A striking feature in the early existence of
man is his unconscious search for his basic needs (food, shelter, and clothing).
The early man found the solution to this problem through agriculture. The early
man introduced the cultivation of crops and rearing of animals to be able to
solve his problem. Crops and animals were used as food and meat respectively,
also plant woods and leaves were used for building shelter, then animal hides
and skin he used for clothing.
The main objective
of the introduction of Agriculture by the early man is the production of food. Food
is very important to man and to animals as well. Food helps to nourish the
body, provide nutrients needed for proper growth and normal functioning of the
body. Food is produced by the cultivation of crops and rearing of animals. Food
produced by Agriculture can process or eaten naturally.
In other words, the only medium in which food
is made available to the World is through Agriculture.
Apart
from the digital technologies in our World today, the World’s activities are
controlled by Agriculture directly or indirectly. Clothes are manufactured
everyday across the globe for body covering, for fashions and also for
protection. All these clothes and fabrics are made from raw materials produced
from plants and animal skin. Also foot wears are also made from Agricultural raw
materials. With these few highlights it is obvious and not an understatement to
say that Agriculture controls the fashion industry.
It
is not a taboo to say that Agriculture plays a major role in controlling the
activities of Education community. All the tools used in impacting knowledge
are made from Agricultural raw materials. All the writing materials from the
least to the greatest are products of Agriculture. Wood pulp used for making
paper is a product of plant. Inks are made from colored pigments of plants,
other educational tools like; pencils, desks, writing pads, to mention but a
few are all products of Agriculture.
Now let’s take a
look at the Medical field, drugs ( tablets or syrups), saline water and other
medical related ointments are all products of plants and animals in the form herbs
and animals products. All drugs and medical related products are all processed Agricultural
raw materials. Without these raw materials drugs will never come into
existence, because drugs are processed from herbs and animal products. Forensic
chemicals used in detecting the cause of death of a human body are made from
agricultural raw materials. In fact the importance of agriculture cannot be
over emphasized.
In
some African countries especially Nigeria in West Africa, it is unfortunate to
note that Oil and Gas has reduced the practice of Agriculture which was once
the country’s main source of revenue to nothing. But what the sector has not
come to understand is that the secret of the presence of oil and gas is due to
the existence of long decayed plants and animals underneath the earth. These decayed
plants and animals undergo natural processes in the soil to form crude oil,
which is the main raw material in oil and gas sector.
Construction
industries can’t do without Agriculture. Woods for building bridges, raffia
plants, and paint pigments are all products of agricultural raw materials. Most
industries use Agricultural raw materials for the processing of their products.
They solely depend on the agriculture for a steady flow of raw materials to
enhance productivity.
Agriculture no doubt would and always be and
continue to be the bedrock of economic development in the world. The development
on earth no doubt started with agriculture. Agriculture is the sector of economy
that makes use of nature and enhances it for the benefit of mankind. IT IS THE
LINK BETWEEN NATURE AND THE WELL BEING OF MAN.
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