A simple agriculture definition is the practice and science of cultivating soil, growing crops and raising animals to produce food, fibre, fuel and other useful products. Wheat fields, dairy farms, tea gardens, poultry sheds and fish ponds all count as agriculture.
Farming ranks among the oldest human activities and still employs hundreds of millions of people worldwide, especially in countries such as India. The word also covers the study of farming, which is why universities have departments of agriculture and governments have ministries for it.
Entry at a glance
Meaning
Farming: growing crops and raising livestockPart of speech
Noun, usually uncountablePronunciation
AG-rih-kul-cherWord forms
agricultural (adjective), agriculturist or agriculturalist (person), agriculturallyOrigin
Latin agricultura, from ager (field) and cultura (cultivation, tending)Branches
agronomy, horticulture, animal husbandry, forestry, fisheriesRegister
Neutral; formal in policy and science, "farming" in daily talk
Agriculture meaning: crops, animals and more
If you had to define agriculture in a single breath, you would say it means using land, water and living things to produce what people need. That includes:
- Crops: grains like rice and maize, pulses, fruits, vegetables, cotton, sugarcane, spices.
- Livestock: cattle, buffalo, goats, sheep, pigs and poultry, raised for milk, meat, eggs, wool and leather.
- Related work: beekeeping, fish farming (aquaculture), and in many definitions forestry.
The word is broader than "farming" in one way: it includes the science, technology, policy and business around food production, from seed research to irrigation canals.
The Latin roots of agriculture
English took agriculture from Latin agricultura. The first part, ager, meant field; it is also behind words like agrarian and agronomy. The second part, cultura, meant tending or growing, the same root as culture and cultivate. So agriculture is literally "tending the field".
The practice itself is far older than the word. Archaeologists date the first farming to roughly ten to twelve thousand years ago, in regions such as the Fertile Crescent of West Asia, with farming also arising independently in places including China, Mesoamerica and the Andes. This change, called the Neolithic Revolution, let people settle in villages and, later, cities.
Main types of agriculture
| Type | What it means |
|---|---|
| Subsistence | Growing mainly enough to feed one's own family |
| Commercial | Growing crops or raising animals to sell for profit |
| Intensive | High inputs of labour, fertiliser or machinery on a small area |
| Extensive | Low inputs spread over large areas, such as cattle ranching |
| Organic | Avoiding synthetic fertilisers and pesticides under set standards |
| Plantation | One cash crop such as tea, coffee or rubber on a large estate |
| Mixed | Crops and livestock on the same farm, each supporting the other |
Students in India also learn the seasonal split between kharif crops, sown with the monsoon, and rabi crops, sown in winter.
Agriculture in sentences
- Agriculture still supports a large share of families in rural districts.
- She studied agriculture and now advises farmers on soil health.
- Drip irrigation has changed agriculture in dry regions.
- The budget includes new spending on agriculture and rural roads.
- Urban agriculture, like rooftop vegetable gardens, is growing in big cities.
Agriculture definition in science and policy
In science, agriculture links many fields: soil science, plant breeding, genetics, entomology, veterinary science and climate studies. Words such as photosynthesis, biodiversity and precipitation come up constantly. In economics, agriculture is called the primary sector, along with mining and fishing, because it takes resources directly from nature.
Big debates today include how to grow more food with less water, the effects of chemical use on soil and health, and how changing weather affects harvests. Related terms are collected under science and ideas.
Frequently asked questions
What is the definition of agriculture in simple words?
Agriculture is growing plants and raising animals to get food and other things people need, such as cotton or wool. It also includes the knowledge and science behind farming.
What is the meaning of agriculture in a school textbook?
Textbooks usually define it as the art and science of cultivating soil, growing crops and rearing livestock. Some add forestry and fisheries.
Is fishing part of agriculture?
Fish farming, or aquaculture, is usually counted as agriculture. Catching wild fish is often grouped separately as fisheries, though many governments place both in the same ministry.
What is the difference between farming and agriculture?
Farming is the hands-on work of growing crops and raising animals. Agriculture includes farming plus the science, business and policy around it.
How do you pronounce agriculture?
Say AG-rih-kul-cher. AG is the loud beat, and the ending matches the end of culture.