What is the Definition of Agriculture?

Agriculture is the science, art, and practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that allowed people to live in cities. The history of agriculture began thousands of years ago.

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The definition of agriculture according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines agriculture as “the science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting products.”

The definition of agriculture according to the United States Department of Agriculture

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines agriculture as “the art and science of producing high quality food, feed, fiber and plant-based products using sustainable production practices.”

In other words, agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber, and other plant-based products using sustainable methods. Agriculture includes the cultivation of crops and raising of livestock.

Sustainable agriculture is the practice of producing food, feed, fiber, and other plant-based products in a way that is environmentally responsible and that meets the needs of present and future generations.

There are many different types of agriculture, including but not limited to:
-conventional agriculture
-organic agriculture
-sustainable agriculture
-industrial agriculture
-agroecology

The definition of agriculture according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

The primary definition of agriculture according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is “the art and science of cultivating plants and animals for food, fiber, fuel, and other products useful to humans.”

This broad definition covers all of the ways that people have traditionally used natural resources to provide for their needs. It includes both traditional farming practices as well as more modern approaches that make use of advances in technology. In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on sustainable agriculture, which is defined as “an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will last over the long term.”

Sustainable agriculture systems are designed to protect and enhance the natural resources upon which they depend—soil, water, air, and biodiversity—while also providing economic, social, and environmental benefits for farmers and other members of the community.

The definition of agriculture according to the Encyclopedia Britannica

Agriculture, also called farming or husbandry, is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi, and other life forms for food, fiber, biofuel, drugs and other products used to sustain and enhance human life. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the development of civilization. The study of agriculture is known as agricultural science. The history of agriculture dates back thousands of years; it has been an important throughout human history.

The word agriculture is a late Middle English adaptation of Latin agricultūra, from ager (“field”) + -cultūra (“cultivation”), from cultus (“cultivation”), perfect passive participle of colō (“till”). The term agriculture may have first been applied to land cleared for farming. By the 16th century it had acquired its present meaning.

The definition of agriculture according to the Oxford Dictionary

Agriculture is “the art or science of cultivating the ground, including the raising of crops and the rearing of animals, for the provision of food, wool, and other products.”
It is also defined as “the land managed in this way; an area devoted to agriculture,” or “the production of crops and livestock, as well as the markets for their sale.”
In a more general sense, agriculture includes all activities related to growing crops and raising animals for human use.

The definition of agriculture according to the Cambridge Dictionary

Agriculture is the practice of farming, including the raising of crops and the rearing of animals, for human use.