before the discovery and exploration of crude oil in 1955. The country depends solely on earnings from agriculture for the development of major sectors.
Agriculture accounted for about 82% of the total agricultural export earnings in the country in 1962. Laudable achievements in these periods were the establishment of three major Universities like such as the University of Nigeria in 1955 and formerly opened in 1960, the University of Benin in 1970, and the University of Maiduguri, the construction of the river Niger and Benue bridges, the construction of the East-western road, Northern – southern road in Nigeria and among many laudable achievements. in 1975 agriculture remain the major source of finance for the Nigeria economy.
Today many countries still depend solely on agriculture as a means of foreign export earnings.
Contribution to National Income or Revenue
The income realized from the sale of staple foods such palm oil, rice, oats, wheat, soybeans, cotton, rubber, sugarcane, cocoa, oath, and animals such as cattle, sheep forms the major source of income for farmers.
More so, income realised from individuals who engaged in off-farm agricultural activities such as processing and marketing of agricultural products.
These earnings from individuals who engage in various agricultural production as a means of livelihood form part of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for countries. GDP refers to the income and revenue realised by individuals from the sales of agricultural goods and services within a particular period.
This Gross Domestic Product varies from one country to another depending on the agricultural development of such countries. Many countries derive high gross domestic product from the sales of agricultural goods and services which is used to measure the level of household income.
Rural Development
Agriculture remains one of the vital means by which rural communities receive development. It is the most common occupation available for individuals living in the rural area.
Due to the abundance of land in the rural, rural dwellers take advantage of the large expanses of land to increase agricultural production through the income generated for building modern houses, buying tricycles, vehicles, and motorcycles as well as providing boreholes for self uses or sale to other members of the community.
Many communities through the renting of land for agriculture as well as the sale of timber embarked on community development and self-help projects such as water facilities, primary and secondary schools, cottage hospitals, markets, building bridges, and extension of electricity projects in the rural areas which help in transforming the growth and development of the rural area.
To boost agricultural development government and non-governmental organizations embarked on road and railway construction to connect the rural area to the urban settlement for the evacuation of agricultural products.
New markets are built, and old markets are renovated In rural areas to boost agricultural potential. All these form the importance of agriculture in rural areas.
Provision of Shelter and Clothing
Agriculture helps in the cultivation of timber and cotton which are vital raw materials used for making clothing and furniture These crops contribute to the nation’s shelter and clothing needs.
Timber and its by-products are useful in the construction and roofing of houses, making furniture for comfortable sitting, and beautifying the interior design of houses.
The cotton link is an important raw material used in the production of textiles for designing and making clothes for people.
These trees which are used for textile designing and the building of houses are sourced from permanent crops which are cultivated in large expanses of land. These plants are maintained, and harvested for such purposes. Agriculture remains the only supplier of these products.
Provision of Tourism.
Agriculture through the conservation of wildlife and flora helps in the creation of parks that serve as a means of tourist attraction.
Parks where various wild animals and trees are conserved to prevent them from going into extinction. Endangered breeds of animals are conserved in the park where people travel to relax and feel entertained.
Different species of trees are also conserved in the park to provide a home for wild animals. This park also serves as a means of revenue generation for the government.
In Africa and Nigeria particularly, various national parks are created in various cities and states to conserve endangered species of trees and animals from going into extinction.
Some of these national parks are Okomu Forest Forest Reserve, Udo Edo State, Sakpoba Forest Reserve Edo State, Obudu Cattle Ranch and Resort Cross River, Yankari Game Reserve, Bauchi State. Afi Forest Reserve, Osun State Oba Hil Forest Reserve, Osun State, and more.
These reserves form parts of the national heritage and serve as tourist attractions to people all over the world. All these account for the importance of agriculture to man, nation, and society.
Creation of a Market for Agricultural Inputs
Agriculture creates a wide market for the sale of agricultural inputs. Farm inputs such as tools, equipment, machines, herbicides, fertilizers, and other chemicals are largely used in agricultural industries for land preparation, cultivation, maintenance, and increased yield of crops.
Without agriculture, the utilization of these farm inputs will thus limited. Agriculture therefore the basis for the expansion of these industries across the globe.