Activity 3.1 – Agriculture 101

 Malik Hamideh

Professor Walker

ENVR-1302-002

18 February 2024

Activity 3.1 – Agriculture 101

• History of Agriculture

• Pre-Modern Agriculture

1. Origins of Agriculture: It is estimated that agriculture began about 10,000 years ago, with Southwest Asia being one of the first areas to cultivate crops. Among the earliest crops to be domesticated were legumes like peas and lentils and grains like wheat and barley.
2. The region known as the Fertile Crescent, which stretches north of the Persian Gulf and encircles the Nile River, was essential to the early development of agriculture. 
3. Spread of Agriculture: Rice and wheat became important crops as agriculture expanded to many areas, including China. 
4. Impact of Agriculture: As a result of people settling in certain areas to grow crops, the move to agriculture resulted in sedentary lives. Higher population densities and the emergence of complex civilizations were also made possible by this. But it also made crop protection necessary, which prompted the creation of defensive mechanisms.
5. Colonization and Trade: Agriculture made it easier for people to settle in new areas and to trade goods and animals across continents. Christopher Columbus and other European explorers were instrumental in this trade, bringing products like potatoes, tomatoes, and maize to Europe while wheat established itself as a mainstay in the Americas.
6. Industrial Revolution: The 19th century's industrial revolution resulted in notable agricultural breakthroughs. Farming was transformed by inventions like the tractor, which raised output. 
• Moving Towards Modern Agriculture: The Green Revolution
1. The Green Revolution was greatly aided by the discovery of agrochemicals during World War II, which laid the foundation for its expansion. 
2. Today's industrial agriculture is distinguished by its technoscientific, economic, and political components.
3. Through her important work "Silent Spring," Rachel Carson raised awareness of the negative effects that chemical pesticides like DDT have on the ecosystem. Her actions sparked the formation of governmental organizations that sought to improve and enforce environmental standards, including the US Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada in Canada.
• Issues of Modern Agriculture
• Water Pollution from Fertilizers
1. Nitrates are created artificially as fertilizer or naturally occurring in sources like animal dung. Nitrates are necessary for the development of plants.
2. Although precautions are made to reduce exposure, nitrate poisoning in groundwater may induce blue baby syndrome, which can be harmful to an infant's health.
3. Like nitrates, phosphorus is added to soil to promote plant development. It comes from manufactured sources like phosphate mines or natural ones like compost.
4. Eutrophication may negatively impact aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity. It is increased by phosphorus runoff from agricultural practices and other sources.
• Pesticides and Pesticide Resistance
1. When it comes to vital resources like water, sunshine, and nutrients, weeds compete with crops. Controlling weeds early on is essential to avoid competing with young crops.
2. Chemicals aimed at eliminating insect pests are called insecticides. When pests are seen or suspected, they might be sprayed directly onto crops or applied to seeds before sowing.
3. IPM is a system that efficiently manages pests while limiting their negative effects on the environment. It integrates a variety of pest management techniques, such as chemical, biological, and cultural approaches.
• Climate Change
1. Although greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture are a contributing factor to climate change, they may also be reduced via carbon sequestration and sustainable methods.
2. The effects of climate change, such as altered growth conditions, severe weather, and changes in insect dynamics, are making agriculture more and more susceptible.
3. Crop loss and damage may arise from more frequent and severe weather occurrences.
• Soil Loss
1. The most productive top layer of soil may be washed away or blown off by extreme weather conditions like intense rainstorms or high winds, which can cause acute soil loss.
2. Soil erosion may be facilitated by repeatedly tilling fields and leaving them fallow, or bare.
3. By causing more sedimentation in water bodies, soil loss may exacerbate environmental degradation by causing habitat deterioration and water contamination.
4. Reduced tillage and no-till farming are examples of conservation tillage techniques that may be used to lessen soil disturbance and erosion.
• What is Sustainable Agriculture?
• Defining Sustainable Agriculture
1. By incorporating ecological processes and functions into agricultural methods, sustainable agriculture highlights how crucial it is to preserve ecosystem health.
2. Sustainable farming methods lessen erosion and increase long-term production by preserving the fertility, structure, and resilience of the soil.
• Food Security and Food Safety
1. Hunger or malnutrition is caused by inadequate access to enough safe and nourishing food, which is referred to as food insecurity.
2. Making sure that food is free of pollutants, germs, and poisons that might make people sick or hurt them is the main goal of food safety.
3. Another key idea about food security is food sovereignty, which emphasizes peoples' rights to choose their own food and agricultural systems.
• Complexity of the Agricultural and Food Production System
1. Global food production and distribution are significantly influenced by a small number of multinational firms.
2. Women make up a large portion of the labor force in the home and on the farm, which keeps the family and farm running smoothly.
3. Farm families in Canada face challenges related to poor economic returns, elevated input prices, and susceptibility to external factors like free trade agreements and globalization.
• Practices in Sustainable Agriculture
• Integrated Pest Management
1. IPM is focused on avoiding pest issues and controlling pests using ecologically sustainable methods.
2. To help guide pest control choices, data from inspections and monitoring is recorded, examined, and evaluated.
• Organic Farming through Intercropping
1. Using intercropping to control plant interactions increases crop output. To make better use of water and natural resources, many crops are planted together.
2. Improved land resource management, more stable yields, less crop losses from pests, diseases, and weeds, less nutrient leaching, and erosion control.
• Enhancing Biodiversity in Agroecosystems
1. Assistance for food production via increased resilience of ecosystems, pest management, and soil fertility.
2. Utilizing many cultivars of a crop boosts genetic diversity and improves resistance to pests and illnesses.
• New Trends: Diversified Agroecological Farming
1. Agroecology aims to maximize production, resilience, and ecosystem health while minimizing environmental consequences via the integration of ecological concepts into agricultural methods.
2. One of the biggest dangers to biodiversity is agriculture since over-exploitation and other agricultural practices have led to the endangerment or extinction of a significant number of plant and animal species.
• Case Study: Drinking Tea in a Healthier Environment
1. Due to its antioxidant qualities, tea is regarded as a healthy beverage; nevertheless, since synthetic pesticides are widely used in tea-growing countries, there are worries over the presence of pesticide residues.
2. China, a significant producer of tea, has realized that to keep its access to international markets, it must address the usage of pesticides in the tea industry. 
• Case Study: But What About Fertilizers?
1. Modern agriculture makes extensive use of chemical fertilizers, commonly referred to as synthetic or inorganic fertilizers, because of their ease of application and quick availability of nutrients. 
2. Agrominerals are composed of silicates, carbonates, and other substances that are useful to plants, such as potassium and phosphorus.
3. Compost, which is created from organic waste, and manure, which is formed from animal waste, are two examples of organic fertilizers. Higher amounts of organic matter are present in organic fertilizers than in chemical fertilizers, and over time, this helps to enhance soil structure, water retention, and nutrient availability.